Communication method in a set of distributed systems via an internet type network

• US 6,480,900 B1
• Filed: 09/07/1999
• Issued: 11/12/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 01/06/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Bull Sas (Atos SE)
• Original Assignee: Bull Sas (Atos SE)
• Inventors: Habert, Michel
• Primary Examiner(s): Maung, Zarni
• Assistant Examiner(s): CLINTON, GREGORY L
• Application Number:
  US09/380,573
• Time in Patent Office: 1,162 Days
• Field of Search: 709/245, 709/226, 709/229, 370/389, 370/395.53
• US Class Current: 709/245
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/00 Network arrangements, protocols or services for addressing or naming

Abstract

The invention relates to a communication process via an internet network that comprises distributed systems (S₁). Each system (S₁) is connected to the network (SR_X) via a standard interface module (10), standard software layers (12, 13) comprising a stack of addresses and protocols, and hosts software entities (SV_A, SV_B). The latter and the systems (S₁) are provided with a network address in a virtual subnetwork to which the system itself (S₁) and said software entities (SV_A, SV_B) are connected via a specific interface module (11, 20, 30) and specific software layers (21-22, 31-32) comprising a stack of addresses and protocols. The addresses and names of the systems (S₁) and of the software entities (SV_A, SV_B) connected to the virtual networks (SVN_y) are stored in a domain name directory (DNS₁), making it possible to directly address one of the software entities (SV_A, SV_B).

Claims

1. A process for communication in a set of distributed systems via at least one internet type network, said set being divided into at least one domain comprising systems addressable via said network by means of a first series of internet type addresses stored in a domain name directory and each system being connected to said network via a standard interface module and having standard software layers comprising a stack of addresses of the first series and internet type communication protocols, and each system hosting at least one software entity, the process comprising:

providing said software entities and said systems with an internet type address of a second series;

configuring each system into at least one system virtual network to which the system itself and said software entities are connected via specific interface modules and specific software layers comprising a stack of addresses of the second series and internet type communication protocols; and

storing said addresses and names of the systems and the software entities connected to said system virtual networks in said domain directory, such that any of said software entities hosted in any of said systems may be directly addressed from anywhere in said set of distributed systems using the internet type address of the second series or the names of the software entities.

2. A process according to claim 1, characterized in that the process comprises allocating an address comprising a prefix and an identifier to each of said software entities for updating said domain name directory to record the names and addresses of these software entities, and releasing addresses so as to release an address previously allocated to a given software entity.

3. A process according to claim 2, characterized in that said addresses are established in conformity with an internet protocol.

4. A process according to claim 3, characterized in that said address allocation is dynamic and in that the dynamic address allocation comprises at least the following phases and steps:

a phase for running said software entity in a first system, comprising steps for allocating an address in conformity with the internet protocol, updating said domain name directory and establishing and/or accepting connections via said internet type network;

a phase for transferring said software entity from said first system into a second system, comprising steps for closing active connections, releasing the internet type address of the software entity, and updating said domain name directory; and

a phase for running said software entity in said second system, comprising steps for allocating a new address in conformity with the IPV6 internet protocol, updating said domain name directory, and establishing and/or accepting new connections via said internet type network.

5. A process according to claim 4, characterized in that communications between said software entities take place in a client-server mode.

6. A process according to claim 5, characterized in that said software entities are client objects or server objects.

7. A process according to claim 4, characterized in that, at least one of said systems is constituted by a cluster of at least two machines, connected to said network at a common node and each machine forming one of said system virtual networks, said node is associated with an internet type address of said first series, making it possible to address a software entity hosted by any one of said machines by means of an internet type address of said second series.

8. A process according to claim 7, characterized in that at least one of said software entities is duplicated in at least two of the machines of said cluster.

9. A process according to claim 7, characterized in that said software entities are connected by means of an internet link via said internet type network, in order to protect this link from end to end and firewalls are associated with said software entities.

10. A communication system in a set of distributed systems via at least one internet type network, said set being divided into at least one domain comprising systems addressable via said network by a first series of internet type addresses stored in a domain name directory and each system being connected to said network via an interface module and having software layers comprising a stack of addresses of the first series and internet type communication protocols, and each system hosting at least one software entity, the communication system being characterized in that said software entities and said systems are each provided with an internet type address of a second series, each system being configured into at least one system virtual network to which the system itself and said software entities are connected via specific interface modules and specific software layers comprising a stack of addresses of the second series and internet type communication protocols, and means for storing said addresses and names of the systems and the software entities connected to said system virtual networks in said domain name directory, such that any of said software entities hosted in any of said systems may be directly addressed from anywhere in said set of distributed systems using the internet type address of the second series or the names of the software entities.

11. A communication system according to claim 10, comprising means for allocating an address comprising a prefix and an identifier to each of said software entities for updating said domain name directory to record the names and addresses of these software entities, and releasing addresses so as to release an address previously allocated to a given software entity.

12. A communication system according to claim 11, characterized in that said addresses are established in conformity with an internet protocol.

13. A communication system according to claim 12, characterized in that said address allocation is dynamic and in that the dynamic address allocation comprises at least the following phases and steps:

a phase for running said software entity in a first system, comprising steps for allocating an address in conformity with the internet protocol, updating said domain name directory, and establishing and/or accepting connections via said internet type network;

a phase for transferring said software entity from said first system into a second system, comprising steps for closing active connections, releasing the internet type address of the software entity, and updating said domain name directory; and

a phase for running said software entity in said second system, comprising steps for allocating a new address in conformity with the IPV6 internet protocol, updating said domain name directory, and establishing and/or accepting new connections via said internet type network.

14. A communication system according to claim 13, characterized in that said communications between said software entities take place in a client-server mode.

15. A communication system according to claim 13, characterized in that said software entities are client objects or server objects.

16. A communication system according to claim 13, characterized in that at least one of said systems is constituted by a cluster of at least two machines, connected to said network at a common node and each machine forming one of said system virtual networks, said node being associated with an internet type address of said first series, such that a software entity hosted by any one of said machines by means of an internet type address of said second series may be addressed.

17. A communication system according to claim 16, characterized in that at least one of said software entities is duplicated in at least two of the machines of said cluster.

18. A communication system according to claim 16, further including firewalls associated with a pair of said software entities and means connected by an internet link via said internet type network, in order to protect said link from end to end.