Architecture to support a single system image across multiple network access servers
US6256305A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Jun 8, 1999 |
| Grant date | Jul 3, 2001 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jun 8, 2019 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH04L12/56
- WIPO fieldTelecommunications
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
The present invention provides a modular architecture for connecting a plurality of telephone lines to a computer network. The invention binds a plurality of network access servers together so that they form a single system image to clients dialing into the plurality of network access servers. The invention operates by providing a tunneling mechanism for communication between the network access servers. The tunneling mechanism facilitates packet re-forwarding so that a call dialed into a physical port in a network access server can be re-forwarded through a logical port in another network access server. This allows a call to be routed through a physical port in a network access server even if no logical port is available in the network access server. Packet re-forwarding also allows multilink connections through physical ports in multiple network access servers to be routed through a single logical port in a network access server. Packet re-forwarding also provides support for spoofing; if the telephone line is torn down during spoofing, the logical port is maintained so that the connection may be reestablished through a physical port in another network access server. Finally, the …
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.