International Business Machines Corporation

Johnathan L Harter

Michael A Lerner

Dirk K Kramer

Roy Frank Brabson

James Corvin Fletcher

Wesley McMillan Devine

John E Drake, Jr

Lee M Rafalow

Patrick Gerald Brown

Owen H Choi

Haldon J Sandick

Jeffrey G Knauth

Ralph Benjamin Case

Samuel E Reynolds

Joseph L McKinnon

Siddall, William E

Melinda P Stump

Julie M Henderson

Joel E Dinkin

An improved technique is disclosed for routing data across multiple topology subnets, and for improving the connectivity between nodes in multiple topology subnets, by using a common connection network. A new type of virtual node, referred to herein as a 'global' virtual routing node or 'GVRN', is defined to represent connectivity to an underlying network that may extend beyond the boundaries of the topology subnets in the end-to-end path. This underlying network is also referred to as a &#x201c;common connection network&#x201d; or a &#x201c;global connection network&#x201d;. The present invention also defines novel techniques with which border nodes pass routing information between networks to convey connectivity to the GVRN. In many cases, use of GVRNs will result in shorter end-to-end data transmission paths.

Efficient connectivity between multiple topology subnets via common connection network

A method and arrangement is disclosed for extending a resource search across a gateway node connecting a peer-to-peer network with a subarea network. An interface node is divided into a first section associated with the peer network and a second section associated with the subarea network. In response to a resource search request arriving at one of the sections from the network with which the section is associated, a directory of resources known by the respective section is first searched. If the resource is not found in the directory of the section, the search request is translated into a format compatible with the other network, and the translated search request is transmitted to the other section of the interface node. If the resource is not found among the resources known to the interface node, the resources known by the end nodes served by the interface node in the peer network are next searched. If the resource is not found within these end nodes, the resources known by each of the remaining network and end nodes in the peer network are next searched. If the resource is still not found, a search of the subarea nodes of the second network is initiated.

Method of combining architecturally dissimilar computing networks into a

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.

System for locating a node containing a requested resource and for

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Raleigh, NC, United States of America

Johnathan L Harter