Abstract: The method and apparatus of the present invention may be utilized to interconnect multiple local area networks to a data processing network including both multiple network nodes having routing and functional capability within the data processing network and multiple endpoint nodes having only local address capability, while minimizing the amount of routing information which must be maintained within the data processing network. A concentrator node is established for interconnection between each of the multiple local area networks and the data processing network. The concentrator node includes a network node interface having routing and functional capability for an associated local area network and an endpoint node interface having local address capability.

Abstract: The present invention is an improvement in a known LOCATE process used to locate resources in a computer network. The known LOCATE process always requires that information about a target resource be verified by forwarding a LOCATE request to the node owning the target resource. The present invention improves upon this process by use of selective verification. If predetermined conditions are met, a node in the network may reply to a received LOCATE request by using information about the target resource found in its cache directory. The LOCATE request need not be propagated to the node owning the target resource except for predetermined types of sessions or where past attempts to use selective verification have not been successful.