Object-oriented networking system with dynamically configurable communication links
First Claim
1. A multi-node computer network system for connecting a client node to a sewer node over a plurality of alternate communication links, the computer network system comprising:
- (a) a network having a plurality of alternate communication links, each of the alternate communication links using a different network protocol;
(b) a server node attached to the network by a first reconfigurable protocol stack;
(c) a client node attached to the network by a second reconfigurable protocol stack and having an application program running therein for generating a service request;
(d) a service program located in the server node for providing a service to the application program, the service program being accessible by the plurality of alternate communication links and having means for reconfiguring the first reconfigurable protocol stack to connect the service program to the plurality of alternate communication links using a network protocol appropriate for each of the alternate communication links;
(e) a directory server located in the client node for receiving a service object from the service program, the service object including reconfiguration data for each of the alternate communication links; and
(f) networking means responsive to the service request or retrieving the service object from the directory server and using the data therein to reconfigure the second reconfigurable protocol stack to connect the application program to the plurality of alternate communication links using a network protocol appropriate for each of the alternate communication links.
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0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Novel object-oriented client-server facility (CSF) and networking service facility (NSF) interfaces implement communication between application programs residing in client and server nodes of a distributed services network. The CSF interface includes remote procedure call (RPC) objects for invoking and responding to service requests at the nodes, and application programming interface (API) objects for transporting those requests between the nodes. However, the API objects only provide communication transports within a node. Accordingly, the API and RPC objects interact with dynamically-configurable protocol stacks within the NSF interfaces to complete the transport mechanism needed by an application program on the client node when accessing services on a remote server node. A preferred embodiment provides an efficient way to perform object operations in a broadcast fashion over a communication network and ensures the receipt and execution of the operation by each target of the broadcast.
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Citations
11 Claims
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1. A multi-node computer network system for connecting a client node to a sewer node over a plurality of alternate communication links, the computer network system comprising:
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(a) a network having a plurality of alternate communication links, each of the alternate communication links using a different network protocol; (b) a server node attached to the network by a first reconfigurable protocol stack; (c) a client node attached to the network by a second reconfigurable protocol stack and having an application program running therein for generating a service request; (d) a service program located in the server node for providing a service to the application program, the service program being accessible by the plurality of alternate communication links and having means for reconfiguring the first reconfigurable protocol stack to connect the service program to the plurality of alternate communication links using a network protocol appropriate for each of the alternate communication links; (e) a directory server located in the client node for receiving a service object from the service program, the service object including reconfiguration data for each of the alternate communication links; and (f) networking means responsive to the service request or retrieving the service object from the directory server and using the data therein to reconfigure the second reconfigurable protocol stack to connect the application program to the plurality of alternate communication links using a network protocol appropriate for each of the alternate communication links. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. A method for connecting a client node to a server node over a plurality of alternate communication links, each of the alternate communication links using a different network protocol and forming a network, the method comprising the steps of:
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(a) defining a server node attached to the network by a first reconfigurable protocol stack; (b) defining a client node attached to the network by a second reconfigurable protocol stack; (c) running an application program in the client node for generating a service request; (d) running a service program in the server node for providing service to the application program, the service program being accessible by the plurality of alternate communication links and having means for reconfiguring the first reconfigurable protocol stack to connect the service program to the plurality of alternate communication links using a network protocol appropriate for each of the alternate communication links; (e) running a directory server in the client node for receiving a service object from the service program, the service object including reconfiguration data for each of the alternate communication links; and (f) retrieving the service object from the directory server and using the data therein to reconfigure the second reconfigurable protocol stack to connect the application program to the plurality of alternate communication links using a network protocol appropriate for each of the alternate communication links. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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Specification