US 5,548,726 AGranted

System for activating new service in client server network by reconfiguring the multilayer network protocol stack dynamically within the server node

AssigneeTaligeni, Inc.

InventorChristopher E. Pettus

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Abstract

On a multi-node client server network, a client node obtains access to remote services by means of a communications directory service located in each node of the network. The communications directory service includes a tree structure to which existing directory services and other network services can be added. The tree structure has a plurality of nodes each of which includes specific methods that query and browse the associated directory service if such actions are supported by the underlying service. The communications directory service further includes shared libraries which store a service object associated with each service offered on the network. The service object, in turn, includes the service exchange address and communication link configuration information. A client desiring to access a remote service retrieves the appropriate service object from the communications directory service and uses the service object to set up the communications path.

Claims19

Dependent claims

A method for activating a new service in a client-server network system having a plurality of communications links, a server node with a memory therein connectable to each of the plurality of communications links by a multilayer dynamically reconfigurable network protocol stack, a service program in the server node memory, a communications directory service program in the server node memory and a networking service program in the server node memory, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) storing a plurality of stack definitions in the server node memory wherein each of the plurality of stack definitions corresponds to one of the plurality of communication links and the each stack definition includes a set of layer definitions for controlling the processing of data in each layer of the multilayer network protocol stack from a transport layer through a physical layer and the interactions between layers;
(b) storing in the server node memory service object class information including information for defining a data structure for holding a reference to one of the plurality of stack definitions and logic which is responsive to type and quality of service information for inserting a reference to at least one of the plurality of stack definitions into the data structure and for constructing a session layer of the multilayer network protocol stack;
(c) creating a service object from the service object class information by passing in a type of service to the communications directory service and executing the logic to insert a reference to a stack definition and construct a session layer;
(d) sending the service object to the networking service program;
and
(e) using the reference to the stack definition and the session layer in the service object to reconfigure the multilayer network protocol stack.

3 more elements

Apparatus for activating a new service in a client-server network system having a plurality of communications links, a server node with a memory therein connectable to each of the plurality of communications links by a multilayer dynamically reconfigurable network protocol stack, a service program in the server node memory, a communications directory service program in the server node memory and a networking service program in the server node memory, the apparatus comprising:

(a) means for storing a plurality of stack definitions in the server node memory wherein each of the plurality of stack definitions corresponds to one of the plurality of communication links and the each stack definition includes a set of layer definitions for controlling the processing of data in each layer of the multilayer network protocol stack from a transport layer through a physical layer and the interactions between layers;
(b) means for storing in the server node memory service object class information including information for defining a data structure for holding a reference to one of the plurality of stack definitions and logic which is responsive to type and quality of service information for inserting a reference to at least one of the plurality of stack definitions into the data structure and for constructing a session layer of the multilayer network protocol stack;
(c) means controlled by the service program for creating a service object from the service object class information by passing in a type of service to the communications directory service and executing the logic to insert a reference to a stack definition and construct a session layer;
(d) means responsive to an activation request from the service program for sending the service object to the networking service program;
and
(e) means in the networking service program and responsive to the service object for reconfiguring the multilayer network protocol stack using the reference to the stack definition and the session layer in the service object.

3 more elements

A computer program product for activating a new service in a client-server network system having a plurality of communications links, a server node with a memory therein connectable to each of the plurality of communications links by a multilayer dynamically reconfigurable network protocol stack, a service program in the server node memory, a communications directory service program in the server node memory and a networking service program in the server node memory, the computer program product comprising a computer usable medium having computer readable program code including:

(a) means for storing a plurality of stack definitions in the server node memory wherein each of the plurality of stack definitions corresponds to one of the plurality of communication links and the each stack definition includes a set of layer definitions for controlling the processing of data in each layer of the multilayer network protocol stack from a transport layer through a physical layer and the interactions between layers;
(b) means for storing in the server node memory service object class information including information for defining a data structure for holding a reference to one of the plurality of stack definitions and logic which is responsive to type and quality of service information for inserting a reference to at least one of the plurality of stack definitions into the data structure and for constructing a session layer of the multilayer network protocol stack;
(c) means controlled by the service program for creating a service object in the server node memory from the service object class information by passing in a type of service to the communications directory service and executing the logic to insert a reference to a stack definition and construct a session layer;
(d) means responsive to an activation request from the service program for sending the service object to the networking service program;
and
(e) means in the networking service program and responsive to the service object for reconfiguring the multilayer network protocol stack using the reference to the stack definition and the session layer in the service object.

3 more elements

A method for activating a new service in a client-server network system having a plurality of communications links, a server node with a memory therein connectable to each of the plurality of communications links by a multilayer dynamically reconfigurable network protocol stack, a service program in a service program address space of the server node memory, a communications directory service program in a system address space of the server node memory and a networking service program in the system address space of the server node memory, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) storing a plurality of stack definitions in the system address space of the server node memory wherein each of the plurality of stack definitions corresponds to one of the plurality of communication links and the each stack definition includes a set of layer definitions for controlling the processing of data in each layer of the multilayer network protocol stack from a transport layer through a physical layer and the interactions between layers;
(b) storing in the system address space of the server node memory service object class information including information for defining a data structure for holding a reference to one of the plurality of stack definitions and logic which is responsive to type and quality of service information for inserting a reference to at least one of the plurality of stack definitions into the data structure and for constructing a session layer of the multilayer network protocol stack;
(c) creating a service object in the system address space from the service object class information by passing in a type of service to the communications directory service and executing the logic to insert a reference to a stack definition and construct a session layer;
(d) sending the service object to the networking service program;
and
(e) using the reference to the stack definition and the session layer in the service object to reconfigure the multilayer network protocol stack.

3 more elements

Apparatus for activating a new service in a client-server network system having a plurality of communications links, a server node with a memory therein connectable to each of the plurality of communications links by a multilayer dynamically reconfigurable network protocol stack, a service program in a service program address space of the server node memory, a communications directory service program in a system address space of the server node memory and a networking service program in a system address space of the server node memory, the apparatus comprising:

(a) means for storing a plurality of stack definitions in the system address space wherein each of the plurality of stack definitions corresponds to one of the plurality of communication links and the each stack definition includes a set of layer definitions for controlling the processing of data in each layer of the multilayer network protocol stack from a transport layer through a physical layer and the interactions between layers;
(b) means for storing in the system address space service object class information including information for defining a data structure for holding a reference to one of the plurality of stack definitions and logic which is responsive to type and quality of service information for inserting a reference to at least one of the plurality of stack definitions into the data structure and for constructing a session layer of the multilayer network protocol stack;
(c) means controlled by the service program for creating a service object in the system address space from the service object class information by passing in a type of service to the communications directory service and executing the logic to insert a reference to a stack definition and construct a session layer;
(d) means responsive to an activation request from the service program for sending the service object to the networking service program;
and
(e) means in the networking service program and responsive to the service object for reconfiguring the multilayer network protocol stack using the reference to the stack definition and the session layer in the service object.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 08/169,867Filed 17 Dec 1993
Granted: 20 Aug 1996
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification7 codes

H04L 69/18
Network arrangements, protocols or services independent of the application payload and not provided for in the other groups of this subclass:…
H04L 61/4552
Network directories; Name-to-address mapping: lookup mechanisms between a plurality of directories; Synchronisation of directories, e.g.…
H04L 61/4553
Network directories; Name-to-address mapping: object oriented directories, e.g. common object request broker architecture [CORBA] name server
H04L 67/133
Protocols: protocols for remote procedure calls [RPC]