3com Corporation

Thomas Albert Maufer

Roman Baker

RamKrishna Vepa

Sameer Nanda

James S Binder

A method and system for directing transmission of internetwork packet exchange (IPX) control packets to influence reception of IPX data packets. Specifically, one embodiment of the present invention includes a method for directing transmission of an internetwork packet exchange (IPX) control packet. The method includes the step of determining a primary NIC from a plurality of NICs of a server computer system. Additionally, the method includes the step of recognizing an IPX control packet before the IPX control packet is transmitted over a network. Furthermore, the method includes the step of directing the IPX control packet to be transmitted over the network by the primary NIC.

Method and system for directing transmission of IPX control packets to influence reception of IPX data packets

A method to send and receive data packets over a network of computer systems (e.g., a plurality of virtual local area networks &lsqb;VLANs&rsqb; compliant with the IEEE 802.1Q standard) using a server computer system adapted to have a plurality of network interface cards (NICs) coupled thereto. An outgoing data packet is addressed using a first media access control (MAC) address, wherein the first MAC address is a virtual MAC address representing the plurality of NICs. A NIC is selected from the plurality of NICs using a load balancing scheme. The functionality of the selected NIC is verified using a fault tolerance scheme. The first MAC address in the outgoing data packet is replaced with a second MAC address, wherein the second MAC address represents the selected NIC. The outgoing data packet is then transmitted using the selected NIC. For an incoming data packet received at one of the plurality of NICs, the existing MAC address in the incoming data packet is replaced with the first MAC address. Thus, the present embodiment of the present invention provides a high performance method that supports multiple VLANs and elegantly combines a load balance scheme and a fault tolerance scheme into a software element implemented on a server computer system.

Combining virtual local area networks and load balancing with fault tolerance in a high performance protocol

A method for selecting a network interface card (NIC) to be used to send an outgoing data packet from a server computer system having a plurality of NICs coupled thereto. The outgoing data packet is addressed using an Internet Protocol (IP) address and a Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) port number. A load balancing scheme is executed in order to select a NIC from the plurality of NICs. In one embodiment, the load balancing scheme is a function of the IP address; in alternate embodiments, the load balancing scheme is a function of the IP address and either the destination or source TCP port number. The media access control (MAC) address that represents the selected NIC is inserted in the outgoing data packet. The data packet is then sent using the selected NIC.

High performance load balancing of outbound internet protocol traffic over multiple network interface cards

A method for load balancing incoming data packets in a server computer system adapted to have a plurality of network interface cards coupled thereto and communicatively coupled to client computer systems in a network. A first media access control (MAC) address for a first NIC is selected using a load balancing scheme. A first directed data packet containing the first MAC address and a network address for the server computer system is sent to a first client computer system. The first MAC address and the network address are stored in a protocol cache of the first client computer system. A second MAC address for a second NIC is also selected using the load balancing scheme. A second directed packet containing the second MAC address and the network address is sent to a second client computer system. The second MAC address and the network address are stored in a protocol cache of the second client computer system. Thus, the server computer system will receive an incoming data packet from the first client computer system over the first NIC and from the second computer system over the second NIC.

Receive load balancing and fail over with multiple network interface cards

A method and system for detecting a non-functioning network interface card (NIC) in a server computer system adapted to have a plurality of network interface cards coupled thereto and communicatively coupled to client computer systems in a network. A directed packet is sent from a first NIC to a second NIC, and a direct packet is also sent from the second NIC to the first NIC. The server computer system monitors the NICs to determine whether the directed packet from the first NIC is received by the second NIC. The server computer system also monitors the first NIC to determine whether the directed packet from the second NIC is received by the first NIC. The server computer system determines whether the first NIC is functioning using the results from the monitoring. When the first NIC is determined to be non-functioning, the functions of the first NIC are automatically switched from the first NIC to one of the plurality of NICs. A broadcast packet is sent from the server computer system to the client computer systems. The broadcast packet contains a media access control (MAC) address for the NIC that replaces the first NIC, and each client computer system replaces the MAC address for the first NIC with the MAC address for the second NIC in its memory cache.

Fail over with multiple network interface cards

Secure wiretap support for Internet Protocol security. Specifically, one embodiment of the present invention includes a system for allowing controlled access to a networked communication. The system comprises an intermediate device that includes memory. The memory of the intermediate device is for storing a policy rule therein. The intermediate device is adapted to download the policy rules governing access to a desired location. The system further comprises a client which is coupled to the intermediate device. The client is adapted to receive the policy rule when the intermediate device downloads it to the client. As such, any communication data intended to travel between a first destination and the client is forwarded to a second destination. Therefore, the present invention provides a method and system for providing law enforcement agencies the ability to wiretap specific encrypted communications. Moreover, the present invention provides this ability while allowing the established hardware infrastructure of computer networks to remain essentially unchanged. Furthermore, the present invention does not affect the performance of the network while enabling end users to utilize any encryption algorithms for their communications. Additionally, the present invention enables encrypted communication data to remain encrypted during transmittal en route to its destination.

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Santa Clara, CA, United States of America

Thomas Albert Maufer