Object-oriented distributed communications directory system

Claim 3

The method of claim 1 wherein step (a) comprises: (a1) propagating the network address for the server node from the server node to the server node communication directory service program.

Claim 4

The method of claim 1 wherein step (d) comprises: (d1) receiving a request for a service from the client node at the client node communication directory service program; and (d2) using the client node communication directory service program to locate a service object to provide the service.

Claim 5

The method of claim 1 wherein step (a)(1) further comprises using the reference to stored network configured information to select one of the plurality of communication links.

Claim 6

The method of claim 1 wherein the client node is connected to each of the plurality of communication links by a configurable network adapter and wherein step (d) comprises using the network configuration information to configure the network adapter.

Claim 7

Apparatus for enabling the connection of a client node to a server node for receipt of a service therefrom through a plurality of communication links in a multi-node computer network system, the client and server nodes each having data storage apparatus and a communication directory service program with storage for network configuration information for each of a plurality of available services, the apparatus comprising: server object class information stored in the server node data storage apparatus from which a service object is constructed having a network address for the server node and a reference to stored network configuration information for the service; means for communicating the service object to the client node and for storing the service object in the data storage apparatus at the client node, and a client interface which uses the network configuration information in the service object stored at the client node to establish a connection between the client and server nodes permitting the client node to receive the service from the server node through one of the plurality of communication links.

Claim 8

Apparatus for enabling the connection of a client node to a server node for receipt of a service therefrom through a plurality of communication links in a multi-node computer network system, the client and server nodes each having data storage apparatus and a communication directory service program with storage for network configuration information for each of a plurality of available services, the apparatus comprising: server object class information stored in the server node data storage apparatus from which a service object is constructed having a network address for the server node and a reference to stored network configuration information for the service; means for communicating the service object to the client node and for storing the service object in the data storage apparatus at the client node, and a client interface which uses the network configuration information in the service object stored at the client node to establish a connection between the client and server nodes permitting the client node to receive the service from the server node through one of the plurality of communication links.

Claim 9

The apparatus of claim 6 further comprising a server interface which propagates the network address for the server node from the server node to the server node communication directory service program.

Claim 10

The apparatus of claim 6 wherein the client interface comprises a mechanism which receives a request for a service from the client node at the client node communication directory service program and based on the request accesses a communication directory service database that locates a service object to provide the service.

Claim 11

The apparatus of claim 6 wherein the client interface uses the reference to stored network configuration information to select one of the plurality of communication links.

Claim 12

The apparatus of claim 6 wherein the client interface comprises a configurable network adapter which connects the client node to each of the plurality of communication links and a mechanism which uses the network configuration information to configure the network adapter.

Claim 13

A computer program product for enabling the connection of a client node to a server node for receipt of a service therefrom through a plurality of communication links in a multi-node computer network system, the client and server nodes each having data storage apparatus and a communication directory service program with storage for network configuration information for each of a plurality of available services, the computer program product comprising a computer usable medium having computer readable program code thereon, including: service object class code for storage in the server node data storage apparatus from which a service object is constructed having a network address for the server node and a reference to stored network configuration information to the service; program code for communicating the service object to the client node and for storing the service object in the data storage apparatus at the client node, and program code for using the network configuration information in the service object stored at the client node to establish a connection between the client and server nodes permitting the client node to receive the service from the server node through one of the plurality of communication links.

Claim 14

A computer program product for enabling the connection of a client node to a server node for receipt of a service therefrom through a plurality of communication links in a multi-node computer network system, the client and server nodes each having data storage apparatus and a communication directory service program with storage for network configuration information for each of a plurality of available services, the computer program product comprising a computer usable medium having computer readable program code thereon, including: service object class code for storage in the server node data storage apparatus from which a service object is constructed having a network address for the server node and a reference to stored network configuration information to the service; program code for communicating the service object to the client node and for storing the service object in the data storage apparatus at the client node, and program code for using the network configuration information in the service object stored at the client node to establish a connection between the client and server nodes permitting the client node to receive the service from the server node through one of the plurality of communication links.

Claim 15

The computer program product of claim 11 further comprising program code for propagating the network address for the server node from the server node to the server node communication directory service program.

Claim 16

The computer program product of claim 11 wherein the program code for establishing a connection between the client and server nodes comprises: program code for receiving a request for a service from the client node at the client node communication directory service program; and program code for using the client node communication directory service program to locate a service object to provide the service.

Claim 17

The computer program product of claim 11 wherein the program code for establishing a connection between the client and server nodes further comprises program code for using the reference to stored network configuration information to select one of the plurality of communication links.

Claim 18

The computer program product of claim 11 wherein the client node is connected to each of the plurality of communication links by a configurable network adapter and wherein the program code for establishing a connection between the client and server nodes further comprises program code for using the network configuration information to configure the network adapter.

Claim 19

A computer data signal embodied in a carrier wave for enabling the connection of a client node to a server node for receipt of a service therefrom through a plurality of communication links in a multi-node computer network system, the client and server nodes each having data storage apparatus and a communication directory service program with storage for network configuration information for each of a plurality of available services, the computer data signal comprising: service object class code for storage in the server node communication directory service program storage apparatus from which a service object is constructed having a network address for the server node and a reference to stored network configuration information for the service; program code for communicating the service object to the client node and for storing the service object in the data storage apparatus at the client node, and program code for using the network configuration information in the service object stored at the client node to establish a connection between the client and server nodes permitting the client node to receive the service from the server node through one of the plurality of communication links.

Claim 20

A computer data signal embodied in a carrier wave for enabling the connection of a client node to a server node for receipt of a service therefrom through a plurality of communication links in a multi-node computer network system, the client and server nodes each having data storage apparatus and a communication directory service program with storage for network configuration information for each of a plurality of available services, the computer data signal comprising: service object class code for storage in the server node communication directory service program storage apparatus from which a service object is constructed having a network address for the server node and a reference to stored network configuration information for the service; program code for communicating the service object to the client node and for storing the service object in the data storage apparatus at the client node, and program code for using the network configuration information in the service object stored at the client node to establish a connection between the client and server nodes permitting the client node to receive the service from the server node through one of the plurality of communication links.

Claim 21

The computer data signal of claim 16 further comprising program code for propagating the network address for the server node from the server node to the server node communication directory service program.

Claim 22

The computer data signal of claim 16 wherein the program code for establishing a connection between the client and server nodes comprises: program code for receiving a request for a service from the client node at the client node communication directory service program; and program code for using the client node communication directory service program to locate a service object to provide the service.

Claim 23

The computer data signal of claim 16 wherein the program code for establishing a connection between the client and server nodes further comprises program code for using the reference to stored network configuration information to select one of the plurality of communication links.

Claim 24

The computer data signal of claim 16 wherein the client node is connected to each of the plurality of communication links by a configurable network adapter and wherein the program code for establishing a connection between the client and server nodes further comprises program code for using the network configuration information to configure the network adapter.