Abstract: A method of allowing any initiating host to establish communications with any receiving host in a computing network using a Multi-path channel communication protocol. The computing environment also having a gateway device that is electronically connected from one end to at least one initiating host and at the other end to at least one local area network through which a plurality of hosts are connected to the gateway device. During an initialization step all functions commercially available on all communication platforms are inputted in a special function table. Then the particular associated platform is queried and the functions provided in the computing environment is determined and inputted also in the function table. All alterations and modifications to the availability of old functions or addition of new functions are also monitored and inputted in the table.

Abstract: A method of dynamically providing a host information about all functions supported by a communication platform provided in a computing network environment is presented. The computing network environment is also provided with a gateway device that is electronically connected at least to one initiating host and at least one receiving host, besides the associated communication platform. During an initialization step all functions commercially available on all communication platforms are inputted in a special function table. Then the particular associated platform is queried and the functions provided in the computing environment is determined and inputted also in the function table. All alterations and modifications to the availability of old functions or addition of new functions are also monitored and inputted in the table.