Abstract: An object oriented representation for sending network protocol requests between a first and a second process in a computer network. In an object oriented implementation of a protocol stack a network definition object is used for defining an interface to a communication endpoint for a client application and a network address object for defining the communication endpoint. The protocol stack is formed by layers of instances of a protocol interface class object for defining protocol interface for a protocol layer in the protocol stack and a protocol layer class object for defining the protocol layers in the stack. The network protocol requests are sent in an instance of one of a set of network operation classes each of which correspond to a method in the protocol interface class. The client requests are wrapped in the network operation object which contains all the necessary information so the request can be presented to the appropriate protocol layer object in the protocol stack.

Abstract: An object oriented network event management framework for managing network protocol events in a computer network. The framework contains a network protocol event class object which includes a first set of network protocol event types, i.e. class definitions, which occur at multiple protocol layers. The network protocol event class object also includes a second set of network protocol event types which occur at specific protocol layers. A network protocol event object is derived from the network protocol event class which specifies network protocol event types from the first and second sets in the network protocol event object which are of interest to an application in the network. Events of the specified network protocol event types are stored in the network protocol event object as the events occur in the network. Upon request, the stored events sent to the application.

Abstract: An object oriented protocol interface for establishing a communication path between communication endpoints in a computer network. The generic nature of the interface allows any and several protocol layers to be developed from the same set of protocol class objects. The interface to a communication endpoint for a client application is defined by instantiating a network definition object for the communication endpoint from a network definition class object. The communication endpoint itself is represented by instantiating a network address object from a network address class object. The protocol layers which form the protocol stack are derived from a set of protocol interface objects from a protocol interface class object and a set of protocol layer objects from a protocol layer class object. The objects forming each of the layers in the protocol stack differ in their capabilities according to their respective layer and the protocol which is provided by the protocol stack.