Router and methods using network addresses for virtualization

A method performed by a router for routing frames in a network, the router comprising a managing processor and a plurality of routing processors, each routing processor for receiving frames from the network, for routing frames to the network, and for routing frames to the managing processor, the method performed by the managing processor comprising:

• a step for maintaining an association between indicia of a first destination and indicia of a second destination, the indicia of first destination being a member of a set used for communication between the managing processor and a routing processor of the plurality;
• a step for receiving from the routing processor a first frame of a first transaction comprising indicia of the first destination;
• a step for determining the indicia of the second destination by parsing the first frame and referring to the association;
• a step for passing a second frame to the routing processor for routing to the network to initiate a second transaction, the second frame comprising indicia of the second destination.

A method performed by a router for routing frames in a network, the router comprising a managing processor and a plurality of routing processors, each routing processor for receiving frames from the network, for routing frames to the network, and for routing frames to the managing processor, the network comprising a nonvirtual target having a first page and a second page, the method performed by the managing processor comprising:

• a step for receiving from the routing processor a first frame for accessing a page of a virtual target;
• a step for passing to the routing processor a second frame identified to the nonvirtual target for accessing a portion of the first page;
• and
• a step for passing to the routing processor a third frame identified to the nonvirtual target for accessing a portion of the second page.

A router for routing frames in a network, the router comprising:

• a managing processor;
• a plurality of routing processors, each routing processor for receiving frames from the network, for routing frames to the network, and for routing frames to the managing processor;
• means for executing a plurality of proxy processes, each proxy process associated with a destination of a set of destinations used for communication between the managing processor and the plurality of routing processors;
• means for receiving from a routing processor of the plurality a frame comprising indicia of a particular destination of the set;
• means for determining a particular proxy process of the plurality in accordance with the indicia of the particular destination;
• and
• means for providing at least a payload of the frame to the particular proxy process.

A router for routing frames in a network, the router comprising:

• a managing processor;
• a plurality of routing processors, each routing processor for receiving frames from the network, for routing frames to the network, and for routing frames to the managing processor;
• means for maintaining an association between indicia of a first destination and indicia of a second destination, the indicia of first destination being a member of a set used for communication between the managing processor and a routing processor of the plurality;
• means for receiving from the routing processor a first frame of a first transaction comprising indicia of the first destination;
• means for determining the indicia of the second destination by parsing the first frame and referring to the association;
• and
• means for initiating a second transaction by passing a second frame to the routing processor for routing to the network, the second frame comprising indicia of the second destination.

A router for routing frames in a network, the network including a nonvirtual target having a first page and a second page, the router comprising:

• a managing processor;
• a plurality of routing processors, each routing processor for receiving frames from the network, for routing frames to the network, and for routing frames to the managing processor;
• means for receiving from a particular routing processor of the plurality a first frame for accessing a page of a virtual target;
• means for passing to the particular routing processor a second frame identified to the nonvirtual target for accessing a portion of the first page;
• and
• means for passing to the particular routing processor a third frame identified to the nonvirtual target for accessing a portion of the second page.

A router for routing frames in a network, the router comprising:

• a first means for processing processor that performs a proxy process for a virtual member of the network, the proxy process responsive to a frame addressed in accordance with a first network address, the virtual member corresponding to at least a portion of a nonvirtual member of the network, the nonvirtual member responsive to frames addressed in accordance with a second network address;
• and
• a second means for processing that performs a routing process that routes frames addressed in accordance with the first network address and of a first type to the proxy process;
• that in response to receiving frames in accordance with the first network address and of a second type, provides a corresponding frame revised in accordance with the second network address;
• and that routes the revised frames to the nonvirtual member in accordance with the second network address.

A router for use in a network including a virtual member associated with first network port identifier and including a nonvirtual member corresponding to the virtual member, the nonvirtual member associated with a second network port identifier, the router comprising:

• a first means for processing that performs a proxy process for the virtual member, wherein the proxy process responds to a control frame;
• and
• a second means for processing that performs a routing process that routes the control frame to the proxy process in accordance with the first network port identifier;
• and, on receiving a data frame comprising the first network port identifier, routes to the nonvirtual member a substitute data frame in accordance with the second network port identifier.