International Business Machines Corporation

Dennis J Frett

Lap Thiet Huynh

John E McGinn

David Barrett Bryant

Harold A Himwich

Mark A Cossack

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.

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Rochester, MN, United States of America

Dennis J Frett