Abstract: A network hub for interconnecting a first network transceiving signals according to a SS7 protocol with a second network transceiving signals according to a TCP/IP protocol is disclosed. The network hub includes means for interconnecting the hub with each of the first and second networks. A processing means within the hub converts received signals between being carried by the SS7 and TCP/IP protocols. The conversions are assisted by a translation table including active mobile identification numbers and IP addresses within the second network and a second table listing all signal point codes for nodes within the first network.

Abstract: In a replicated database environment, all nodes (30) monitor the well-being of each other by receipt of node status messages over a network (20). When a node is detected as no longer being alive, the other nodes deduce that such node has failed. When a node failure is detected, a nodestatus record having a nodedown value is written into a node log (80) with respect to the failing node. Similarly, when a node comes alive or a new node becomes known to the network, a node status record having a nodeup value is written into the node log. When a local node fails and then is restarted, the local node uses the contents of its node log in order to determine how to initialize the value of a replicated data object. By reading its node log, the local node can decide whether the data object can be initialized from its disk (32) or not.

Abstract: In a network wherein replicas of a data object reside at a plurality of nodes, a node has a lock manager which handles requests for access to the data object by processes of differing nodes. When a process native to the node desires access to the data object, the lock manager sets a lingering lock flag in a lock table for the data object. Setting the lingering lock flag indicates that the data object can only be accessed at the node to the exclusion of processes of other nodes. The lingering lock flag can remain set after the process native to the node terminates access to the data object, thereby enabling a successive access to the data object by the same process or another process native to the node, such successive access being without notification to other nodes of the network.