Abstract: This paper offers a definition for peer-to-peer networking and makes the differences to common so called client server-architectures clear. With this definition we are able to classifiy currently existing networking concepts in the Internet either as "pure" peer-to-peer, or "hybrid" peer-to-peer or client server architecture.

Abstract: A content delivery and global traffic management network system provides a plurality of caching servers connected to a network. The caching servers host customer content that can be cached and stored, and respond to requests for Web content from clients. If the requested content does not exist in memory or on disk, it generates a request to an origin site to obtain the content. A DNS Server (SPD) load balances network requests among customer Web servers and directs client requests for hosted customer content to the appropriate caching server which is selected by choosing the caching server that is closest to the user, is available, and is the least loaded. SPD also supports persistence and returns the same IP addresses, for a given client. The entire Internet address space is broken up into multiple zones. Each zone is assigned to a group of SPD servers. If an SPD server gets a request from a client that is not in the zone assigned to that SPD server, it forwards the request to the SPD server assigned to that zone. Servers write information about the content delivered to log files that are picked up by a log server.

Abstract: An improved method and apparatus for balancing distributed applications within a client/server network, such as a cable television network, is disclosed. In one aspect of the invention, a method of balancing the load of distributed application client portions (DACPs) across various server portions (DASPs) and server machines is disclosed. Statistics are maintained by one or more software processes with respect to the available resources of the servers and their loading; new process threads and/or distributed application server portions are allocated across the servers to maintain optimal system performance as client device loading increases or changes. In another aspect of the invention, a novel object-oriented distributed application software architecture employing both vertical and horizontal partitions and “mutable” (i.e., transportable) objects is disclosed. The mutable objects may reside on either the server or client portions of the distributed application while maintaining at least one network partition. A runtime environment adapted for the operation of the foregoing object-oriented distributed application, including an efficient message protocol useful for interprocess communication, is also disclosed. Methods for downloading the DACP from the servers, and scaling the DACP at download based on client device configuration, are further disclosed.

Abstract: A system for automatically providing hypertext for character strings of a text file at a content server. A central server provides central control of the links of text files of a plurality of content servers in an information network such as the Internet. The central server intermittently updates each content server with new character strings and/or destination addresses, such as Uniform Resource Locators (URLs). The content servers also update the central server with new character strings. Optionally, each content server can query the central server on a real-time basis to obtain a destination address for a character string which does not have a corresponding valid destination address. The central server responds to such queries by searching its master databases, and using a search engine if required. Hit count data is maintained at the content servers and transmitted to the central server intermittently.

Abstract: An client-side performance optimization system for streamed applications provides several approaches for fulfilling client-side application code and data file requests for streamed applications. A streaming file system or file driver is installed on the client system that receives and fulfills application code and data requests from a persistent cache or the streaming application server. The client or the server can initiate the prefetching of application code and data to improve interactive application performance. A client-to-client communication mechanism allows local application customization to travel from one client machine to another without involving server communication. Applications are patched or upgraded via a change in the root directory for that application. The client can be notified of application upgrades by the server which can be marked as mandatory, in which case the client will force the application to be upgraded. The server broadcasts an application program's code and data and any client that is interested in that particular application program stores the broadcasted code and data for later use.

Abstract: A method and system that uses a thin client solution in a mobile network is disclosed. The thin client is not required to be equipped with an execution environment; rather, the client is used as a display device for applications that run on remote servers. Applications such as E-mail client, browser and others execute on a remotely located server, but use the client as a display and input device. The client is equipped with a speech input device, which receives speech input and transmits it to the server for interpretation or recognition at the server. Because bandwidth is limited, a method of combining requests that are transmitted and received between the client and one or more servers is contemplated, which method results in a reduction of traffic between the client and the server(s). The server, which runs applications that are used and accessed by a user via the client, maintains application state on the server. Thus, when a user turns “off” the client device, the server may still maintain the state of the applications the user executed at the server. When the client reestablishes connection with the server, the user's prior state may be restored.

Abstract: Network systems and processes for delivery of electronic content to recipient processors may be configured to facilitate the delivery of a relatively large content items and/or a relatively large number of content items. In one example, a movie rental system and process delivers (downloads) movie files to customers across the Internet (10). System network architecture includes three or more layers of servers, including a main server (12) supporting an interface for recipient processors to request content items, a plurality of parent servers (14), and a plurality of edge servers (16). Edge servers are distributed throughout a region in which the system provides content delivery services to recipient processors. Parent servers, spaced across the service region, support edge servers. A copy of each content item available through the service is distributed from the main server to each parent server for storage. Parent servers distribute content to edge servers, pursuant to instructions from the main server or requests from the edge servers. The main server receives requests for content items from recipient processors and directs recipient processors to edge servers for obtaining requested content items. The main server also authenticates licenses and publishes rules for the distribution of content items.

Abstract: A content-aware application switch and methods thereof intelligently switch client packets to one server among a group of servers in a server farm. The switch uses Layer 7 or application content parsed from a packet to help select the server and to schedule the transmitting of the packet to the server. This enables refined load-balancing and Quality-of-Service control tailored to the application being switched. In another aspect of the invention, a slow-start server selection method assigned an initially boosted server load metric to a server newly added to the group of servers under load balancing. This alleviates the problem of the new server being swamped initially due to a very low load metric compared to that of others. In yet another aspect of the invention, a switching method dependent on Layer 7 content avoids delayed binding in a new TCP session. Layer 7 content is not available during the initial handshaking phase of a new TCP session. The method uses the Layer 7 content from a previous session as an estimate to help select the server and uses a default priority to scheduling the transmitting of the handshaking packets. Updated Layer 7 content available after the handshaking phase is then used to reset the priority for the transmit schedule and becomes available for use in load balancing of the next TCP session.

Abstract: A synchronization agent management server coupled to a network having a plurality of synchronization agents coupled thereto in communication with the management server, comprising a user login authenticator, a user data flow controller, and a unique user identification controller. The management server communicates with at least one interactive agent to control data migration between a computer to a network storage device. In one aspect, the management server is part of a data synchronization system for data between network coupled devices which includes a storage server having a data store of change transactions coupled to the network.

Abstract: A client/server text-to-speech synthesis system and method divides the method optimally between client and server. The server stores large databases for pronunciation analysis, prosody generation, and acoustic unit selection corresponding to a normalized text, while the client performs computationally intensive decompression and concatenation of selected acoustic units to generate speech. The units are transmitted from the client to the server in a highly compressed format, with a compression method selected based on the predetermined set of potential acoustic units. This compression method allows for very high-quality and natural-sounding speech to be output at the client machine.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for sharing resources in a network environment. Typically, a computer linked to the Internet may have resources or may provide services, that are usable by other computers. A user, using one or more embodiments of the invention, can access those resources or services as if they were locally situated. An application running on a client can access a resource on a remote computer by submitting a request via an Internet browser. The request is analyzed, converted to proper format and is transferred over the network lines to a server that can satisfy the request. For security reasons, an application may not be authorized to submit a request directly to a server on the Internet. For example, limitations have been implemented that prohibit a requesting application from obtaining access to resources of a server computer unless that application is a trusted application. If a requesting application has a trusted status, then its request for connecting to the server is granted. If a request submitted by an application to a server is denied, then a server that entrusts the application is identified, and the request is submitted to that server. A program code called a “servlet” is implemented on that server to accept the requests submitted by a trusted application. The submitted requests are analyzed by the servlet and are forwarded to a resource server that can satisfy the requests. A response from the resource server is routed through the servlet back to the requesting application.

Abstract: The invention relates to unified client-server distributed architectures for spoken dialogue systems. Particularly, the invention provides a method, apparatus, and system for dynamically switching between various architectural configurations based upon user functionality and network conditions to implement speech recognition functions for a spoken dialogue system. In one embodiment, a client device is coupled to a server through a network. A configuration selection switch located within the client device selects a configuration based upon user functionality and network conditions to implement speech recognition functions for the spoken dialogue system. For example, the configuration selection switch may select one of a client-based configuration, a server-based configuration, a client-server distributed configuration, or a client-gateway-server distributed configuration based upon user functionality and network conditions. Each of these configurations is selected to provide the user with the most efficient speech recognition for the function being utilized by the user based upon network conditions.

Abstract: A method and system are presented for facilitating a PXE-compliant (Preboot Execution Environment) remote boot process between clients and multiple available servers on a network. Each server device can respond to a PXE-extended DHCP (Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol) Request message from any client device on the network. Each client can receive responses from the alternate servers, select a server from one of those responses, and be directed by that response to complete the remote boot process from the same server. Each server also employs a self-throttling process to prevent the server from responding to new PXE-extended DHCP request messages from additional clients while the server has insufficient resources to remote boot additional clients with the required quality of service. This automatically redirects those additional clients to other servers that can provide the required quality of service without affecting the remote boot of clients already being serviced by the server.

Abstract: A distributed computing system achieves a highly distributed environment where very large computation intensive tasks are broken down into thousands of sub-tasks and then distributed to thousands of clients running on a variety of computers across the Internet. The idle CPU time of each of these thousands of client computers is used to perform these computations by running custom application modules in a low priority. A task server keeps track of information associated with each of the clients and uses the information to assign one or more tasks associated with a computing problem to each client computer. A file server provides the application modules to the client computers for executing their assigned tasks. An application server provides input data for the application modules and receives output data from the application modules. Status and performance information for machines, accounts and teams is collected by the task server and displayed on a background page of each client. Incentives for commitments of computing time are provided to users of potential client computers.

Abstract: A routing system is provided for intelligent routing of instant messages between clients connected to a data network and customer service representatives connected to the network. The system comprises at least one instant message server and at least one intermediate server connected to and addressable on the network, the intermediate server capable of routing and accessible to the instant message server. Clients connecting to the instant message server through instant message software assert a connection link advertised by the instant message server to establish bi-directional communication between the client machine and the intermediate server. In preferred application, the intermediate server interacts with the client for identification of client and client software. The client request is then routed to an appropriate customer service representative running compatible software according to enterprise rules establishing an active instant message connection between the client and the selected customer service representative.

Abstract: A standard for security management in a client server computer system is disclosed. In one aspect, the present invention specifies a security contract between an application server and a resource adapter, supporting access to an enterprise information system by passing a connection request from the resource adpator to the application server, propagating a security context from the application server to the resource adapter. The security contract includes a subject class representing a grouping of related information for a single entity, and security-related attributes of the subject class.

Abstract: Current Internet applications, such as e-mail and Web-browsing, are client/server based and do not require session set-up or control. They work very effectively on best-effort IP networks. In the future, it is envisaged that both fixed and mobile services will be provided by a QoS-enabled all-IP core network. The next generation of peer-to-peer style applications, however, require advanced functionality in terms of: user location by name; media negotiation; and session renegotiation on handover, and the like. This functionality is analogous to call control and intelligent network-based call treatment in the PSTN world, except that it is many times richer and potentially more complex. SIP is an excellent candidate for any peer-to-peer applications capable of communication over IP because it is lightweight, flexible, scalable, extensible and programmable. This chapter has shown how the concept of a SIP proxy server can be used to provide personal mobility and allow complicated 'intelligent' services to be delivered. This has included familiar PSTN services, such as call forwarding, as well as new mobile multimedia services. SIP offers a great opportunity for both network and service providers, such as ISPs, to create carefully tailored services, control the process of session initiation to enable higher quality and more reliable services, and enable the use of chargeable network facilities, such as archivers, media codecs and the like.

Abstract: A server and method is provided to provide a specific service to network users The server and method automatically provide user-to-server security using VLANs The server manages VLAN based on the request from a user for creating/deleting/joining/leaving VLANs The server allows user to control groupings and overcomes the VLAN limit with the filtering policies on the switching infrastructure In the second aspect of invention, the server and method provide a specific address based on requests from users The server dynamically handles the management and facilitation of the requests The server offers users reassignment of IP addresses from a first set of characteristics to a second set of characteristics with minimal user intervention This allows users the ability to run a broader range of protocols In the third aspect of invention, the server and method is provided to provide a routable IP address to a remote computer The server allows pools of routable addresses to be maintained on one or more remote servers The server can solve the shortage of the routable IP addresses

Abstract: A computer-implemented method simulates a system having multiple interconnected components in a network that couples at least one client computer to a server computer. The method includes: receiving simulation data over the network from the server computer, wherein the simulation data represents one or more characteristics of information that would be present in a particular system having two or more interconnecting components during the operation of the particular system. At the client computer, the method includes generating a first simulation display based on the simulation data for operation of the particular system, and receiving user input at the client computer. Also disclosed are methods for changing component values in a system, compressing waveforms, locally displaying signals from a probe point in a system depiction, processes performed at a server, data structures for displaying user interface screen for providing such information, and a method for circuit creation and use feedback.

Abstract: Systems, methods, and computer program products that can allow users to access one or more devices on a private network, via clients on a public network, are provided. A gateway on a private network accepts a user log-in request from a client on a public network. The rights of the user to access one or more devices on the private network are ascertained and the gateway serves a Web page to the client that identifies each device on the private network for which the user has access rights. Upon receiving a request from the client to access a Web server of a device on a private network, the gateway redirects the received client request to the Web server. The gateway is configured to “scrub” a Web page served by a device Web server to remove any links to Web servers of devices for which the user does not have access rights and to modify a uniform resource locator (URL) containing an address not valid on the public network with an address that is valid on the public network.

Abstract: The invention relates to an apparatus and for facilitating the reauthentication of a user using a client computer to a server computer. In one embodiment, the method includes the steps of receiving, by the server, confidential information during a first communication session between the server and a client, encrypting the confidential information with a key to create encrypted confidential information, and storing the encrypted confidential information in the server's memory. The method also includes the steps of transmitting, by the server, the key to the client and deleting, by the server, the key from the server's memory. When the server receives the key from the client during a second communication session, the server uses the key to decrypt the encrypted confidential information.

Abstract: DNS in its native form cannot identify a good or best server. Traditional Service Providers deploy a centralised approach to global traffic management based on enhancements to DNS, but do have the capability to augment this with edge-based server selection because they do not own/operate an edge network. Their resolution of DNS requests is typically restricted to identifying candidate servers within an edge domain rather than selecting the “best” server. The invention proposes a method of handling Internet resource requests whereby a local lookup server receiving a request searches for a best server able to satisfy the resource request. The local lookup server finds the best server by searching a database for a resource record associated with the best server, and then uses the resource record to retrieve an identifier of a series of executable instructions that are executed to locate the best server. The resource requests and responses may hold additional information relating to operational characteristics which may used to determine the best server. The invention proposes a DNS record type comprising a user-defined field for conveying this additional information in the resource request and in the response. The invention also proposes architecture for handling the resource request comprising a network server that provides the requested resource using the best server, as well as a communications network comprising this architecture.

Abstract: A method and system for providing secure, instantaneous, multiparty, real-time, communications. Users can engage in text or audio conferences on demand with security. The system and method is characterized by a client server architecture with a centralized process for controlling communications access; and a plurality of client applications each located with an end user for control, and with each end user having a device for effecting the communications which may be combined with or operated separately from the client application controlling the communications session.

Abstract: A method and system of evaluating the performance of a Web site by measuring site performance through the use of probing computers accessing the site including providing executable probing instructions to a probing computer, the probing instructions causing the computer to measure the time to download a predetermined Web page and report the measurement data to a processing computer. The method is further performed by a using a plurality of distributed client computers and a central server and having the steps of communicating a request for work from a client computer to the central server, selecting a work packet for the client computer wherein the work packet includes a work set identifying a Web site for the client computer to probe, using the client computer to download the identified Web site and record performance measurement data relating to the Web site download, communicating the performance measurement data to the central server, and recording the performance measurement data in a searchable database. The invention is also directed to a system for probing a Web site including a distributed network of client computers and a central server. The client computers have client characteristics including a geography, operating system type, and a connection type. The central server controls the probing performed by the distributed client computers and includes a data structure corresponding to each client characteristic, a processor for selecting a work packet for each client computer, and a communication module for communicating with the distributed network of client computers.

Abstract: A secure communication methodology is presented. The client device is configured to download application code and/or content data from a server operated by a service provider. Embedded within the client is a client private key, a client serial number, and a copy of a server public key. The client forms a request, which includes the client serial number, encrypts the request with the server public key, and sends the download request to the server. The server decrypts the request with the server's private key and authenticates the client. The received client serial number is used to search for a client public key that corresponds to the embedded client private key. The server encrypts its response, which includes the requested information, with the client public key of the requesting client, and only the private key in the requesting client can be used to decrypt the information downloaded from the server.

Abstract: Network systems and processes for delivery of electronic content to recipient processors may be configured to facilitate the delivery of relatively large content items and/or a relatively large number of content items. In one example, a movie rental system and process delivers (downloads) movie files to customers across the Internet. System network architecture includes three or more layers of servers, including a main server supporting an interface for recipient processors to request content items, a plurality of parent servers, and a plurality of edge servers. Edge servers are distributed throughout a region in which the system provides content delivery services to recipient processors. Parent servers, spaced across the service region, support edge servers. A copy of each content item available through the service is distributed from the main server to each parent servers for storage. Parent servers distribute content to edges servers, pursuant to instructions from the main server or requests from the edge servers. The main server receives and processes requests for content items from recipient processors and directs recipient processors to edge servers for obtaining requested content items. The main server also authenticates licenses and publishes rules for the distribution of content items.

Abstract: Methods, systems and computer program products for management of application programs on a network including a server supporting client stations are provided. The server provides applications on-demand to a user logging in to a client supported by the server. Mobility is provided to the user and hardware portability is provided by establishing a user desktop interface responsive to a login request which presents to the user a desktop screen through a web browser interface which accesses and downloads selected application programs from the server responsive to a request from the user on the user desktop screen at the client. The application program is then provided from the server and executed at the client. The application program may further be customized to conform to the user's preferences and may also provide for license use management by determining license availability before initiating execution of the application program. Finally, software distribution and installation may be provided from a single network management server.

Abstract: The present invention is a collaborative server system for providing high speed data transmission of data files across a communications network which, in brief summary, comprises a communications network, a primary server having a primary communications component for connecting the primary server to the communications network, and at least one secondary server having a secondary communications component for connecting the secondary server to the communications network. The primary server and the at least one secondary server include storage component for storing data files. The data files include static data files and/or dynamic data files. The storage component of the primary server further stores at least one look-up table having specific criteria pertaining to the data files and the primary and at least one secondary servers. The processor component of the primary server is effective to receive a request for specific data files from a network user, to look-up specific criteria in the look-up table pertaining to the specific data files, and to allocate transmission of each specific data file between the primary server and the at least one secondary server based on the specific criteria.