Method and system for a front-end modular transmission control protocol (TCP) handoff design in a streams based transmission control protocol/internet protocol (TCP/IP) implementation

摘要

A method and system for handing-off TCP states in a communication network. Specifically, the present invention discloses allows for transferring TCP states between front-end node and a plurality of back-end web servers. The handoff occurs between dynamically loadable modules that wrap around the TCP/IP stack located at a front-end node and a selected back-end web server. A handoff protocol implemented by the loadable modules works within the kernel level of the existing TCP/IP code. As such, no changes to the existing TCP/IP code is necessary. The loadable modules at the front-end are able to select a back-end web server depending on the HTTP request, coordinate handing off TCP states, and forward packets to the back-end web server. Loadable modules at the selected back-end modify response packets going out to reflect the proper TCP state of the front-end node.