| 摘要 |
<p>A data processing network and system in which a network connection is enabled to migrate among a multitude of available servers and/or clients to provide the connection using the most efficient available set of resources. Typically a server and client would indicate their respective support of this connection migration feature when the connection is established. An operating system or application program would monitor existing connections for characteristics including basic functionality and performance. If an existing connection were found to be faulty or low performing and the client and sever associated with the connection supported connection migration, the software would then determine if an alternative and more effective connection existed. Upon discovering such a connection, the parameters that define the connection would be altered to migrate the connection to the preferred hardware. In an embodiment in which the network connections are established with a transmission control protocol (TCP), each connection includes a four-tuple that completely defines the connection, namely, a source IP address, a source port number, a destination IP address, and a destination port number. By altering one or more of the connection's defining four-tuple, the invention is configured to migrate the connection to a NIC or system that is functioning more efficiently.</p> |
