Network interface module with minimized data paths

A method of locating processes in a distributed data processing system, said system comprising a plurality of individual cells and at least two processes resident on different ones of said cells, said method comprising the steps of:

• (a) providing in at least one of said cells a table of non-resident processes;
• (b) generating a request by a first process in said one cell to find the location of a second process identified only by name, said second process not resident on said first cell;
• (c) transmitting said request to a different one of said cells;
• (d) determining whether said second process is resident on said different cell;
• and
• (e) if said second process is resident on said different cell, storing the location of said different cell in said table.

A method of communicating between processes in a distributed data processing system, said system comprising a plurality of individual cells and at least two processes resident on different ones of said cells, said method comprising the steps of:

• (a) providing in at least a first one of said cells a table of non-resident processes;
• (b) generating a request by a first process in said first cell to transmit a message to a second process identified only by name, said second process not resident on said first cell;
• (c) looking up the location of said second process in said table in said first cell;
• and
• (d) transmitting said message to the cell containing said second process.

A method of communicating between processes in a distributed data processing system, said system comprising a plurality of individual cells and at least two processes resident on different ones of said cells, said method comprising the steps of:

• (a) providing in at least a first one of said cells a table of non-resident processes, each entry in said table comprising a first portion indicating the name of a process and a second portion indicating the location of a cell where said process is resident;
• (b) generating a request by a first process in said first cell to transmit a message to a second process identified only by name, said second process not resident on said first cell;
• (c) looking up the location of said second process in said table in said first cell and finding the location of the cell where said second process is resident;
• and
• (d) transmitting said message to the cell containing said second process.