Method and apparatus for connecting similar stacks without using physical devices
AssigneeInternational Business Machines Corporation
InventorsLynn Douglas Long, Jerry Wayne Stevens
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The invention interconnects stacks executing the same protocol in the same node by means of a software implemented input/output device, thereby eliminating the need for physical resources otherwise required for data communication between the stacks. First and second connection objects are built in the virtual device in association with the first and second stacks, respectively. An association is also built between the first and second connection objects, thereby enabling communication between the stacks via the first and second connection objects.
Claims14
Apparatus for interconnecting multiple protocol stacks executing an identical protocol in a single processing node for data communication between a first of the stacks and a second of the stacks, comprising
- a virtual input/output device implemented in software, the virtual input/output device further comprising
- means for building a first connection object which stores information for transmitting and receiving data packets between the first stack and the virtual input/output device,
- means for building a second connection object which stores information for transmitting and receiving data packets between the second stack and the virtual input/output device, and
- means for associating the first and second connection objects with each other, thereby establishing a logical end-to-end connection between the first and second stacks.
Apparatus for interconnecting multiple protocol stacks in a single processing node for data communication between the stacks, each of the stacks operating according to an identical protocol, comprising
- a virtual input/output device implemented in software,
- means for establishing a first connection object as part of the virtual input/output device representing part of an end-to-end connection to a first one of the stacks,
- means for establishing a second connection object as part of the virtual input/output device representing another part of the end-to-end connection to a second one of the stacks,
- means for establishing in the first stack a third connection object,
- means for establishing in the second stack a fourth connection object,
- means in the first stack for associating the third connection object with the first connection object,
- means in the virtual input/output device for associating the first connection object with the third connection object,
- means in the virtual input/output device for associating the first connection object with the second connection object,
- means in the virtual input/output device for associating the second connection object with the fourth connection object, and
- means in the second stack for associating the fourth connection object with the second connection object,
- thereby establishing a complete virtual data communications path between the first and second stacks via the first, second, third and fourth connection objects.
A method of interconnecting multiple protocol stacks executing an identical protocol in a single processing node for data communication between a first of the stacks and a second of the stacks, comprising steps of
- activating a virtual input/output device implemented in software,
- establishing a first connection object in the virtual input/output device in association with the first stack,
- establishing a second connection object in the virtual input/output device in association with the second stack,
- establishing an association in the virtual input/output device between the first connection object and the second connection object, and
- transmitting data packets from the first stack to the second stack via the first connection object and the second connection object.
A computer program embodied on a computer-readable medium for enabling data communication between two stacks of a node in which both a first of the stacks and a second of the stacks are executing an identical protocol comprising,
- a first code segment comprising code for activating a virtual input/output device implemented in software,
- a second code segment for establishing a first connection object in the virtual input/output device in association with the first stack,
- a third code segment for establishing a second connection object in the virtual input/output device in association with the second stack,
- a fourth code segment for establishing an association in the virtual input/output device between the first connection object and the second connection object, and
- a fifth code segment for transmitting data packets from the first stack to the second stack via the first connection object and the second connection object.
A computer data signal embodied in a carrier wave for enabling data communication between two stacks of a node in which both a first of the stacks and a second of the stacks are executing an identical protocol comprising,
- a first code segment comprising code for activating a virtual input/output device implemented in software,
- a second code segment for establishing a first connection object in the virtual input/output device in association with the first stack,
- a third code segment for establishing a second connection object in the virtual input/output device in association with the second stack,
- a fourth code segment for establishing an association in the virtual input/output device between the first connection object and the second connection object, and
- a fifth code segment for transmitting data packets from the first stack to the second stack via the first connection object and the second connection object.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.