Abstract: In methods and apparatus for routing packets through a communications network, a respective distinct broadcast address is assigned to each of a plurality of distinct sets of virtual ports. No virtual port belongs to more than one of the distinct sets. A respective egress address is assigned to each packet entering the network via an ingress virtual port. The respective egress address corresponds to a respective destination address of the entering packet when a correspondence between the destination address and an egress address is known. When no correspondence between the destination address and an egress address is known, the respective egress address is a broadcast egress address corresponding to the set comprising the ingress virtual port. The packet is routed according to the respective egress address. The routing is restricted to virtual ports belonging to the distinct set of virtual ports that includes the ingress virtual port. The distinct sets of virtual ports and their associated broadcast addresses define isolated virtual private networks within the network. Each physical port of the network may map one-to-one onto a corresponding virtual port, or may map onto a corresponding plurality of virtual ports, in which case the each virtual port of the plurality is associated with a respective distinct combination of a physical address of the physical port and a respective virtual network identifier.

Abstract: Aggregating physical connections from customers for presentation to an access router and de-aggregating traffic from a shared link(s) from the access router. Ports of an aggregation unit may be configured such that each has a unique identifier in the place of information (e.g., the layer 2 address) originally in the layer 2 header. The layer 2 (e.g., MAC) address of the customer device connected with the port can be associated with, and therefore determined from, the IP address of the attached device. When a packet is received from a customer, information in the layer 2 header is changed to a unique identifier assigned to a logical port or interface associated with the physical port. When a packet is received from the access router, it is placed on the port assigned to the logical port associated with the destination layer 2 address (or associated with other bits of the unique bit string and at least some of those bits are replaced with the destination layer 2 address of the device associated with the port.

Abstract: A study of 1,500 cruise ship passengers in Jamaica was conducted during a 5-year period to determine buying habits and influences. The results generally reinforce long-standing commonly held beliefs that vendors who are perceived as friendly, helpful, and knowledgeable fare better than those who come across as manipulative and aggressive and that older consumers can be expected to spend more in port than their younger counterparts.

Abstract: Information technology has become an essential part of the rapid and accurate transfer and processing of enormous volumes of data processed in international transport firms and port organisations. The proper management of systems, which process this information and communicate it to those who manage port operations, is vital for efficient transport. This explains why container‐tracking systems are given high priority among operational computer applications in ports. Investigates the importance of information technology and its role in improving the operational systems in cargo handling. A computer simulation model is developed to compare two different operational systems – a container terminal equipped with electronic devices versus a terminal without such devices. The importance of information technology in supply‐chain management is also discussed.

Abstract: The role of the private sector has expanded significantly in many important economic sectors over recent decades. Ports have not been immune from this advance, and many ports around the world have benefited from private sector intervention. This paper considers objectives commonly associated with the privatisation of seaport functions. A framework is presented (Port Privatisation Matrix) that can be used to help establish the extent of private sector intervention in any given port. This is followed by a discussion of the main methods used to bring about private sector intervention in ports, with examples as appropriate. Finally, the paper considers the rather unique form of port privatisation (i.e. transfer of property rights etc.) adopted in the United Kingdom. The evidence suggests that the state does not need to transfer seaport property rights in order to benefit from private sector expertise. Indeed, due to the specific nature of port investment, and bearing in mind the key objective of ports to facilitate trade, this may be counter-productive.

Abstract: This article aims to identify empirically the most important location advantages determining the port of Antwerp's competitive position for containers and conventional cargo as compared to its main rivals in the Hamburg-Le Havre range. A conceptual framework is developed for analysing the competitiveness of seaports, based on an extended version of Porter's ‘diamond’ approach. This framework is tested through a large scale survey with port operators and experts. This article suggests that the port of Antwerp largely benefits from the superstructure used by forwarders, the flexibility and the productivity of its dockworkers and its forwarders. The analysis also identifies three key disadvantages, namely the weak competitiveness of pilotage and inland navigation service providers in the port of Antwerp, and the limited maritime accessibility of the port. The introduction of the extended ‘diamond’ framework allows the identification of a set of strengths and weaknesses characterising a specific port cluster and can thus contribute substantially to the development of port policy and management.

Abstract: Method ( 130 ) for optimizing emergency call service in a Virtual Local Area Network including at least one Voice over Internet Protocol device A range of port numbers is reserved for use during emergencies ( 134 ) Next, a VoIP device transmits an emergency call within the VLAN using a port in the specified range ( 136 ) Extra resources are reserved for handling the calls using ports within the specified range ( 138 )

Abstract: This paper proposes a technique for estimating the employment impact of a port on its local economy. The topic is important due to the existence of possible imbalances between local and global benefits. Whilst ports represent key nodes in the international logistic chain, several factors have led to decline in port-induced benefits at the local level (re-location of former port-related industries, shifts from local to international inputs, an increase in negative environmental externalities). The proposed methodology overcomes the traditional discretionary distinction between port-related and non port-related industries. As the crucial question is not ‘if’ but ‘to what extent’ an industry is related to a port, this approach focuses on estimating the probability of the relationship. A preliminary phase, using location quotients and control region techniques, compares the employment structure of port economies to that of a standard ‘non-port’ economy; once the probability of an industry being port-related has been estimated, employment data are added in a second phase providing thereby individual ports with an actual assessment of employment impact. The technique is tested by means of a preliminary survey on Italian ports and a specific employment assessment carried out for the port of Genoa.

Abstract: A shared vehicle system includes a central facility, at least one vehicle distribution port facility and a plurality or fleet of vehicles, each having a vehicle subsystem. In general, the central station and port facility and the vehicle subsystems communicate in a manner to allow a user to enter information at a port facility. That information is then communicated to the central facility, where the information is processed to select a vehicle from the fleet to allocate to the user at the port facility. Selection of a vehicle for allocation to a user may be based on selecting an available or soon to be available vehicle according to various algorithms that take into account the vehicles state of charge. The central station also communicates with the port facility and the vehicle subsystem to notify the user of the selected vehicle, to provide secure user access to the selected vehicle, to monitor the location and operating status of vehicles in the fleet, to monitor the state of charge of electric vehicles and to provide other functions. The vehicles communicate with the central station to notify the central station of the PIN number of the individual attempting to use the vehicle, and of vehicle parameters such as state of charge and location of the vehicle.

Abstract: The present disclosure describes a system and method of performing failover in a storage area network. In one embodiment of the present disclosure, a computer network includes a host and a storage system associated with the host. The storage system has a first controller with a first port and a second controller with a second port. The first controller is assigned a common node name and the first port is assigned a first port name. The second controller is assigned a common node name and the second port is assigned a second port name. More specifically a multipathing driver is operable to determine a signal path for a communication sent to a storage device associated with the first controller and the second controller and operable to perform failover operations if the signal path fails.

Abstract: A fibre channel system having a plurality of disk drives. Each one of the disk drives has a pair of redundant ports. A pair of sources of data is provided. The system includes a pair of fibre channel port by-pass cards. Each one of the cards has an input/output port connected to a corresponding one of the sources of data. Each one of the port by-pass cards provides a fiber channel loop between the input/output port thereof and a corresponding one of the pair of ports of a one, or ones, of the disk drives selectively in accordance with a control signal fed to such port by-pass card by the one of the pair of sources coupled to the input/output port thereof. Each one of the port by-pass cards has a fail-over controller and a switch, such switch being coupled to the input/output port of such one of the port by-pass cards. Each one of the fail-over controllers produces a control signal from the source coupled thereto indicating a fault in the other one of the sources. The control signal activates the switch in the port by-pass card coupled to said other one of the sources to de-coupled such other one of the sources from the disk drives.

Abstract: Requests are identified as being for a cacheable object or a non-cacheable object according to information included in a Uniform Resource Locator (URL) associated with the object. For example, the URL may include a port designation for requests for cacheable objects (e.g., images and the like). Thus, a request may be recognized as being for a cacheable or non-cacheable object according to the port on which the request is made. In some cases, requests for non-cacheable objects may be made on port 80. A router may be thus configured to recognize a request as being for a cacheable object or a non-cacheable object according to a port on which the request is received and redirect it to a cache as appropriate.

Abstract: This paper revisits the issue of port pricing. The current trends in commercial port operations will affect pricing. Main port pricing principles may be classified as cost based, cost recovery, congestion, strategic, and commercial pricing. This paper starts from a welfare economics perspective using public enterprise theory and moves toward private enterprise pricing in a quasi-commercial setting. Changes in port pricing have implications for competitiveness of short shipping. Efficient ports strengthen short sea shipping competitiveness with respect to road transport. Thus, port pricing strategies that give incentives to increase port efficiency seem appropriate. Punctuality and the duration of the port stay are quality factors. They reflect the demand elasticities of price and of time, respectively. The authors suggest a two-part tariff to capture this two-dimensional structure in user costs. This pricing scheme gives the port incentives to increase its efficiency in port operations by being able to offer time guarantees to time sensitive users.

Abstract: The Port of Singapore Authority (PSA) used information technology (IT) extensively to create a high-tech port that has become the busiest port in the world. Now corporatised as a commercial port operator, PSA Corporation Ltd employs four key management success factors in managing IT to meet the demands and challenges facing port operators. They are: (1) having a business-driven IT investment; (2) aligning business and IT plans; (3) maintaining a flexible and extensible IT infrastructure; and (4) encouraging IT innovation and creativity. These management success factors are discussed and examples are given to illustrate how they help PSA more effectively leverage IT to streamline operations and sustain its competitive advantage.

Abstract: This paper presents a system architecture which is based on the multi-agent system paradigm for solving complex problems. This architecture is applied to solve the port container terminal management problem, and specifically to solve the automatic container allocation. The multi-agent systems paradigm seems to fit this problem due to its inherent complexity. This work is part of a project for the integral management of the container terminal of an actual port.

Abstract: A method for managing congestion in a stack of network switches includes the steps of receiving an incoming packet on a first port of a network switch for transmission to a destination port and determining if the destination port of the packet is a monitored port. Thereafter, the method determines a queue status of the destination port, if the destination port is determined to be a monitored port, and preschedules transmission of the incoming packet to the destination port if the destination port is determined to be a monitored port.

Abstract: A multi-protocol switching system of the invention has a plurality of line interfaces that has an input section for inputting data from a network, a forwarding table, a determination section for determining a destination or the input data, a packet generating section for generating a packet, when the destination determined is a protocol processor, by adding a processor identifier of the protocol processor and a port number to which the multi-protocol processing device is connected to the input data, and an output section for outputting the packet through the port to a switch. Also it has one or more multi-protocol processing devices that has a switch interface, a plurality of protocol processors which are provided corresponding to the kind of protocol and each of which has a processor identifier defined in the multi-protocol processing device, and a processor selecting section.

Abstract: A trunk connection to a stack of network switches is coupled to physical ports distributed among the switches. A switch has an internal logical port for a protocol engine. A packet received by way of the trunk at a port on a switch which does not host the protocol engine is sent over a cascade connection to the host switch with a tag that is interpreted within the host switch as if the packet cam from the logical port. The tagging and interpretation distinguishes between packets which might or might not be intended for the protocol engine and did not arrive by way of the trunk from packets which are intended for the protocol engine and have been received by way of the trunk.

Abstract: A method and system for serving software applications to remote clients across the internet, for example, is disclosed that preferably utilizes standard, SMB (server message block), protocols, which are available in commercial operating systems. Further, an associated business method is described in which subscribing institutions can out-source the application serving to a third party institution, transparently. Finally, a port proxy system is provided that enables tunneling through firewalls that are configured to block communications from SMB ports.

Abstract: A digital information translation and sending device is provided for sending data to a targeted destination device. The translation and sending device includes a sending device and a gateway device. The sending device includes memory and a communication port. The communication port is operative to send digital data in a first data format compatible with the sending device via a first communications protocol. The gateway device includes processing circuitry, memory, and a communication port. The communication port and processing circuitry are operative to convert the digital data from the first data format to a second data format that is compatible with a destination device and sends the data using a second communications protocol. A method is also provided.

Abstract: An energy delivery system for regenerative fuel cell vehicles includes a plurality of geographically distributed stations (100). Each station includes an external port (109) that supplies the chemical constituents for manufacturing hydrogen fuel on-board a vehicle. Specifically, the port provides water from a municipal water supply (124) and an electricity connection to the electrical transmission and distribution grid (122) and the building's local electrical distribution system (114). Additionally, the port provides for the transmission of data from the vehicle over the Internet to the electrical service providers that sell electrical power to retail customers over the distribution grid. Supply of power, and the flow of data, through the external port is automatically controlled via a port controller. Each regenerative fuel cell vehicle is provided with a corresponding internal port (105) that supplies water and electricity, received from the external port through a connecting cable (107), to an on-board electrolytic hydrogen fuel production plant (120). An on-board energy management computer (624) controls the purchase of electricity by the vehicle from the station, the particulars of which may be negotiated over the Internet by the external port controller (103) and/or the internal on-board energy management computer. Additionally, the vehicle can generate electricity from internally stored hydrogen, for delivery to the building's local electrical distribution system via the external station. The on-board energy management computer (624) controls the sale of electricity by the vehicle to the station, the particulars of which may be negotiated over the Internet by the external port controller (103) and/or the internal on-board energy management computer.

Abstract: A novel virtual port method and apparatus for use in the communication between multiple nodes in a network system is disclosed. Particularly, the virtual port concept is implemented in a switching unit having a plurality of physical ports. According to the present invention, at least one virtual port can be defined by the user to represent a corresponding number of group of physical ports. In this case, a single virtual port identification can be used by the network manager to identify all the physical ports belonging to a trunking group. By using one virtual port identification address instead of a group of physical port addresses, a tremendous reduction in processing overhead in the network manager can be achieved.

Abstract: A money handling mechanism 110 has a first port P1 for connection to a machine controller 130 and a second port P2 to which further money handling mechanisms can be connected. Different types of mechanism, such as a card acceptor 70 or a bill validator 100, can be connected to the second port P2 over a bus B. The first port P1 may be connected to one of several interface adapters 410 to 416, and the communications protocol used is selected accordingly. If the first port P1 uses the same protocol as the second port P2, signals are passed transparently between the first port P1 and the second port P2. Signals from the additional mechanism may be modified to be recognisable by the controller 130. The money handling mechanism 110 may convert between the denominations of currencies represented in the protocols over the first and second ports P1 and P2.

Abstract: A digital system is provided with a multi-channel DMA controller (400) for transferring data between various resources (401, 402). Each channel includes a source port (460-461), a channel controller (410-412) and a destination port (460, 461). Channel to port buses (CP0-CP2) are representative of parallel buses that are included in the read address bus (RA). Similar parallel buses are provided for a write address bus and a data output bus, not shown. Port to channel buses (PC0-PC1) are representative of parallel buses that are included in data input bus DI. Scheduling circuitry (420, 421) includes request allocator circuitry, interleaver circuitry and multiplexer circuitry and selects one of the channel to port buses to be connected to an associated port controller (460, 461) on each clock cycle for providing an address for a transaction performed on each clock cycle. The schedulers operate in parallel and source/destination channel addresses are transferred in parallel to each scheduler via the parallel channel to port buses. Input/output data words are also transferred in parallel to/from each port. Each port is tailored to provide an access protocol required by its associated resource. The ports may be tailored to provide an access protocol required by a different type of resource. Channel and scheduling circuitry within a sub-portion (400 a) of the DMA controller can interact with various versions of tailored ports without being modified.

Abstract: A method for receiving a signal from a local device and converting the signal to a network port packet data signal to emulate a local data signal port. Once the signal from the local device is converted to the network port packet data signal, the network port packet data signal is transmitted to a remote device over a network connection.

Abstract: To achieve the foregoing, and in accordance with the purpose of the present invention, a method and apparatus is disclosed which provides communication between at least two applications. The communication is achieved by accepting a connection from a second application on a first port and allocating a second port to receive the communication from the second application. Once the second port has been allocated the second port translation is recorded. The communication is sent to the first port from the second application and received on the second port. The communication is then delivered to a first application from the second port. In one embodiment the first application requests the communication from the first port and the first port is translated to determine the second port such that the communication is delivered to the first application in the step of delivering the communication to the first application.