Virtual ip framework and interfacing method

Abstract

An interfacing method and Virtual Internet Protocol (VIP) Framework that provides high fault tolerance and linear scalability of servers and network interfaces. The Framework has minimal impact on the surrounding network infrastructure. The preferred embodiment operates at the IP level, thus enabling the Framework to operate with any application that runs on top of IP. Incoming data packets and packet fragments are received from the Internet in a plurality of network terminations. Routing processes provide external routers with addresses of the network terminations. Each network termination is associated with one of a plurality of forwarding processes, and each forwarding process is connected to a plurality of fragmenter/de-fragmenters. Each forwarding process selects a single fragmenter/de-fragmenter to receive all of the incoming data packets and packet fragments having a common source address. The incoming packets and packet fragments are then sent to the selected fragmenter/de-fragmenter where they are reassembled if necessary. The selected fragmenter/de-fragmenter identifies a valid application server and sends the reassembled incoming data packets to the identified server. Servers with outgoing messages select a fragmenter/de-fragmenter which fragments the data packets if required, and uses the routing process to select a forwarding process to route the packets and fragments to a network termination and the Internet.