Method and apparatus for interconnecting similar networks using a network of a diffrent type as a virtual link

• US 5,586,261 A
• Filed: 11/10/1994
• Issued: 12/17/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 11/10/1994
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Fletcher, James C., Jones, David A., Brooks, David P., Choi, Owen H., Klonowski, John L.
• Primary Examiner(s): SHIN, CHRISTOPHER B
• Application Number:
  US08/336,948
• Time in Patent Office: 768 Days
• Field of Search: 370/60, 370/94.1, 370/85.13, 395/200, 395/600, 395/800, 395/200.01-200.09, 395/200.1-200.13
• US Class Current: 709/238
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/4604 LAN interconnection over a backbone network, e.g. Internet, Frame Relay
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/04 Interdomain routing, e.g. hierarchical routing

Abstract

A method and apparatus for interconnecting first and second networks that use the same protocols for communications by a third network. The third network is defined in the first and second networks as a single virtual communications link of the native type used by the first and second networks. In response to requests from initiating nodes in the first and second networks to communicate with destination nodes in the other of the first and second networks, routing computation services in the first and second networks compute routes through the first and second networks that will connect the originating and destination nodes and that include the virtual link as such a route. The virtual link is also used to remotely support the communication needs of dependent nodes in the first and second networks that do not have the ability to establish communications sessions within the networks on their own.

Claims

1. A network comprising first and second subnetworks of a first type that use the same communication protocols by a third subnetwork of a second type that uses different communication protocols, the network including dependent nodes unable to initiate establishment of communications with other nodes of the first and second networks, the network comprising

means in the first and second subnetworks for defining the third network as a native virtual communication link interconnecting a first node of the first network and a second node of the second network,

means, responsive to a request from an initiating node in the first network to route a message to a destination node in the second network, for computing a route including the virtual link between the initiating node and the destination node,

means in the first and second subnetworks for transmitting the message via the computed route including the virtual link using the communication protocols of the first and second networks,

means for assigning a requester node in the first network to act on behalf of a dependent node,

means for assigning a server node located in the second network as an owner of a dependent node,

means in the server node for identifying a network address of the dependent node to other nodes in the first and second networks wishing to communicate with the dependent node,

means for establishing a control communication session between the requester and serve nodes via said virtual link between the first and second networks, and

means for transmitting information to other nodes in the first and second networks via the control communication session for the purpose of allowing data communications sessions to be established directly between the dependent node and said other nodes wishing to communicate with the dependent node.

2. A method of interconnecting first and second networks of a first type that use the same communication protocols by a third network of a second type that uses different communication protocols, the first network including dependent nodes unable to initiate establishment of communications with other nodes of the first and second networks, the method comprising the steps of:

in routing tables of the first and second networks, defining the third network as a native virtual communication link interconnecting a first node of the first network and a second node of the second network,

assigning a requester node in the first network to act on behalf of a dependent node,

assigning a server node located in the second network as an owner of the dependent node for the purpose of identifying a network address of the dependent node to other nodes in the first and second networks wishing to communicate with the dependent node,

in response to a request from the requester node, establishing a control communication session within the first and second nodes between the requester and server nodes by computing a route between the requester node and the server node, the route including the virtual link such that said control communication session is routed over the virtual link between the first and second networks, and

using the control communication session to transmit information to other nodes in the first and second networks for the purpose of allowing data communications sessions to be established directly between the dependent node and said other nodes wishing to communicate with the dependent node.