Arrangement for controlling network proxy device traffic on a transparently-bridged local area network using token management
US6442610B1 · kind B1 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Jun 29, 1999 |
| Grant date | Aug 27, 2002 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jun 29, 2019 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH04L47/125
- WIPO fieldDigital communication
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A transparently-bridged wide area network connecting Ethernet/IEEE 802.3-based local area networks uses redundant proxy devices one each LAN for internetwork communications. The proxy devices on a given LAN, implemented as data link switching (DLSw) devices, mediate for proxy services by generation and maintenance of a token between the proxy devices capable of providing the corresponding proxy services. In the case of transfer of a data frame, a proxy device having received a frame from an end station determines whether any other proxy device possess a token authorizing the establishment of a circuit connection via a wide area network for transfer of the frame to another local area network. If the proxy devices determines that another proxy device possess the token, the proxy device lacking the token drops the frame. If the proxy device possesses the token, then the frame can be transferred via the wide area network. Multiple tokens may be used for distributing distinct proxy services between multiple proxy devices. In addition, each proxy device lacking a token monitors for the periodic presence of a “heart-beat” indicating the continued presence of tokens, enabling g…
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.