Method of providing a service through a server with a virtual single network address
US6055574A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Mar 10, 1998 |
| Grant date | Apr 25, 2000 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Mar 10, 2018 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH04L67/1012
- WIPO fieldDigital communication
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A method of providing a service, to a plurality of terminals on a communication network, through a server on the communication network includes the following steps: 1) coupling a correlator to the network which links a unique name for the server to multiple network addresses; 2) providing a set of multiple computers on the network, each of which performs the service and is assigned a different one of the multiple network addresses; and, 3) incorporating a network address selector on the network which directs any one of the terminals to a single one of the computers, when an operator of that one terminal generates a request for the service which includes the unique name of the server. Due to this method, the server has a virtual single network address which means that from the point of view of an operator of a terminal, the service is being provided by a single computer on the network that has a single network address that corresponds to the server's unique name. But in reality, the requested service is being provided to the terminal by different computers at different times, depending upon which computer is selected by the network address selector.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.