System for checking status of supported functions of communication platforms at preselected intervals in order to allow hosts to obtain updated list of all supported functions

Claim 2

In a computing network environment having a gateway device, said gateway device being electronically connected from one side to at least one initiating host and at another side to at least one receiving host, an apparatus for dynamically configuring and monitoring all hosts connected to said gateway device comprising: a special function table for storing all possibly available functions that can be provided by all available different communication platforms; a memory location accessible by said gateway device for storing said special function table; determining means for obtaining a list of all supported functions provided by particularly associated communication platform; comparison component for identifying subset of supported functions present in and entering them in said special function table representing all possible functions; monitoring component for checking status of all supported functions at preselected intervals to see if additions and deletions are made to said list of supported functions; means for making alterations and modifications to said special function table as to reflect supported function additions and deletions to said supported function list; and said special function table also being accessible to all hosts through said gateway device so as to allow all said hosts to obtain an updated list of all supported functions at any one time.

Claim 3

The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said computing platform is an integrated environment.

Claim 4

The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said computing platform is an open systems adapter environment.

Claim 5

The apparatus of claim 3, wherein said computing network environment uses TCP/IP communication protocol.

Claim 6

The apparatus of claim 4, wherein said functions supported by open system adapter can include Inbound TCP Checksum.

Claim 7

The apparatus of claim 4, wherein said functions supported by open system adapter can include IP Fragmentation/Reassembly.

Claim 8

The apparatus of claim 4, wherein said functions supported by open system adapter can include IP Multicast.

Claim 9

The apparatus of claim 4, wherein said functions supported by open system adapter can include IP Version Support.

Claim 10

The apparatus of claim 4, wherein said functions supported by open system adapter can include IP Version 6 Support.

Claim 11

The apparatus of claim 4, wherein said functions supported by open system adapter can include Broadcast Filtering.

Claim 12

The apparatus of claim 4, wherein said functions supported by open system adapter can include ARP.

Claim 13

The apparatus of claim 3, wherein said computing environment uses UDP/IP communication protocol.

Claim 14

The apparatus of claim 12, wherein said functions supported by open system adapter can include Inbound UDP Checksum.

Claim 15

The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said computing environment uses TCP/IP communication protocol.

Claim 16

The apparatus of claim 1, wherein platform communication protocol is LCS or LAN Channel Station interface protocol.

Claim 17

The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said computing environment uses MVS operating system.

Claim 18

In a computing network environment having a gateway device, said gateway device being electronically connected from one side to at least one initiating host and at another side to at least one receiving host, an apparatus for dynamically configuring and monitoring all hosts connected to said gateway device comprising: a special function table for storing all possibly available functions that can be provided by all available different communication platforms; a memory location accessible by said gateway device for storing said special function table; determining means for obtaining a list of all supported functions provided by particularly associated communication platform; comparison component for identifying subset of supported functions present in and entering them in said special function table representing all possible functions; monitoring component for checking status of all supported functions at preselected intervals to see if additions and deletions are made to said list of supported functions; means for making alterations and modifications to said special function table as to reflect supported function additions and deletions to said supported function list; said special function table also being accessible to all hosts through said gateway device so as to allow all said hosts to obtain an updated list of all supported functions at any one time; and means for allowing any host to select any one of said functions supported by said communication platform from said list of supported and available functions by issuing a command after viewing said functions available.

Claim 19

In a computing network environment having a gateway device, said gateway device being electronically connected from one side to at least one initiating host and at another side to at least one receiving host, an apparatus for dynamically configuring and monitoring all hosts connected to said gateway device comprising: a special function table for storing all possibly available functions that can be provided by all available different communication platforms; a memory location accessible by said gateway device for storing said special function table; determining means for obtaining a list of all supported functions provided by particularly associated communication platform; comparison component for identifying subset of supported functions present in and entering them in said special function table representing all possible functions; monitoring component for checking status of all supported functions at preselected intervals to see if additions and deletions are made to said list of supported functions; means for making alterations and modifications to said special function table as to reflect supported function additions and deletions to said supported function list; said special function table also being accessible to all hosts through said gateway device so as to allow all said hosts to obtain an updated list of all supported functions at any one time; and means for allowing any host to select any one of said functions supported by said communication platform from said list of supported and available functions by issuing a command after viewing said functions available.

Claim 20

The apparatus of claim 17, wherein said computing platform is an integrated environment.

Claim 21

The apparatus of claim 17, wherein said computing platform is an open systems adapter environment.

Claim 22

The apparatus of claim 19, wherein said computing environment uses TCP/IP communication protocol.

Claim 23

The apparatus of claim 20, wherein said functions supported by open system adapter can include Inbound TCP Checksum.

Claim 24

The apparatus of claim 20, wherein said functions supported by open system adapter can include IP Fragmentation/Reassembly.

Claim 25

The apparatus of claim 20, wherein said functions supported by open system adapter can include IP Multicast.

Claim 26

The apparatus of claim 20, wherein said functions supported by open system adapter can include IP Version Support.

Claim 27

The apparatus of claim 20, wherein said functions supported by open system adapter can include IP Version 6 Support.

Claim 28

The apparatus of claim 20, wherein said functions supported by open system adapter can include Broadcast Filtering.

Claim 29

The apparatus of claim 20, wherein said functions supported by open system adapter can include ARP.

Claim 30

The apparatus of claim 19, wherein said computing environment uses UDP/IP communication protocol.

Claim 31

The apparatus of claim 28, wherein said functions supported by open system adapter can include Inbound UDP Checksum.

Claim 32

The apparatus of claim 19, wherein said computing environment uses TCP/IP communication protocol.

Claim 33

The apparatus of claim 17, wherein platform communication protocol is LCS or LAN Channel Station interface protocol.

Claim 34

The apparatus of claim 17, wherein said computing environment uses MVS operating system.

Claim 35

The apparatus of claim 17, wherein said gateway device is connected to a plurality of local area networks.

Claim 36

The apparatus of claim 17, wherein said local area networks each are of different type and associated with them different and independent communication platforms.

Claim 37

The apparatus of claim 17, wherein said gateway device is electrically connected to at least one wide area network.