Internet protocol assists using multi-path channel protocol

• US 5,987,515 A
• Filed: 08/29/1997
• Issued: 11/16/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 08/29/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Ratcliff, Bruce H., Valley, Stephen R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Meky, Moustafa M.
• Assistant Examiner(s): HO, CHUONG T
• Application Number:
  US08/920,587
• Time in Patent Office: 809 Days
• Field of Search: 709/22.4, 709/236, 709/235, 709/245, 709/239, 709/218, 709/226, 709/223, 709/238, 370/257, 370/402, 370/338, 370/400, 370/392, 370/390, 370/463, 707/10, 711/121
• US Class Current: 709/224
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/14 Multichannel or multilink protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/16 Implementation or adaptation of Internet protocol [IP], of transmission control protocol [TCP] or of user datagram protocol [UDP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/163 In-band adaptation of TCP data exchange; In-band control procedures

Abstract

A method of allowing any initiating host to establish communications with any receiving host in a computing network using a Multi-path channel communication protocol. The computing environment also having a gateway device that is electronically connected from one end to at least one initiating host and at the other end to at least one local area network through which a plurality of hosts are connected to the gateway device. During an initialization step all functions commercially available on all communication platforms are inputted in a special function table. Then the particular associated platform is queried and the functions provided in the computing environment is determined and inputted also in the function table. All alterations and modifications to the availability of old functions or addition of new functions are also monitored and inputted in the table. In this manner any host connected to the gateway device can obtain a list of all available functions supported by the communication platform at any one time and if desired, even any such host can chose a function from this list of available functions.

Claims

1. In a computing network environment having a gateway device, said gateway device being electronically connected from one end to at least one initiating host and at the other end to at least one local area network through which a plurality of hosts are connected to said gateway device, said computer environment using a Multi-path channel communication protocol, a method of allowing any initiating host to establish communications with any receiving host, said method comprising the steps of:

performing an initialization step during which all possible functions provided by any type of communication platform is specified and stored in a special function table accessible by said gateway device;

performing a querying step during which said functions supported by said associated communication platform is determined;

identifying in said special function table which of said functions are provided and supported by said associated communication platform;

dynamically monitoring alterations, additions and deletions from said functions supported by said associated communication platform and making necessary modifications in said special function table so that said table is kept updated and all available functions are provided at all times;

allowing any host connected to said gateway device to obtain a list of all available functions supported by said communication platform at any one time and;

allowing any host to select any one of said functions available and supported by said communication platform at any one time by issuing a command after obtaining list of all available functions.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said communication platform is an integrated platform.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said communication platform is an open systems adapter platform.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein said computing environment uses Novell IPX communication protocol.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein said functions supported by open system adapter can include RIP function.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein said functions supported by open system adapter can include SAP function(s).

7. The method of claim 4, wherein said functions supported by open system adapter can include Broadcast Filtering.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein said gateway device is uses LAN Channel Station Protocol instead.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein said gateway device is connected to a plurality of local area networks.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein said local area networks each are of different type and associated with them different and independent communication platforms.