APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR EFFICIENTLY POOLING CONNECTIONS BETWEEN CLIENTS AND SERVERS

摘要

An apparatus and method for efficiently pooling network client-server connections. The apparatus is implemented within an interface unit (202) connecting a plurality of servers (S1, S2, S3) to the Internet, which is in turn connected to a plurality of clients. The method includes the steps of opening a connection between a first client and the interface unit; determining whether a connection between the interface unit and a server is finished being utilized by the first client; opening a connection between a second client and the interface unit; if no free connection is open between the interface unit and the server, then allowing the second client to access information on the server via the same connection utilized by the first client without waiting for the first client to initiate closing the connection; and delinking the connections between the first and second clients and the interface unit while keeping open the connection between the interface unit and the server.