Load balancing in a multiple network environment

Claim 3

The method according to claim 1 wherein the first computer network is a local area network.

Claim 4

The method according to claim 1 wherein the first computer network is a wide area network.

Claim 5

The method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of: transmitting a redirect communication to the source device identifying the one of the plurality of gateways determined by said determining step if said determining step determines that a gateway other than the first gateway is to transmit the communication to the second computer network.

Claim 6

The method according to claim 1 wherein said transmitting a redirect communication step comprises the step of transmitting an Internet Control Message Protocol (ICMP) redirect message to the source device.

Claim 9

The method of claim 6, wherein the resource identifier is a source address of communications received from the first computer network and a destination address for communications received from the second computer network.

Claim 10

The method of claim 6, further comprising the step of assigning a unique allocation identifier to each of the plurality of gateways and wherein said step of allocating messages comprises the step of allocating messages to the plurality of gateways based upon the allocation identifier of a gateway and the remainder of said dividing step.

Claim 11

The method according to claim 8, wherein said assigning step comprises assigning as the allocation identifier a numeric identifier of between 0 and n=1 where n is the number of gateways interconnecting the first computer network and the second computer network; and wherein said allocating step comprises the step of allocating messages to the gateway having an allocation identifier equal to the remainder of said dividing step.

Claim 12

The method according to claim 6, wherein said splitting step comprises the step of splitting the resource identifier into sub-groups wherein each sub-group includes k bits where k is the lowest power to which 2 may be raised to result in a value equal to or greater than the number of gateways interconnecting the first computer network and the second computer network.

Claim 13

The method according to claim 6, wherein said splitting step comprises the step of splitting the resource identifier into sub-groups wherein at least one sub-group includes k bits where k is the lowest power to which 2 may be raised to result in a value equal to or greater than the number of gateways interconnecting the first computer network and the second computer network.

Claim 14

The method according to claim 6, further comprising the step of masking the resource identifier prior to said splitting step.

Claim 17

The method of claim 13, further comprising the step of assigning a unique allocation identifier to each of the plurality of gateways and wherein said step of allocating resources comprises the step of allocating resources to the plurality of gateways based upon the allocation identifier of a gateway and the remainder of said dividing step.

Claim 18

The method according to claim 14, wherein said assigning step comprises assigning as the allocation identifier a numeric identifier of between 0 and n-1 where n is the number of gateways interconnecting the first computer network and the second computer network; and wherein said allocating step comprises the step of allocating resources to the gateway having an allocation identifier equal to the remainder of said dividing step.

Claim 19

The method according to claim 13, wherein said splitting step comprises the step of splitting the address into sub-groups wherein each sub-group includes k bits where k is the lowest power to which 2 may be raised to result in a value equal to or greater than the number of gateways interconnecting the first computer network and the second computer network.

Claim 20

The method according to claim 13, wherein said splitting step comprises the step of splitting the address into sub-groups wherein at least one sub-group includes k bits where k is the lowest power to which 2 may be raised to result in a value equal to or greater than the number of gateways interconnecting the first computer network and the second computer network.

Claim 21

The method according to claim 13, further comprising the step of masking the resource identifier prior to said splitting step.

Claim 24

The system according to claim 19 wherein the first computer network is a local area network.

Claim 25

The system according to claim 19 wherein the first computer network is a wide area network.

Claim 26

The system according to claim 19, further comprising: means for transmitting a redirect communication to the source device identifying the one of the plurality of gateways determined by said means for determining if said means for determining determines that a gateway other than the first gateway is to transmit the communication to the second computer network.

Claim 27

The system according to claim 19 wherein said means for transmitting a redirect communication comprises means for transmitting an Internet Control Message Protocol (ICMP) redirect message to the source device.

Claim 30

The system of claim 24, wherein the resource identifier is a source address of communications received from the first computer network and a destination address for communications received from the second computer network.

Claim 31

The system according to claim 24, further comprising means for assigning a unique allocation identifier to each of the plurality of gateways and wherein said means for allocating messages comprises means for allocating messages to the plurality of gateways based upon the allocation identifier of a gateway and the remainder of said means for dividing.

Claim 32

The system according to claim 26, wherein said means for assigning comprises means for assigning as the allocation identifier a numeric identifier of between 0 and n-1 where n is the number of gateways interconnecting the first computer network and the second computer network; and wherein said means for allocating comprises means for allocating messages to the gateway having an allocation identifier equal to the remainder of said means for dividing.

Claim 33

The system according to claim 24, wherein said means for splitting comprises means for splitting the resource identifier into sub-groups wherein each sub-group includes k bits where k is the lowest power to which 2 may be raised to result in a value equal to or greater than the number of gateways interconnecting the first computer network and the second computer network.

Claim 34

The system according to claim 24, wherein said means for splitting comprises means for splitting the resource identifier into sub-groups wherein at least one sub-group includes k bits where k is the lowest power to which 2 may be raised to result in a value equal to or greater than the number of gateways interconnecting the first computer network and the second computer network.

Claim 35

The system according to claim 24, further comprising means for masking the address prior to said splitting step.

Claim 38

The system according to claim 31, further comprising means for assigning a unique allocation identifier to each of the plurality of gateways and wherein said means for allocating resources comprises means for allocating resources to the plurality of gateways based upon the allocation identifier of a gateway and the remainder of said means for dividing.

Claim 39

The system according to claim 32, wherein said means for assigning comprises means for assigning as the allocation identifier a numeric identifier of between 0 and n-1 where n is the number of gateways interconnecting the first computer network and the second computer network; and wherein said means for allocating comprises means for allocating resources to the gateway having an allocation identifier equal to the remainder of said means for dividing.

Claim 40

The system according to claim 31, wherein said means for splitting comprises means for splitting the address into sub-groups wherein each sub-group includes k bits where k is the lowest power to which 2 may be raised to result in a value equal to or greater than the number of gateways interconnecting the first computer network and the second computer network.

Claim 41

The system according to claim 31, wherein said means for splitting comprises means for splitting the address into sub-groups wherein at least one sub-group includes k bits where k is the lowest power to which 2 may be raised to result in a value equal to or greater than the number of gateways interconnecting the first computer network and the second computer network.

Claim 42

The system according to claim 31, further comprising means for masking the resource identifier prior to said splitting step.

Claim 43

A computer program product for dynamically balancing a load between a plurality of gateways which provide access between a first computer network and a second computer network, the computer program product comprising: a computer-readable storage medium having computer-readable program code means embodied in said medium, said computer-readable program code means comprising: computer-readable program code means for receiving at a first of the plurality of gateways a communication from a source device on the first computer network, wherein the communication is to be transmitted to the second computer network; computer-readable program code means for determining through which of the plurality of gateways the communication is to be transmitted to the second computer network so as to balance the load between the plurality of gateways based upon a resource identifier associated with the source device received in the communication from the source device; computer-readable program code means for transmitting the communication to the second computer network if said computer-readable program code means for determining determines that the first gateway is to transmit the communication to the second computer network; and computer-readable program code means for transmitting the communication from the first of the plurality of gateways over the first computer network to the one of the plurality of gateways which said computer-readable program code means for determining determines the communication is to be transmitted.

Claim 44

A computer program product for dynamically balancing a load between a plurality of gateways which provide access between a first computer network and a second computer network, the computer program product comprising: a computer-readable storage medium having computer-readable program code means embodied in said medium, said computer-readable program code means comprising: computer-readable program code means for receiving at a first of the plurality of gateways a communication from a source device on the first computer network, wherein the communication is to be transmitted to the second computer network; computer-readable program code means for determining through which of the plurality of gateways the communication is to be transmitted to the second computer network so as to balance the load between the plurality of gateways based upon a resource identifier associated with the source device received in the communication from the source device; computer-readable program code means for transmitting the communication to the second computer network if said computer-readable program code means for determining determines that the first gateway is to transmit the communication to the second computer network; and computer-readable program code means for transmitting the communication from the first of the plurality of gateways over the first computer network to the one of the plurality of gateways which said computer-readable program code means for determining determines the communication is to be transmitted.

Claim 45

The computer program product according to claim 37, further comprising: computer-readable program code means for transmitting a redirect communication to the source device identifying the one of the plurality of gateways determined by said means for determining if said computer-readable program code means for determining determines that a gateway other than the first gateway is to transmit the communication to the second computer network.

Claim 46

The computer program product according to claim 37 wherein said computer-readable program code means for transmitting a redirect communication comprises computer-readable program code means for transmitting an Internet Control Message Protocol (ICMP) redirect message to the source device.

Claim 47

A computer program product for dynamically balancing a load between a plurality of gateways which provide access between a first computer network and a second computer network, the computer program product comprising: a computer-readable storage medium having computer-readable program code means embodied in said medium, said computer-readable program code means comprising: computer-readable pro-gram code means for receiving at a first of the plurality of gateways a communication from a source device on the first computer network, wherein the communication is to be transmitted to the second computer network; computer-readable program code means for determining through which of the plurality of gateways the communication is to be transmitted to the second computer network: computer-readable program code means for transmitting the communication to the second computer network if said computer-readable program code means for determining determines that the first gateway is to transmit the communication to the second computer network; and computer-readable program code means for transmitting the communication over the first computer network to the one of the plurality of gateways which said computer-readable program code means for determining determines the communication is to be transmitted; and wherein said computer-readable program code means for determining comprises: computer-readable program code means for splitting a resource identifier of the communication having a plurality of bits into sub-groups of bits based upon the number gateways interconnecting the first computer network and the second computer network; computer-readable program code means for summing the sub-groups of bits to provide an allocation sum; computer-readable program code means for dividing the allocation sum by the number of gateways interconnecting the first computer network and the second computer network; and computer-readable program code means for allocating messages to the plurality of gateways based upon the remainder of said computer-readable program code means for dividing.

Claim 48

A computer program product for dynamically balancing a load between a plurality of gateways which provide access between a first computer network and a second computer network, the computer program product comprising: a computer-readable storage medium having computer-readable program code means embodied in said medium, said computer-readable program code means comprising: computer-readable pro-gram code means for receiving at a first of the plurality of gateways a communication from a source device on the first computer network, wherein the communication is to be transmitted to the second computer network; computer-readable program code means for determining through which of the plurality of gateways the communication is to be transmitted to the second computer network: computer-readable program code means for transmitting the communication to the second computer network if said computer-readable program code means for determining determines that the first gateway is to transmit the communication to the second computer network; and computer-readable program code means for transmitting the communication over the first computer network to the one of the plurality of gateways which said computer-readable program code means for determining determines the communication is to be transmitted; and wherein said computer-readable program code means for determining comprises: computer-readable program code means for splitting a resource identifier of the communication having a plurality of bits into sub-groups of bits based upon the number gateways interconnecting the first computer network and the second computer network; computer-readable program code means for summing the sub-groups of bits to provide an allocation sum; computer-readable program code means for dividing the allocation sum by the number of gateways interconnecting the first computer network and the second computer network; and computer-readable program code means for allocating messages to the plurality of gateways based upon the remainder of said computer-readable program code means for dividing.

Claim 49

The computer program product of claim 40, wherein the resource identifier is a source address of communications received from the first computer network and a destination address for communications received from the second computer network.

Claim 50

The computer program product according to claim 40, further comprising computer-readable program code means for assigning a unique allocation identifier to each of the plurality of gateways and wherein said computer-readable program code means for allocating messages comprises computer-readable program code means for allocating messages to the plurality of gateways based upon the allocation identifier of a gateway and the remainder of said computer-readable program code means for dividing.

Claim 51

The computer program product according to claim 42, wherein said computer-readable program code means for assigning comprises computer-readable program code means for assigning as the allocation identifier a numeric identifier of between 0 and n-1 where n is the number of gateways interconnecting the first computer network and the second computer network; and wherein said computer-readable program code means for allocating comprises computer-readable program code means for allocating messages to the gateway having an allocation identifier equal to the remainder of said computer-readable program code means for dividing.

Claim 52

The computer program product according to claim 40, wherein said computer-readable program code means for splitting comprises computer-readable program code means for splitting the resource identifier into sub-groups wherein each sub-group includes k bits where k is the lowest power to which 2 may be raised to result in a value equal to or greater than the number of gateways interconnecting the first computer network and the second computer network.

Claim 53

The computer program product according to claim 40, wherein said computer-readable program code means for splitting comprises computer-readable program code means for splitting the resource identifier into sub-groups wherein at least one sub-group includes k bits where k is the lowest power to which 2 may be raised to result in a value equal to or greater than the number of gateways interconnecting the first computer network and the second computer network.

Claim 54

The computer program product according to claim 40, further comprising computer-readable program code means for masking the address prior to said splitting step.

Claim 55

A computer program product for allocating network resources among a plurality of gateways interconnecting a first computer network and a second computer network, the computer program product comprising: a computer-readable storage medium having computer-readable program code means embodied in said medium, said computer-readable program code means comprising: computer-readable program code means for splitting a resource identifier having a plurality of bits into sub-groups of bits based upon the number gateways interconnecting the first computer network and the second computer network; computer-readable program code means for summing the sub-groups of bits to provide an allocation sum; computer-readable program code means for dividing the allocation sum by the number of gateways interconnecting the first computer network and the second computer network; and computer-readable program code means for allocating resources to the plurality of gateways based upon a remainder of said computer-readable program code means for dividing.

Claim 56

A computer program product for allocating network resources among a plurality of gateways interconnecting a first computer network and a second computer network, the computer program product comprising: a computer-readable storage medium having computer-readable program code means embodied in said medium, said computer-readable program code means comprising: computer-readable program code means for splitting a resource identifier having a plurality of bits into sub-groups of bits based upon the number gateways interconnecting the first computer network and the second computer network; computer-readable program code means for summing the sub-groups of bits to provide an allocation sum; computer-readable program code means for dividing the allocation sum by the number of gateways interconnecting the first computer network and the second computer network; and computer-readable program code means for allocating resources to the plurality of gateways based upon a remainder of said computer-readable program code means for dividing.

Claim 57

The computer program product according to claim 47, further comprising computer-readable program code means for assigning a unique allocation identifier to each of the plurality of gateways and wherein said computer-readable program code means for allocating resources comprises computer-readable program code means for allocating resources to the plurality of gateways based upon the allocation identifier of a gateway and the remainder of said computer-readable program code means for dividing.

Claim 58

The computer program product according to claim 48, wherein said computer-readable program code means for assigning comprises computer-readable program code means for assigning as the allocation identifier a numeric identifier of between 0 and n-1 where n is the number of gateways interconnecting the first computer network and the second computer network; and wherein said computer-readable program code means for allocating comprises computer-readable program code means for allocating resources to the gateway having an allocation identifier equal to the remainder of said computer-readable program code means for dividing.

Claim 59

The computer program product according to claim 47, wherein said computer-readable program code means for splitting comprises computer-readable program code means for splitting the address into sub-groups wherein each sub-group includes k bits where k is the lowest power to which 2 may be raised to result in a value equal to or greater than the number of gateways interconnecting the first computer network and the second computer network.

Claim 60

The computer program product according to claim 47, wherein said computer-readable program code means for splitting comprises computer-readable program code means for splitting the address into sub-groups wherein at least one sub-group includes k bits where k is the lowest power to which 2 may be raised to result in a value equal to or greater than the number of gateways interconnecting the first computer network and the second computer network.

Claim 61

The computer program product according to claim 47, further comprising computer-readable program code means for masking the resource identifier prior to said splitting step.