Mapping web server objects to TCP/IP ports

A method of routing in a computer network having a pool of servers capable of servicing requests for access to a set of server resource objects, wherein the set of server resource objects are distributed in a non-homogeneous manner across the server pool, the method comprising the steps of:

• receiving each incoming client request for access to a specified server resource object at a router having an associated port space identifying a plurality of ports, wherein the router processes incoming client requests using a proxy/gateway mode, a handoff mode, and a redirection mode;
• based solely on the port on which a client request is received, mapping the client request to one of the server resource objects;
• selecting a given server from a subset of servers in the pool of servers, wherein each server in the subset of servers is capable of serving the server resource object;
• and
• forwarding the client request to the given server.

A method of routing in a computer network having a pool of servers capable of servicing requests for access to a set of server resource objects, wherein the set of server resource objects are distributed in a non-homogeneous manner across the server pool, the method comprising the steps of:

• receiving each incoming client request for access to a specified server resource object at a router having an associated port space identifying a plurality of ports;
• based solely on the port on which a client request is received, mapping the client request to one of the server resource objects;
• selecting a given server from a subset of servers in the pool of servers, wherein each server in the subset of servers is capable of serving the server resource object;
• and
• returning a redirection response to a client machine that initiated the client request, the redirection response specifying the given server.

A computer program product in a computer readable medium for controlling routing of client requests in a computer network, the computer network having a pool of servers capable of servicing requests for access to a set of server resource objects, the computer program product comprising:

• means for maintaining a mapping table having a plurality of rows, each row including the port number, a server resource object, and a list of servers which are capable of serving the server resource object;
• means responsive to an incoming client request for access to a specified server resource object for mapping the request, based solely on the port on which the incoming client request is received, to one of the server resource objects using the mapping table in a router;
• and
• means for returning a redirection response to a client machine that initiated the incoming client request, the redirection response specifying the given server.

A computer, comprising:

• a processor;
• an operating system;
• a router for controlling routing of client requests in a computer network, the computer network having a pool of servers capable of servicing requests for access to a set of server resource objects, comprising:
• means for maintaining a mapping table having a plurality of rows, each row including a port number, a server resource object, and a list of servers which are capable of serving the server resource object;
• means responsive to an incoming client request for access to a specified server resource object for mapping the request, based solely on the port on which the incoming client request is received, to one of the server resource objects using the mapping table;
• and
• means for returning a redirection response to a client machine that initiated the incoming client request, the redirection response specifying the given server.

A method of routing in a computer network having a requesting Web client connectable through a router to a pool of servers capable of servicing requests for access to a set of server resource objects, the method comprising the steps of:

• in response to activation of an anchor in a Web page of the form <servername>:<port number>, where <servername> is an IP address for the router and <port number> is a TCP/IP port number in a port space at the router, receiving a client request at the router;
• mapping the port number to one of the server resource objects based solely on the port on which the client request is received;
• selecting a best server from a subset of servers in the pool of servers, wherein each server in the subset of servers is capable of providing the server resource object identified by the mapping step;
• and
• returning a redirection response to the requesting Web client with the best server returned in a location field of an HTTP header for the redirection response.