Server cluster interconnection using network processor

• US 7,203,763 B2
• Filed: 08/13/2003
• Issued: 04/10/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 04/18/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Trend Micro Inc.
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Sannipoli, Charles Joseph, Noel, Francis Edward Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Wiley; David
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nguyen; Phuoc H.
• Application Number:
  US10/640,166
• Publication Number:
  US 20040049582A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,336 Days
• Field of Search: 709/219, 709/230, 709/231, 709/236, 709/239, 709/238, 709244-246
• US Class Current: 709/238
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 15/16 Combinations of two or more digital computers each having at least an arithmetic unit, a program unit and a register, e.g. for a simultaneous processing of several programs coordinating program control therefor G06F9/52; in regulating and control system G05B
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/40 Support for services or applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/12 Protocol engines
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols

Abstract

A server farm formed by a plurality of computer systems joined together by a network processor which transfers data exchanged with an external network supported by the server farm at a data rate substantially the same as the data flow rate of the network and related method

Claims

1. A method comprising:

passing bit streams of data inbound toward a server farm from a data network through a network processor, the bit streams being a sequential series of frames;

parsing frames received at the network processor into communication protocol bits and application data bits;

then

removing communication protocol bits from the frames at the network processor;

then

distinguishing at the network processor among application data bits appropriate for processing by a selected one of a plurality of computer systems coupled together with and by the network processor;

then

passing the application data bits from the network processor to the appropriate one of the coupled computer systems;

then

passing bit streams of data outbound from the coupled computer systems toward the data network through the network processor the bit streams being a sequential series of frames;

then

adding communication protocol bits to the frames at the network processor; and

then

passing the frames to the data network from the network processor.

2. The method according to claim 1 wherein said network processor is formed on a single semiconductor substrate.

3. The method according to claim 1 wherein said coupled computer systems serve diverse purposes and wherein said step of distinguishing is based upon the purpose served by each of said coupled computer systems.

4. The method according to claim 1 wherein said coupled computer systems serve a common purpose and wherein said step of distinguishing is based upon a desire to balance the flow among said coupled computer systems.