Relay server for unsigned applets

• US 6,324,574 B1
• Filed: 11/07/1997
• Issued: 11/27/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 11/07/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Gong, Qing
• Primary Examiner(s): Harrell, Robert B.
• Assistant Examiner(s): WILLETT, STEPHAN F
• Application Number:
  US08/966,156
• Publication Number:
  US 20010044819A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,481 Days
• Field of Search: 709/217, 709/218, 709/219, 709/245
• US Class Current: 709/218
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/563 Data redirection of data network streams
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols

Abstract

In an information handling system, a relay server provides links for communicating with network resources, via a network comprising a plurality of network units, for client communication units having unsigned Java applets that request a network resource from a target remote server on the network. The request is a signal that identifies the target unit within the network as a source of said network resource. The relay server accomplishes this by establishing a double link between the unsigned applet and the target unit for providing at least the requested network resource.

Claims

1. A communications server for communicating with network resources, via a network comprising a plurality of network units, the communications server comprising:

a web server with a network address and one or more available ports, wherein the web server distributes one or more unsigned applets along with a list of the one or more available ports to the plurality of network units, where at least one unsigned applet requests a network resource not present within the web server from which the unsigned applet was downloaded from;

a relay server having an identical network address as the web server and the relay server capabable of accessing at least one of the one or more available ports on the web server, the relay server comprising;

means for receiving a request for a network resource from an unsigned applet downloaded by a network unit from the web server, the request identifying the identical network address of the web server within the network as a source of the network resource; and

means for linking between the unsigned applet and the network resource via the relay server for providing at least the requested network resource dynamically through at least one of the available ports accessible to the relay server which is independent of any restriction settings on the network units themselves.

2. The relay server of claim 1 wherein the unsigned applet is an unsigned Java applet.

3. The relay server of claim 1 further comprising means for controlling access to limit the number of connections to be made to a predetermined domain/host.

4. The relay server of claim 1 further comprising means for maintaining a log of users using the relay server during a specified time.

5. The relay server of claim 1 further comprising means for limiting the usage of applets to a predetermined set of networking functions including reading, writing and editing in the network resource requested by the applet.

6. An information processing system comprising:

a processor unit;

a communication subsystem, coupled to the processor unit, for linking the information processing system to a telecommunications network, the subsystem comprising means for establishing links among communication units in the telecommunications network, the communication subsystem having a network address and one or more available ports for distributing unsigned applets along with a list of the one or more available ports among the communications units;

a relay server having an identical network address as the communication subsystem and the relay server capabable of accessing at least one of the one or more available ports on the web server, the relay server comprising;

means for receiving a request for a network resource from an unsigned applet downloaded from the communication subsystem by a communication unit in the network, the request identifying the identical network address of the communication subsystem within the network as a source of the network resource; and

means for dynamically linking between the unsigned applet and the communication subsystem target unit via the relay server for providing at least the requested network resource means for linking between the unsigned applet and the target unit via the relay server for providing at least the requested network resource through at least one of the available ports accessible to the relay server and which is independent of any restriction settings on the communications unit itself.

7. The information processing system of claim 6 wherein the relay server comprises an application program comprising instructions accomplishing said means for receiving a request and said means for linking.

8. At a server unit in a network with a network address and one or more available ports comprising a plurality of communication units, a method for establishing a communication link between a first unit and a second unit, comprising the server unit steps of:

receiving a request for a resource from the first unit;

determining whether the request originated from an unsigned applet downloaded to the first unit, wherein the unsigned applet contains a list of the one or more available ports distributed therewith;

establishing a dynamic communication link with a relay server having an identical network address as the server unit when the request originated from an unsigned applet downloaded to the first unit and the relay server capabable of accessing at least one of the one or more available ports on the web server; and

requesting, via the relay server, the requested resource from the second unit through at least one of the available ports accessible to the relay server and which is independent of any restriction settings on the first unit itself.

9. The method of claim 8 further comprising the step of establishing a communication link between the relay server and the second unit.

10. The method of claim 8 further comprising the step of establishing a communication link between the unsigned applet and the second unit.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein the communication link is a double link.

12. The method of claim 8 further comprising the step of, preceding the second step, receiving an indication that the second unit is a source for the requested resource.

13. A computer-readable medium of programming instructions for a communications server for communicating with network resources, via a network comprising a plurality of network units, the communications server comprising a web server with a network address and one or more available ports for distributing unsigned applets to the plurality of network units along with a list of the one or more available ports, and the communications server comprising a relay server having an identical network address as the communications subsystem and the relay server capabable of accessing at least one of the one or more available ports on the web server, the programming instructions comprising:

means for receiving a request for a network resource from an unsigned applet downloaded by a network unit from the web server, the request identifying the identical network address of web server within the network as a source of the network resource wherein the unsigned applet contains a list of the one or more available ports accessible to the relay server; and

means for dynamically linking between the unsigned applet and the target unit via the relay server for providing at least the requested network resource through the relay server based upon the one or more available ports which is independent of any restriction settings on the network units themselves.

14. A server for the World-Wide Web comprising:

a processor unit;

a communication subsystem coupled to the processor unit, for linking the information processing system to the World-Wide Web and for providing links among communication units on the World-Wide Web the communication subsystem having a network address and one or more available ports for distributing unsigned applets along with a list of the one or more available ports among communications units;

a relay server having an identical network address as the communication subsystem for communicating with network resources, via a network comprising a plurality of network units, the relay server comprising;

means for receiving a request for a network resource from an unsigned applet downloaded from the communication subsystem by a network unit, the request identifying the identical network address of the communication subsystem within the network as a source of the network resource; and

means for dynamically linking between the unsigned applet and the target unit via the relay server for providing at least the requested network resource through the relay server based upon the one or more available ports and which is independent of any restriction settings on the network unit itself.

15. The server of claim 14 wherein the relay server comprises an application program comprising instructions accomplishing said means for receiving a request and said means for linking.

16. The server of claim 14 further comprising mass information storage;

and the relay server comprises an application program resident in said mass information storage.