Abstract: Techniques suitable for facilitating communications between various computer programs operating on various nodes in a distributed computing environment are disclosed. The techniques can be used by a traffic manager operating in such environments. The traffic manager is capable of monitoring traffic exchanged between client and server programs operating in the distributed computing environment. Moreover, the traffic manager can be used to implement a variety of desirable features across different computing environments. These computing environments are typically separated by one or more distinguishing characteristics. As will be appreciated, the traffic manager provides an integral and cost effective solution which can bridge these distinguishing characteristics as well as define and enforce policies across disparate computing environments. This is achieved by centralizing the generation of interfaces which allow interaction between any of the nodes in a distributed computing system.

Abstract: A system and method scales private Virtual Local Area Networks (VLANs) to a large computer network, such as a very large Metropolitan Area Network (MAN), so that the VLAN designations can be re-used across the network. In the illustrative embodiment, the MAN includes different groups of Layer 2 (L2) switches that are logically organized into Islands interconnected by an interconnect fabric. Within each Island, Customer-Equipment VLAN Identifiers (CE-VLAN IDs) are mapped to MAN Provider-Equipment VLAN IDs (PE-VLAN IDs). The PE-VLAN IDs defined within the MAN support the creation of Private VLANs. Each Private VLAN includes one Primary VLAN, one Isolated VLAN and may include one or more Community VLANs. Different PE-VLAN IDs may be used as the Primary, Isolated and Community VLANs in different Islands.

Abstract: A method for carrying out a connection migration in a multicomputing architecture (cluster), from a first node which is called a primary node or operation node, including a first computer of the cluster on which an initial software application is run, towards at lest one secondary node including another computer of the cluster. The method implements a virtual network address which is carried by the first computer and transferred to the other computer, the virtual network address being embodied in the form of a dialogue link between the cluster and client computers connected thereto and associated with the software application. The associated connections can, for example be associated with a software application which is replicated in another computer in such a way that the initial application service is switched to the replica thereof.

Abstract: A content distribution network with client side multicasting properties that operates with a reduced bandwidth is provided. The requested content, such as multimedia content, is provided in a format suitable for transmission over existing unicast communication links and is then changed to a multicast format for local distribution. This allows an application provider to transmit a single unicast stream of content to a client-side media server in a local area network (LAN) and then distribute it to multiple interested users within the LAN using a multicasting transmission format. This significantly reduces bandwidth requirements by providing a single unicast transmission to a LAN rather than supply each user within the LAN with a dedicated content stream.

Abstract: A network interface driver embodied in a processor readable medium comprising executable program instruction that, when executed by a processor, independently process internetworking protocols for a hot computer (or other network access device) with another computer on a remote network. The driver appears to the operating system as a regular network interface driver, but it can support enhanced kernel-level internetworking protocols by using a state machine to generate, drop, and change incoming and outgoing IP packets in a manner transparent to the operating system.

Abstract: A framework is disclosed which enables a management system to manage completely different type of network elements (NEs) running different versions of their embedded software by introducing generic operational interfaces, generic data interfaces, information descriptors and self adaptive control mechanism. This Management system framework consists of mainly two parts a) core application and b) element-dependent components and c) a set of generic interfaces. When the management system is launched, it executes the core application. The core application comprises of network element independent version independent generic functionalities that can be used to interact with a variety of network elements and a dynamic control mechanism to make selection and placement of pluggable components at appropriate time and place during execution.

Abstract: Managing cluster membership and providing and managing locks in the switches forming the interconnecting network. To manage the cluster membership, a zone is created, with indicated members existing in the zone and the zone being managed by the switches. The nodes communicate their membership events, such as alive messages, using an API to work with the switch to which they are attached. The desired membership algorithm is executed by the switches, preferably in a distributed manner. Each switch then enforces the membership policies, including preventing operations from evicted nodes. This greatly simplifies the programs used on the nodes and unburdens them from many time consuming tasks, thus providing improved cluster performance. In a like manner, the switches in the fabric manage the resource locks. The nodes send their lock requests, such as creation and ownership requests, to the switch to which they are connected using an API.

Abstract: The invention is a data network system (110) and method for forwarding a communication message intended for one device to another device. A target user of a target device (one of 102-108) configures configuration data of the target device for the system. The configuration information includes one or more forwarding lists in which each forwarding list identifies at least one next device (another one of 102-108). The system then receives (204) a communication message from an originating device (yet another one of 102-108) and retrieves (206) configuration data of the target device. Next, the system determines (208) whether the target device is available for interactive communication with the originating device based on the configuration data. If the target device is available for interactive communication with the originating device, then the system routes (210) the communication message to the target device.

Abstract: An OPC redirection manager maintains the information necessary for taking appropriate action when the target OPC server fails and for ensuring that no bad status is returned to the client. Any existing OPC client needing seamless failover between target OPC data access and/or alarm and event servers will connect to a uniquely configured instance of the redirection manager instead of connecting to the primary server. The client application continues to perform OPC related tasks as usual. Because each client connection is unique, the redirection manager itself is not a single point of failure. Each configured redirection manager instance monitors the health of the target server mode and the target server itself by subscribing to failure events.

Abstract: When a user designates a communication application, a communication server machine searches a database for another user who can have a communication with the former user through the communication application designated by the former user, and then connects the users with each other through the designated communication application. As a result, the users can have an optimum smooth communication.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and computer program products are provided for delivering dynamic media content to collaborators. Embodiments include providing collaborative event media content including a grammar and a structured document; generating a dynamic client context for a client; detecting an event in dependence upon the dynamic client context; identifying one or more collaborators in dependence upon the dynamic client context and the event; identifying a discrete purpose of a collaborator display device for a collaborator; selecting from the structured document a classified structural element in dependence upon an event type, a collaborator classification, and the discrete purpose of the collaborator display device; and transmitting the selected structural element to the collaborator.

Abstract: A method and system for routing messages through a communications network based on the content of the message. The method of the present invention comprises providing a method for retrieving information through a telecommunications network comprising receiving, in a message data structure, a request message comprising a command; sending a query message to a content provider based on the command; receiving a query response message from the content provider comprising response information; and sending a request response message based on the response information.

Abstract: An Internet user transfers directly to a domain within an e-community by providing a home identity cookie having an extensible data area and enrollment token to a web browser by a home domain server, and enrolling through an e-community for a user of the web browser by redirecting the home identity cookie via the web browser to each of the affiliated domains in the e-community until each affiliated domain has been visited once by the web browser. Upon each visit to each affiliated domain, an affiliated domain identity cookie is sent to the web browser including an enrollment successful indicator. Enrollment success indicators are accumulated and persistently stored received in the extensible data area of said home identity cookie. Subsequently, the identity of the user is vouched for at an affiliated domain through exchange of a vouch-for request and vouch-for response between the home domain server and an affiliated domain server.

Abstract: Data transmission system including a proxy connected to the Internet network and at least a content server to which a user can gain access by the intermediary of the proxy, the proxy being associated with authentication means adapted to perform form-based authentication of the user when receiving a user request for Internet resources therefrom and wherein the proxy transmits the user request to the content server which sends back a response to the proxy. The authentication means comprise a Single Sign-On (SSO) server adapted to obtain a login form from the content server when receiving the user request from the proxy, to fill the login form by using the credentials associated with the user and to send back the filled login form thereby, playing the role of the user regarding the content server, so that the content server can provide the requested information after authentication of the user.

Abstract: A multi-homed endpoint, having multiple interfaces with respective source addresses, selects a source address for transport of a message according to a prescribed multi-homed transfer protocol, based on source-destination address pair metrics, each source-destination address pair metric identifying link performance between a corresponding source address and a corresponding destination address. Each source-destination address pair is assigned a counter for tracking respective acknowledgements to messages output via the corresponding source-destination address pair. The multi-homed endpoint selects a source-destination address pair, for transport of messages, based on the corresponding metric identifying the highest relative link performance. Heartbeat messages are periodically sent for unselected source-destination pairs to maintain updated link performance metrics between the respective source-destination address pairs.

Abstract: A method and system for resolving domain name system (DNS) queries in a multiprotocol communications network is disclosed. The disclosed method includes in one embodiment receiving a destination address from a DNS server utilizing a first protocol; and communicating with a network element associated with the destination address utilizing a second protocol. In another embodiment, the disclosed method includes maintaining a profile for the DNS server and selecting the DNS server from a plurality of DNS servers utilizing the profile. In yet another embodiment, the disclosed method includes requesting a first address from the DNS server, where the first address is formatted according to a primary protocol, detecting a request failure in response to the request, and requesting a second address from the DNS server, where the second address is formatted according to a secondary protocol, in response to detecting the request failure.

Abstract: Systems and methods for improving the performance of a data storage and retrieval system by enabling dynamic switching from one internal data structure to another in response to detecting conditions indicating that a switch would improve performance. In one embodiment, a network proxy implements a cache using a first internal data structure. The caches objects comprise Web pages, and the cache keys comprise URLs corresponding to the Web pages. The proxy monitors cache usage and periodically determines costs associated with usage of the first data structure and an alternative data structure. If the costs associated with the alternative data structure are less than the costs associated with the first data structure, the proxy crates the alternative data structure, migrates data from the first data structure to the alternative data structure, begins using the alternative data structure for the cache, and deletes the first data structure.

Abstract: A method, system, and computer program product for handling messages on a message transmission backbone within a distributed data processing system is disclosed. A filter module generates an allowable message types data structure, and stores the allowable message types data structure in a memory. Each entry of the allowable message types data structure includes information for identifying an allowable message type on the basis of one or more message characteristics. A change in a status of a module within a group of loaded programs, which includes multiple data processing software modules, is detected. In response to detecting the change in the status of a module within the group of loaded programs, a corresponding entry within the allowable message types data structure is modified.

Abstract: An embodiment of the invention evaluates the suitability of routes for use in a network route cache. An embodiment of the invention allows the use of network routing caches to be optimized such that routes that are not used to route to a large number of destinations can be offloaded into a less expensive host route cache.

Abstract: A method for balancing traffic across paths connecting a network to the Internet using a fractional allocation strategy for distributing the traffic from a congested selected path. The strategy includes: (a) associating the paths j with a counter i; (b) calculating the total initial selected path overload; (c) calculating the selected path load, wherein the load is equal to the initial selected path overload less the sum of the low capacity boundary for i path(s); (d) calculating the portion of the traffic on the selected path to be distributed using a bi-sectional search strategy; (e) distributing a portion of the traffic on the selected path to the other paths; and (f) stopping if there are no more paths (i=j), otherwise increasing the numerical value of the counter by one (1) and go to step (c).