Abstract: This invention describes methods, apparatus and systems for virtualization of iSCSI storage. Virtual storage isolates the clients from the management of physical storage resources. In this invention, each physical storage device supports multiple logical units (LUNs). Each supported LUN is associated with a separate TCP port number and iSCSI commands received on a given port implicitly refer to the associated LUN. An iSCSI host addresses each logical unit of storage (LUN) with a virtual IP address and port number. Using an address translation table, the virtualization gateway rewrites the destination IP address in the header of an incoming packet as well as the destination port number to correspond to the target physical LUN. Migration of logical units across physical storage devices is supported by changing the address translation entries at the gateway; and the gateway can be provided by a standard network router with support for address translation.

Abstract: This invention provides methods and apparatus for web switching without connection termination while providing content routing functionality. Content-aware web switches terminate incoming TCP connections and inspect the HTTP header to recognize the URL (content) being requested from a web server farm. This invention maps application layer information (URLs) to MPLS labels. This allows a standard MPLS switch to provide web switching functionality without terminating TCP connections. In addition to content routing, this method is applied for client session affinity, server load balancing and service differentiation. This invention also relates to using TCP port numbers instead of MPLS labels to achieve web-switching functionality through the use of a TCP router that translates IP address and port numbers.

Abstract: In a method of transmitting an IP packet between a source and a destination through an ATM network which has a node formed by an ATM switch and a packet router, a reception packet or cell is transmitted to the node on an unused or undefined VC and is sent to the packet router in the node. In the packet router, an output port is selected by the use of the unused VC to establish a switched virtual channel in the ATM switch and to transfer each packet through the switched virtual channel after the switched virtual channel is established, as long as the reception packet is sent on the same VCI. Neither signaling nor protocol is needed between the nodes.

Abstract: A handoff control process in a wireless ATM network replaces an old communications connection with a new communication connection. In order to guarantee that no data is lost during the replacement process, an ATM cell level mechanism is used to re-schedule the buffering and transmitting of data streams of the virtual channels (VCs) to be handed-off. In addition, this mechanism is transparent to user applications. The present invention performs three fundamental cell level scheduling functions. The first function is to mark and redirect cell transmission with operation and maintenance (OAM) cells. The second function is to disable and buffer cell transmission until the new path is connected. The third function is to enable cell transmission, starting with the buffered cells across the connected new path.

Abstract: Mobility in a wireless ATM network is accomplished by use of hand-off control protocols. A mobile terminal signals a first base station that a hand-off is to occur. In a first preferred embodiment the first base station signals a second base station requesting a hand-off. After the second base station signals the first base station that a datapath link is available from a hand-off switch to the second base station, the hand-off switch causes the datapath to change from the first base station to the second base station and the first base station signals the mobile terminal to commence communication with the second base station. In a second preferred embodiment, the mobile terminal signals a first base station that a hand-off is to occur. The first base station signals a second base station requesting a hand-off. At the same time a datapath link is established between the first and second base stations.

Abstract: A method for transporting Internet Protocols (IP's) over an Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM) network that exhibits the strengths of ATM, namely packet interleaving (using cell-based transport) with Quality of Service support for connection-oriented traffic (such as multiclass native ATM traffic and flows-based IP traffic using RSVP), while optimizing the connectionless requirements of existing IP traffic. Advantageously, both the IP protocol stack and ATM protocol stack operate as peers over ATM cell transport hardware. The method exploits an "implicit" signaling/control phase characteristic of IP traffic/protocols thereby minimizing setup. The implicit signaling phase is used to map a flow from a routed path to a switched path immediately upon transmission of a first packet. Similarly, particular packets may be immediately transported over the routed path even after establishment of the switched path.