Communication method and apparatus for use in a computing network environment having high performance LAN connections
First Claim
1. In a computing environment having a plurality of hosts, a method of establishing communication between a first initiating host and a second receiving host, said computing network environment also having at least one local area network, said method comprising the steps of:
- providing a gateway device and electronically connecting said gateway device to at least one initiating host, said host(s) being potentially associated with one or more local area networks;
electronically connecting said gateway device also to at least one receiving destination host, said host(s) being potentially associated with one or more local area network(s);
providing in said gateway device configuration information, information used for communication, information pertaining to functions supported by said gateway device, and information pertaining to functions provided by said gateway device for each host, as said information relates to said hosts and any of their potentially associated local area networks; and
establishing said gateway device as central point of communication between all hosts so that said destination host(s) can obtain all necessary information about said initiating host(s) directly via said gateway device without involving any of said potentially associated local area network(s).
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Abstract
A method and apparatus for establishing communication between a first initiating host and a second communicating host in a computing environment having a gateway device. The gateway device is electronically connected from one side to a plurality of initiating hosts and on another side to at least one local area network, further connecting a plurality of receiving hosts to said gateway device. During an initialization step, all connected hosts and the local area network(s) is identified and their addresses and information obtained and stored in a port-sharing table in a memory location accessible to the gateway device. Upon receipt of a special command for establishing communication between a first initiating host and a second receiving host, all information required for establishing of a successful communication between the two hosts is then obtained from the port-sharing table. In an alternate embodiment of the present invention the computing network environment uses Multi-path channel communication protocol.
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Citations
30 Claims
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1. In a computing environment having a plurality of hosts, a method of establishing communication between a first initiating host and a second receiving host, said computing network environment also having at least one local area network, said method comprising the steps of:
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providing a gateway device and electronically connecting said gateway device to at least one initiating host, said host(s) being potentially associated with one or more local area networks;
electronically connecting said gateway device also to at least one receiving destination host, said host(s) being potentially associated with one or more local area network(s);
providing in said gateway device configuration information, information used for communication, information pertaining to functions supported by said gateway device, and information pertaining to functions provided by said gateway device for each host, as said information relates to said hosts and any of their potentially associated local area networks; and
establishing said gateway device as central point of communication between all hosts so that said destination host(s) can obtain all necessary information about said initiating host(s) directly via said gateway device without involving any of said potentially associated local area network(s). - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. In a computing environment having a plurality of hosts, an apparatus used for establishing communication between a first initiating host and a second receiving host, said computing network environment also having at least one local area network, said apparatus comprising:
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a gateway device electronically connected to at least one initiating host, said host(s) being potentially associated with one or more local area networks;
said gateway device also being in electronic communication with at least one receiving destination host, said host(s) being potentially associated with one or more local area network(s);
a central location provided in said gateway device for retaining configuration information, information used for communication, information pertaining to functions supported by said gateway device, and information pertaining to functions provided by said gateway device for each of said hosts, as said information relates to said hosts and any of their potentially associated local area networks;
means for establishing said gateway device as central point of communication between all hosts so that said destination host(s) can obtain all necessary information about said initiating host(s) directly via said gateway device without involving any of said potentially associated local area network(s). - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30)
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Specification