NETWORK LOCATION MANAGEMENT SYSTEM

摘要

In a communications network environment, nodes, such as personal computers, are assigned co-ordinates in a co-ordinate space (200) which is independent of network address and physical location. Each node (100) maintains links to a limited set of other nodes by storing the network addresses for those select ed nodes. Each stored network address represents a link (205) in co-ordinate space (200). It becomes possible for any node to obtain the network address for a target node by initiating a query message to a node it has the network address for, which query message is propagated through the network between nodes which have the network address for a next node across co-ordinate spac e. When a receiving node finds it is the target node, or is as close in co- ordinate space as it is possible to forward the query message, it returns it s own network address to the initiating node. Embodiments of the invention can also be used to retrieve information other than network addresses - such as objects.