US5819045A — Method for determining a networking capability in…

Claim 1

Independent Claim 128 words

A method for determining a value representative of the load a computer applies to a computer network, said method comprising the steps of: selecting a group of packet sizes; measuring the capability of the computer to transmit packets of each selected packet size from the process application to the input/output kernel as a function of time; determining a probability distribution for the selected packet sizes, said probability distribution representative of a percentage of total traffic from the computer corresponding to each of the selected packet sizes; and determining a networking capability index (NCI) for the computer based at least in part on said measured capabilities as a function of time for the selected packet sizes, said probability distribution for the selected packet sizes, and the selected packet sizes.

Claim 2

Independent Claim 128 words

A method for determining a value representative of the load a computer applies to a computer network, said method comprising the steps of: selecting a group of packet sizes; measuring the capability of the computer to transmit packets of each selected packet size from the process application to the input/output kernel as a function of time; determining a probability distribution for the selected packet sizes, said probability distribution representative of a percentage of total traffic from the computer corresponding to each of the selected packet sizes; and determining a networking capability index (NCI) for the computer based at least in part on said measured capabilities as a function of time for the selected packet sizes, said probability distribution for the selected packet sizes, and the selected packet sizes.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 73 words

The method of claim 1 wherein the step of determining the networking capability index for the computer comprises the step of calculating: ##EQU3## wherein N is a number of selected packet sizes, P i is a traffic probability distribution value for the ith selected packet size, X i is the measured packet rate value for the ith selected packet size, and S i is the packet size for the ith selected packet size.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 28 words

The method of claim 2 wherein the probability distribution values are determined by: measuring the distribution of traffic corresponding to the selected packet sizes within the computer network.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 25 words

The method of claim 1 wherein the probability distribution values are determined by: setting the traffic probability distribution values to a set of default values.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 41 words

The method of claim 4 wherein five packet sizes are selected, having packet sizes of 96, 256, 512, 1024 and 1460 bytes per packet, respectively, and wherein the corresponding probability distribution values are about 0.5, 0.3, 0.02, 0.05, and 0.13, respectively.

Claim 7

Independent Claim 82 words

A method for load balancing a plurality of networked computers arrangeable in separate segments, said method comprising the steps of: determining a networking capability index (NCI) for each of said computers said NCI representative of a maximum expected throughput capability for a computer for transmitting from an application process running within the computer to an input/output kernel also running within the computer; and selectively connecting said computers within said segments yielding segments having approximately equal combined NCIs for all computers connected thereto.

Claim 8

Independent Claim 82 words

A method for load balancing a plurality of networked computers arrangeable in separate segments, said method comprising the steps of: determining a networking capability index (NCI) for each of said computers said NCI representative of a maximum expected throughput capability for a computer for transmitting from an application process running within the computer to an input/output kernel also running within the computer; and selectively connecting said computers within said segments yielding segments having approximately equal combined NCIs for all computers connected thereto.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 121 words

The method of claim 6 wherein the step of determining the NCI comprises the steps of: selecting a group of packet sizes; measuring the capability of the computer to transmit packets of each selected packet size from the process application to the input/output kernel as a function of time; determining a probability distribution for the selected packet sizes, said probability distribution representative of a percentage of total traffic from the computer corresponding to each of the selected packet sizes; and determining the networking capability index (NCI) for the computer based at least in part on said measured capabilities as a function of time for the selected packet sizes, said probability distribution for the selected packet sizes, and the selected packet sizes.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 71 words

The method of claim 6 wherein the step of determining the NCI for the computer comprises the step of calculating: ##EQU4## wherein N is a number of selected packet sizes, P i is a traffic probability distribution value for the ith selected packet size, X i is the measured packet rate value for the ith selected packet size, and S i is the packet size for the ith selected packet size.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 32 words

The method of claim 7 wherein the probability distribution values are determined by: measuring the distribution of traffic corresponding to the selected packet sizes within the computer network to be load balanced.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 25 words

The method of claim 7 wherein the probability distribution values are determined by: setting the traffic probability distribution values to a set of default values.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 41 words

The method of claim 10 wherein five packet sizes are selected, having packet sizes of 96, 256, 512, 1024 and 1460 bytes per packet, respectively, and wherein the corresponding probability distribution values are about 0.5, 0.3, 0.02, 0.05, and 0.13, respectively.

Claim 14

Independent Claim 174 words

A method for load balancing a computer network containing a plurality of multiport bridges and a group of computers, said method comprising the steps of: determining a networking capability index (NCI) for each of a plurality of types of computers to be connected to the computer network, said NCI representative of a maximum expected throughput capability for a type of computer for transmitting from an application process running within the type of computer to an input/output kernel also running within the type of computer; determining the number of ports of the plurality of multiport bridges; determining a target group NCI for all of a plurality of subnetworks connected to the multiport bridges; dividing the group of computers into subnetworks with the computers divided to achieve a group NCI of each subnetwork substantially equal to the target group NCI; and determining whether the maximum number of workstations over all of the subnetworks is acceptable and, if not, decreasing the target group NCI until the maximum number of workstations over all of the subnetworks is acceptable.

Claim 15

Independent Claim 174 words

A method for load balancing a computer network containing a plurality of multiport bridges and a group of computers, said method comprising the steps of: determining a networking capability index (NCI) for each of a plurality of types of computers to be connected to the computer network, said NCI representative of a maximum expected throughput capability for a type of computer for transmitting from an application process running within the type of computer to an input/output kernel also running within the type of computer; determining the number of ports of the plurality of multiport bridges; determining a target group NCI for all of a plurality of subnetworks connected to the multiport bridges; dividing the group of computers into subnetworks with the computers divided to achieve a group NCI of each subnetwork substantially equal to the target group NCI; and determining whether the maximum number of workstations over all of the subnetworks is acceptable and, if not, decreasing the target group NCI until the maximum number of workstations over all of the subnetworks is acceptable.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 41 words

The method of claim 12 wherein the step of determining whether the maximum number of workstations over all of the subnetworks is acceptable is achieved by determining whether there is sufficient hardware to connect all of the computers to the network.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 49 words

The method of claim 12 wherein the step of determining whether the maximum number of workstations over all of the subnetworks is acceptable is achieved by determining whether there is sufficient hardware to connect all of the computers while also allowing for any expected future expansion requiring additional computers.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	2001-10-05	2002-04-06	2002-10-06	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	2005-10-05	2006-04-06	2006-10-06	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	2009-10-05	2010-04-06	2010-10-06	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Method for determining a networking capability index for each of a plurality of networked computers and load balancing the computer network using the networking capability indices

Abstract

Inventors

Bibliographic Details

Claims Analysis

References Cited (Backward Citations)

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Assigned Categories & Tags

Assign Category Tag