Abstract: A Quality of Service (QoS) method and mechanism enable allocation of a QoS to a flow on a network in a dynamic environment in response to detection of a new instance of an entity associated with a flow on the network. A binding is determined between the flow and the entity which is based on at least one parameter of the flow. A QoS definition is maintained in a directory service of the network. The QoS definition includes at least one configuration rule for the flow. A QoS definition for the entity is accessed, which QoS definition binds the flow with a QoS. Configuration rules of the QoS definition are applied to the flow to configure the flow. The detection of a new instance of an entity could be in response to a flow event or in response to a directory event resulting, for example, from a login event.

Abstract: One or more policies are implemented at a Web browser to enhance access to Web servers that host content requested by the browser. When the browser issues a request, a name service returns a list of IP addresses that may service that request. The list is configured as "random" or "ordered" according to a given naming convention or other local policy, and IP addresses are selected from the list at random or in order (as the case may be) until a connection to an appropriate server is obtained. The browser remembers (for a given time period) which IP addresses have failed so that those addresses are not repeatedly tried. The browser's "timeout" period is also selectively varied depending on the type of list returned from the name service.

Abstract: A method for rerouting a connection set up along a path calculated between a first node (A.1.2) and a second node (C.2), of a switching network structured into a plurality of peer groups at at least two hierarchical levels, implies that within a peer group along said path, of not the highest hierarchical level, a local alternative path within this peer group is established between an entering border node and an outgoing border node of said peer group, based on path information stored within this entering border node during set up of the connection, and including an identifier of said outgoing border node of said peer group. In a variant method this path information is stored within each entering border node of each peer group, thereby allowing the local alternative path to be established in the lowest level peer group possible.

Abstract: A system and method efficiently provides services offered by proxy servers to client computers coupled to a network. The system comprises a proxy server interface configured to expose the services within a web brower executing on a client computer. The services available to the client are dependent upon the topology of the network coupling the client to the proxy servers and the access rights of the client with respect to the services. The invention further provides an efficient method that allows clients to inherit functionality from the proxy servers as a function of the network topology and access rights.

Abstract: In order to make a display of a mail text easy to observe, the size of characters assigned in the mail text is checked, and if the size is not within a predetermined allowable range, the text is displayed on a display device using a font such that the size of characters is within the allowable range. A similar processing is also performed when reproducing voice information added to a mail text.

Abstract: An information access system and method is presented which allows a network-connected user to view information content on the network according to the electronic proximity to the user, and other factors. Information content is discriminated according to the type of that information, and physical channels available to access that information. The illustrated information types can include infoid, local content and remote content.

Abstract: Information common to multiple e-mail messages (called common content "chunks") is separated from the individual e-mail messages before transmission. The chunks are then transmitted separately from the individual e-mail message information, and reassembled into a complete e-mail message at the receiving site.