Virtual network communication services utilizing internode message delivery task mechanisms

• US 6,012,084 A
• Filed: 08/01/1997
• Issued: 01/04/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 08/01/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Fielding, William S., Plater, Christopher R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Dinh, Dung C.
• Application Number:
  US08/904,939
• Time in Patent Office: 886 Days
• Field of Search: 395/200.68, 395/200.69, 395/200.72, 395/800, 371/32, 709/200, 709/202, 709/204, 709/205, 709/207, 709/228, 709/230, 709/238, 709/243, 709/300, 709/302, 709/304
• US Class Current: 709/205
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/546 Message passing systems or structures, e.g. queues

Abstract

A networking services architecture is provided in which several communication media and protocols are supported. In commonly used communications middleware, the routing specification and messaging interface provided to a client application may depend on the communications protocol used. The client'"'"'s interface is independent of the communication protocols supported for internode message delivery, and the routing specification is also independent of the number and type of communication protocols supported. For instance in a communication system, node A and node B could be connected using IP (Internet Protocol), while node B and node C could be connected using synchronous pooling. The routing specification is independent of these details since nodes are identified in a protocol independent manner.

Claims

1. Network communication services system for providing communication services between nodes of a network comprising:

a plurality of nodes;

said nodes comprising;

local communications access means for each node adapted to forward a message from a task on a node internally to another task on said node;

one or more internode message delivery task means on a first node adapted to forward a message addressed to a second node from said local communications access means on said first node to said second node to internode message delivery task means on said second node and to accept messages from an internode message delivery task means of a remote node for routing as appropriate to;

(i) local communications access means if intended for internal use within a node

(ii) internode message delivery task means of said remote node

monitoring means for monitoring communications link between nodes including;

said internode message delivery task means including status monitoring task means for communications connection to other nodes;

said status monitoring task means including polling task means for polling said other nodes to determine their status; and

reporting means for reporting a detected change in status of said other nodes;

said status monitoring task means being adapted to;

store status information in a database;

for registration of tasks

notify tasks registered with it of changes in communication link status of selected nodes.

2. The system of claim 1 including task manager means (TMGT) at a node adapted to monitor applications within said node and including:

means to start a task on said node;

means to monitor said task;

means to restart said task if required;

means to terminate said task;

means to report changes of status of said node to said monitoring means.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein said monitoring means (monT) includes:

means for answering queries from other tasks for node status of a remote node;

means for notifying tasks asynchronously of node status;

means for registering with monitoring means on a node that is directly connected to another node that provides communications routing for said other node, in order to determine communication link status of a node that it has a route to and also to any node to which it is directly connected.

4. Network communication services system for providing communication services for both message delivery and Remote Procedure Call services between nodes of networks operating with different communication Protocols to provide a virtual video conferencing network comprising:

a plurality of nodes;

said nodes comprising;

local communications access means for each node adapted to forward a message from a task on a node internally to another task on said node;

configuration information means containing information on nodes on different networks with different communication protocols with which communication is possible;

one or more internode message delivery task means on a first node adapted to forward a message addressed to second node from said local communications access means on said first node to said second node to internode message delivery task means on said second node and to accept messages from an internode message delivery task means of a remote node on a network operating using a different communication protocol than the network of the first node for routing as appropriate to;

(i) local communications access means if intended for internal use within a node

(ii) internode message delivery task means of said remote node;

wherein said internode message delivery task means on at least said first node is adapted to communicate in a plurality of data communication protocols including at least one of;

IP (Internet Protocol), LAPB, or Bisync 3270

video communication apparatus at said network for video communication on the virtual video conferencing network.

5. Network communication services system for providing communication services between nodes of a video conferencing network comprising:

a plurality of nodes, each said node comprising;

local task communications access means for each node adapted to forward a message from a task on a node internally to another task on said node;

configuration information means containing information on nodes with which telecommunication on the video conferencing network is possible;

one or more internode message delivery task means on a first node adapted to forward a message addressed to second node from said local communications access means on said first node to said second node to internode message delivery task means on said second node and to accept messages from an internode message delivery task means of a remote node for routing as appropriate to;

(i) local communications access means if intended for internal use within a node

(ii) internode message delivery task means of said remote node

a video communication apparatus at said nodes for video communication on the video conferencing network.

6. The system of claim 5 further comprising:

monitoring means for monitoring communications link between nodes including;

said internode message delivery task means including status monitoring task means for communications connection to other nodes;

said status monitoring task means including polling task means for polling said other nodes to determine their status; and

reporting means for reporting a detected change in status of said other nodes;

said status monitoring task means being adapted to;

store status information in a database;

for registration of tasks;

notify tasks registered with it of changes in communication link status of selected nodes.

7. The system of claim 6 wherein said monitoring means (monT) includes:

means for answering queries from other tasks for node status of a remote node;

means for notifying tasks asynchronously of node status;

means for registering with monitoring means on a node that is directly connected to another node that provides communications routing for said other node, in order to determine communication link status of a node that it has a route to and also to any node to which it is directly connected.

8. The system of claim 7 including task manager means (TMGT) at a node adapted to monitor applications within said node and including:

means to start a task on said node;

means to monitor said task;

means to restart said task if required;

means to terminate said task;

means to report changes of status of said node to said monitoring means.

9. A method for use in a network communication services system for providing communication services between nodes of said network comprising:

for said nodes;

forwarding a message from a task on a node internally to another task on said node using local communications access means on each node;

storing information on nodes with which communication is possible within configuration information means within said nodes;

forwarding a message using one or more internode message delivery task means on a first node to forward a message addressed to a second node from said local communications access means on said first node to said second node to internode message delivery task means to accept messages from an internode message delivery task means of a remote node for routing as appropriate to;

(i) local communications access means if intended to internal use with a node

(ii) internode message delivery task means of said remote node

monitoring communications link between nodes using monitoring means wherein said monitoring includes;

monitoring status of nodes with which communications connections are required using status monitoring task means for communications connection to other nodes;

polling said other nodes using polling task means for polling said other nodes to determine their status; and

reporting a detected change in status of said other nodes using reporting means;

said status monitoring task means being adapted to;

store status information in a database;

register of tasks;

notify tasks registered with it of chances in communication link status of selected nodes.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein said monitoring includes:

answering queries from other tasks for node status of a remote node;

notifying tasks asynchronously of node status;

registering with monitoring means on a node that is directly connected to another node that providing communications routing for said other node, in order to determine communication link status of a node that it has a route to and also to any node to which it is directly connected.

11. The method of claim 10 including monitoring applications within said node and including the capability of:

starting a task on said node;

monitoring said task;

restarting said task if required;

terminating said task if required;

reporting changes of status of said node in monitoring.

12. A computer program product comprising:

a computer usable medium having computer readable program code means embodied therein for implementing a network communication services system for providing communication services between nodes of a network comprising a plurality of nodes;

the computer readable program code means in said computer program product comprising;

computer readable program code means for causing a computer to effect,

local communications access means for each node adapted to forward a message from a task on a node internally to another task on said node;

computer readable program code means for causing a computer to effect, configuration information means containing information on nodes with which communication is possible;

computer readable program means for causing a computer to effect, one or more internode message delivery task means on a first node adapted to forward a message addressed to a second node from said local communications access means on said first node to said second node to internode message delivery task means on said second node and to accept messages from an internode message delivery task means of a remote node to routing as appropriate to;

(i) local communications access means if intended for internal use within a node

(ii) internode message delivery task means of said remote node

computer readable program code means for causing a computer to effect, monitoring means for monitoring communications link between nodes including;

said internode message delivery task means including status monitoring task means for communications connection to other nodes;

said status monitoring task means including polling task means for polling said other nodes to determine their status; and

reporting means for reporting a detected change in status of said other nodes;

said status monitoring task means being adapted to;

store status information in a database;

for registration of tasks

notify tasks registered with it of changes in communication link status of selected nodes.

13. The computer program product of claim 12 wherein said computer readable program code means for causing a computer to effect monitoring means (monT) includes:

means for answering queries from other tasks for node status of a remote node;

means for notifying tasks asynchronously of node status;

means for registering with monitoring means on a node that is directly connected to another node that provides communications routing for said other node, in order to determine communication link status of a node that it has a route to and also to any node to which it is directly connected.

14. The computer program product of claim 12 including computer readable program code means for causing a computer to effect, task manager means (TMGT) at a node adapted to monitor applications within said node and including computer readable program code means for causing a computer to effect:

means to start a task on said node;

means to monitor said task;

means to restart said task if required;

means to terminate said task;

means to report changes of status of said node to said monitoring means.

15. A program storage device readable by a machine, tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by the machine to perform method steps for use in a network communication services system for providing communication services between nodes of said network comprising:

for said nodes;

the method steps of;

forwarding a message from a task on a node internally to another task on said node using local communications access means on each node;

storing information on nodes with which communication is possible within configuration information means within said nodes;

forwarding a message using one or more internode message delivery task means on a first node to forward a message addressed to a second node from said local communications access means on said first node to said second node to internode message delivery task means on said second node and using internode message delivery task means to accept messages from an internode message delivery task means of a remote node for routing as appropriate to;

(i) local communications access means if intended for internal use within a node

(ii) internode message delivery task means of said remote node

a program of instructions to perform the method steps of;

monitoring communications link between nodes using monitoring means wherein said monitoring includes;

monitoring status of nodes with which communications connections are required using status monitoring task means for communications connection to other nodes;

polling said other nodes using polling task means for polling said other nodes to determine their status; and

reporting a detected change in status of said other nodes using reporting means;

said status monitoring task means being adapted to;

store status information in a database;

register of tasks;

notify tasks registered with it of changes in communication link status of selected nodes.

16. The program storage device of claim 15 further comprising a program of instructions to perform the method steps of monitoring including:

answering queries from other tasks for node status of a remote node;

notifying tasks asynchronously of node status;

registering with monitoring means on a node that is directly connected to another node that providing communications routing for said other node, in order to determine communication link status of a node that it has a route to and also to any node to which it is directly connected.

17. The program storage device of claim 16 further comprising a program of instructions to perform the method steps of monitoring applications within said node and including the capability of:

starting a task on said node;

monitoring said task;

restarting said task if required;

terminating said task if required;

reporting changes of status of said node in monitoring.

18. A computer program product comprising:

a computer usable medium having computer readable program code embodied therein for implementing a virtual network communication services system providing video conferencing communication services between nodes of a network comprising a plurality of nodes arranged on different networks operating using different communication protocols,

the computer readable program code in said computer program product comprising;

computer readable program code for causing a computer to effect a local communications access mechanism for each node adapted to forward a message from a task on a node internally to another task on said node;

computer readable program code for causing a computer to provide, configuration information on nodes with which communication is possible;

computer readable program code for causing a computer to effect, one or more internode message delivery task mechanisms on a first node adapted to forward a message addressed to a second node from said local communications access means on said first node to internode message delivery task mechanism on said second node and to accept messages from an internode message delivery task means of a remote node on a different network operating using a different communication protocol to routing as appropriate to;

(i) a local communications access mechanism if intended for internal use within a node

(ii) an internode message delivery task mechanism of said remote node.

19. The computer program product of claim 18 further comprising:

computer readable program code means for causing a computer to effect, monitoring means for monitoring communications link between nodes including;

said internode message delivery task means including status monitoring task means for communications connection to other nodes;

said status monitoring task means including polling task means for polling said other nodes to determine their status; and

reporting means for reporting a detected change in status of said other nodes;

said status monitoring task means being adapted to;

store status information in a database;

for registration of tasks

notify tasks registered with it of changes in communication link status of selected nodes.

20. The computer program product of claim 19 wherein said computer readable program code means for causing a computer to effect monitoring means (monT) includes:

means for answering queries from other tasks for node status of a remote node;

means for notifying tasks asynchronously of node status;

means for registering with monitoring means on a node that is directly connected to another node that provides communications routing for said other node, in order to determine communication link status of a node that it has a route to and also to any node to which it is directly connected.

21. The computer program product of claim 20 including computer readable program code means for causing a computer to effect, task manager means (TMGT) at a node adapted to monitor applications within said node and including computer readable program code means for causing a computer to effect:

means to start a task on said node;

means to monitor said task;

means to restart said task if required;

means to terminate said task;

means to report changes of status of said node to said monitoring means.