International Business Machines Corporation

David Barrett Bryant

Lap Thiet Huynh

Eric C Broockman

John E McGinn

Joseph L McKinnon

Harold A Himwich

Mark A Cossack

Dennis J Frett

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. When interconnected between a local area network and a selected network node within the data processing network, the concentrator node emulates a network node within the local area network while appearing as an endpoint node within the data processing network. The concentrator node maintains routing information for communication between the local area network and the data processing network in two segments. The first segment details the route between the local area network and the concentrator node while a second segment details the route between the concentrator node and a node within the data processing network.

Method and apparatus interconnection of local area networks with wide area networks

A method and apparatus for interconnecting multiple data processing networks, each data processing network including: multiple network nodes having routing and functional capability within a data processing network; and, multiple endpoint nodes, each including only local address capability. Each network node may be connected to multiple endpoint nodes and other network nodes; however, connection is only permitted to network nodes within the same data processing network. A border node is established for interconnection between two data processing networks. The border node includes a network node interface having routing and functional capability within a first data processing network and an endpoint node interface having local address capability. When interconnected between the first data processing network and a network node within a second data processing network, the border node emulates a network node within the first data processing network while appearing as an endpoint node within the second data processing network, permitting full connectivity between the two networks. The border node then maintains routing information for communication between the two data processing networks in two segments. A first segment details the route between the first data processing network and the border node while a second segment details the route between the border node and a node within the second data processing network.

Border node having routing and functional capability in a first network

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Raleigh, NC, United States of America

David Barrett Bryant