Network naming services proxy agent

• US 5,729,689 A
• Filed: 04/25/1995
• Issued: 03/17/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 04/25/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Stewart, James, Bahl, Pradeep, Thompson, David M., Allard, James E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Swann, Tod R.
• Assistant Examiner(s): CHOW, CHRISTOPHER S
• Application Number:
  US08/428,582
• Time in Patent Office: 1,057 Days
• Field of Search: 395/200.02, 395/200.1, 395/200.12, 395/200.15, 395/200.16, 395/200.2, 395/610
• US Class Current: 709/228
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/4552 Lookup mechanisms between a plurality of directories; Synchronisation of directories, e.g. metadirectories
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/58 Caching of addresses or names
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/59 using proxies for addressing

Abstract

A method and apparatus are described for enabling a first node, which utilizes a first naming protocol, to obtain an network address of another node from a naming service that does not provide addresses in accordance with the first naming protocol. A network embodying the present invention includes a naming proxy agent. A first node in the network obtains network addresses corresponding to node names according to a first naming protocol, and a second node conducts network naming operations according to a second naming protocol that is incompatible with the first naming protocol. As a result, the first node cannot by itself obtain the address of the second node by means of a node name query under the first naming protocol.

However, the naming proxy agent receives a first naming query transmitted by the first node according to the first naming protocol that includes the name of the second node. The naming proxy agent converts the first naming query into a second naming query that also includes the registered name. The naming proxy agent transmits the second naming query according to the second naming protocol.

Claims

1. A network including a plurality of nodes which obtain addresses of other nodes in the network by transmitting names according to naming protocols and receiving addresses corresponding to the names, said network comprising:

a first node comprising means for facilitating obtaining network addresses corresponding to node names according to a first naming protocol;

a second node having a name and comprising means for facilitating obtaining network addresses corresponding to node names according to a second naming protocol that is incompatible with the first naming protocol;

a name server for responding to naming queries according to the second naming protocol; and

a naming proxy agent comprising;

means for converting a first naming query including a name transmitted from the first node according to the first naming protocol into a second naming query that also includes the name;

means for transmitting the second naming query according to the second naming protocol to the name server;

means for receiving from the name server, according to the second naming protocol, an address corresponding to the second naming query; and

means for passing, according to the first naming protocol, the address to the first node.

2. The network of claim 1 wherein the naming proxy agent further comprises a local node directory for maintaining a node list, and wherein an entry in the node list comprises a local node name and an address corresponding to the node name.

3. The network of claim 1 wherein the first naming protocol is a broadcast naming protocol.

4. The network of claim 3 wherein the second naming protocol is a point-to-point naming protocol.

5. A naming proxy agent for facilitating obtaining network addresses corresponding to node names in a network including a plurality of nodes which resolve node names into network addresses in accordance with at least first and second naming protocols which are incompatible, the network including a name resolver for responding to naming queries according to the second naming protocol, the naming proxy agent comprising:

means for converting a first naming query including a name transmitted from a first node according to a first naming protocol into a second naming query that also includes the name;

means for forwarding the second naming query to the name resolver according to the second naming protocol,

means for receiving from the name resolver, according to the second naming protocol, an address corresponding to the second naming query; and

means for passing, according to the first naming protocol, the address to the first node.

6. The naming proxy agent of claim 5 wherein the name resolver is located on a third node in the network physically distinct from a network node on which the naming proxy agent resides.

7. The naming proxy agent of claim 6 wherein the naming proxy agent and the first node reside on a same local area network.

8. The naming proxy agent of claim 5 wherein the naming proxy agent resides on a first sub-network and the name resolver resides on a second sub-network.

9. The naming proxy agent of claim 5 wherein the first naming protocol is a broadcast naming protocol.

10. The naming proxy agent of claim 9 wherein the second naming protocol is a point-to-point naming protocol.

11. The naming proxy agent of claim 5 wherein the name resolver is a naming service.

12. The naming proxy agent of claim 5 wherein the name resolver is a second naming proxy agent.

13. A method for resolving node names into network addresses in a network including a first node and a second node which resolve node names by means of respective first and second naming protocols which are incompatible, the network having a name resolver which responds to naming queries according to the second naming protocol, said method comprising the steps:

transmitting a first naming query including a name for the second node, by the first node, according to the first naming protocol;

receiving the first naming query, by a naming proxy agent, and in response converting the first naming query into a second naming query that also includes the name; and

transmitting the second naming query, by the naming proxy agent, to the name resolver according to the second naming protocol;

receiving, by the naming proxy agent according to the second naming protocol, from the name resolver an address corresponding to the second naming query; and

passing, by the naming proxy agent according to the first naming protocol, the address to the first node.