Service selection gateway (SSG) allowing access of same services to a group of hosts
First Claim
1. A method of enabling a plurality of hosts to access a plurality of services provided by corresponding plurality of servers at corresponding destination addresses, said method being implemented in a service selection gateway (SSG) operating as a switch, said plurality of hosts and said plurality of servers being separated by a network, said SSG providing connectivity between said plurality of hosts and said servers via said network, said method comprising:
- receiving data representing a corresponding subset of services each of said plurality of hosts is permitted to access, said data indicating that a first host is permitted to access a first subset of services, each of said subset of services being contained in said plurality of services and said first host being contained in said plurality of hosts;
receiving a packet from said first host contained in said plurality of hosts, said packet containing a destination address identifying a service sought to be accessed;
determining whether said packet is destined to one of said first subset of services by examining said destination address; and
forwarding said packet on said network to a server providing said one of said subset of services if said packet is destined to one of said first subset of services, said server being contained in said plurality of servers,wherein said SSG is physically separate from said plurality of servers.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
A service selection gateway (SSG) which enables a service provider to conveniently provide access of the same services to a group of hosts. The service provider may specify the specific services each group of hosts is permitted to access, and the SSG forwards packets from the hosts only to the corresponding specified services. In an embodiment implemented substantially in the form of software, the access information (specifying the server addresses which can be accessed from each group of hosts) is stored in the form of data structures in which the same copy of access information is shared by many (all) hosts in the corresponding group.
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Citations
39 Claims
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1. A method of enabling a plurality of hosts to access a plurality of services provided by corresponding plurality of servers at corresponding destination addresses, said method being implemented in a service selection gateway (SSG) operating as a switch, said plurality of hosts and said plurality of servers being separated by a network, said SSG providing connectivity between said plurality of hosts and said servers via said network, said method comprising:
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receiving data representing a corresponding subset of services each of said plurality of hosts is permitted to access, said data indicating that a first host is permitted to access a first subset of services, each of said subset of services being contained in said plurality of services and said first host being contained in said plurality of hosts; receiving a packet from said first host contained in said plurality of hosts, said packet containing a destination address identifying a service sought to be accessed; determining whether said packet is destined to one of said first subset of services by examining said destination address; and forwarding said packet on said network to a server providing said one of said subset of services if said packet is destined to one of said first subset of services, said server being contained in said plurality of servers, wherein said SSG is physically separate from said plurality of servers. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A method of enabling a group administrator to control services accessed by a plurality of hosts, said services being provided by corresponding plurality of servers at corresponding destination addresses, said plurality of hosts and said plurality of servers being separated by a network, said method being performed in a subscriber edge service manager, said method comprising:
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receiving from said group administrator data representing a corresponding subset of services each of said plurality of hosts is permitted to access; and in response to said receiving, causing a service selection gateway (SSG) to be configured to permit each of said plurality of hosts to access said corresponding subset of services, wherein said subset of services are comprised in a plurality of services accessible using said SSG, and wherein said SSG operates as a switch and provides connectivity between said plurality of hosts and said servers via a network and wherein said SSG is physically separate from said plurality of servers, and wherein said SSG is physically separate from said plurality of servers. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11)
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12. A service selection gateway (SSG) enabling a plurality of hosts to access a plurality of services provided by corresponding plurality of servers at corresponding destination addresses, said SSG operating as a switch, said plurality of hosts and said plurality of servers being separated by a network, said SSG providing connectivity between said plurality of hosts and said servers via said network, said SSG comprising:
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means for receiving data representing a corresponding subset of services each of said plurality of hosts is permitted to access, said data indicating that a first host is permitted to access a first subset of services, each of said subset of services being contained in said plurality of services and said first host being contained in said plurality of hosts; means for receiving a packet from said first host contained in said plurality of hosts, said packet containing a destination address identifying a service sought to be accessed; means for determining whether said packet is destined to one of said first subset of services by examining said destination address; and means for forwarding said packet on said network to a server providing said one of said subset of services if said packet is destined to one of said first subset of services, said server being contained in said plurality of servers, wherein said SSG is physically separate from said plurality of servers. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A service selection gateway (SSG) enabling a group administrator to control services accessed by a plurality of hosts, said services being provided by corresponding plurality of servers at corresponding destination addresses, said plurality of hosts and said plurality of servers being separated by a network, said SSG comprising:
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means for receiving from said group administrator data representing a corresponding subset of services each of said plurality of hosts is permitted to access; and means for causing a service selection gateway (SSG) to be configured to permit each of said plurality of hosts to access said corresponding subset of services in response to receiving said data, wherein said subset of services are comprised in a plurality of services accessible using said SSG, and wherein said SSG operates as a switch and provides connectivity between said plurality of hosts and said servers via a network and wherein said SSG is physically separate from said plurality of servers. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21)
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22. A computer readable medium carrying one or more sequences of instructions for causing a subscriber edge service manager (SESM) to enable a group administrator to control services accessed by a plurality of hosts, said services being provided by corresponding plurality of servers at corresponding destination addresses, said plurality of hosts and said plurality of servers being separated by a network wherein execution of said one or more sequences of instructions by one or more processors contained in said SESM causes said one or more processors to perform the actions of:
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receiving from said group administrator data representing a corresponding subset of services each of said plurality of hosts is permitted to access, said data indicating that a first host is permitted to access a first subset of services; and in response to said receiving, causing a service selection gateway (SSG) to be configured to permit each of said plurality of hosts to access said corresponding subset of services, wherein said subset of services are comprised in a plurality of services accessible using said SSG, and wherein said SSG operates as a switch and provides connectivity between said plurality of hosts and said servers via a network and wherein said SSG is physically separate from said plurality of servers, and wherein said SSG is physically separate from said plurality of servers. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25)
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26. A service selection gateway (SSG) enabling a plurality of hosts to access a plurality of services provided by corresponding plurality of servers at corresponding destination addresses, said SSG operating as a switch, said plurality of hosts and said plurality of servers being separated by a network, said SSG operating as a switch to provide connectivity between said plurality of hosts and said servers via said network, said SSG comprising:
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an interface receiving data representing a corresponding subset of services each of said plurality of hosts is permitted to access, said data indicating that a first host is permitted to access a first subset of services, each of said subset of services being contained in said plurality of services, said interface then receiving a packet from said first host; and a forwarding logic forwarding said packet on said network if said packet is destined to one of said first subset of services, wherein said forwarding logic and said interface are physically separate from said plurality of servers. - View Dependent Claims (27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 35, 36, 37, 38)
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34. A computer readable medium carrying one or more sequences of instructions for causing a service selection gateway (SSG) to enable a plurality of hosts to access a plurality of services, said plurality of services being provided by corresponding plurality of servers at corresponding destination addresses, said SSG operating as a switch, said plurality of hosts and said plurality of servers being separated by a network, said SSG providing connectivity between said plurality of hosts and said servers via said network, wherein execution of said one or more sequences of instructions by one or more processors contained in said SSG causes said one or more processors to perform the actions of:
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receiving data representing a corresponding subset of services each of said plurality of hosts is permitted to access, said data indicating that a first host is permitted to access a first subset of services, each of said subset of services being contained in said plurality of services and said first host being contained in said plurality of hosts; receiving a packet from said first host contained in said plurality of hosts, said packet containing a destination address identifying a service sought to be accessed; determining whether said packet is destined to one of said first subset of services by examining said destination address; and forwarding said packet on said network to a server providing said one of said subset of services if said packet is destined to one of said first subset of services, said server being contained in said plurality of servers, wherein said SSG is physically separate from said plurality of servers. - View Dependent Claims (39)
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Specification