Pseudo Network Interface Layer for Cluster Socket Adaptation

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current high bandwidth, fault-tolerant communication links typically rely on a single type of underlying communication hardware, making them prone to failure, and legacy socket-based applications struggle to communicate with diverse hardware interfaces within a cluster architecture without requiring significant modifications.

Innovation Solution

The implementation of a pseudo network interface layer (PNIL) that enables communication with multiple hardware interfaces by converting application packets into cluster-specific packets and transmitting them via a cluster interface device connected to various communication channels, allowing standard internet sockets to interact with cluster devices regardless of their configuration.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If legacy socket-based applications are used, then compatibility with existing applications is maintained, but the ability to communicate with diverse hardware interfaces within a cluster architecture is limited

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveability to communicate with diverse hardware interfacesVSAvoidapplication modification requirements

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces a pseudo network interface layer (PNIL) that acts as an intermediary between legacy socket-based applications and diverse cluster hardware interfaces. The PNIL receives standard internet socket requests from applications and translates them into cluster-specific communication protocols, enabling applications to communicate with multiple hardware types without modification. This mediator layer resolves the contradiction by providing adaptability to diverse interfaces while maintaining application compatibility.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent segments the communication system into distinct layers: the application layer using standard internet sockets, the pseudo network interface layer for translation, and the hardware-specific interface layer. This segmentation allows each layer to operate independently with its own protocols, enabling legacy applications to remain unchanged while supporting diverse hardware interfaces through the intermediate translation layer.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

2Reliability

If a single type of underlying communication hardware is used, then communication link simplicity is maintained, but fault tolerance and reliability are reduced

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvefault toleranceVSAvoidhardware interface diversity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent creates a universal pseudo network interface layer that can interface with multiple types of hardware simultaneously. The PNIL is designed to support diverse communication hardware types (Ethernet, InfiniBand, storage networks) through a single unified interface, allowing the system to leverage multiple hardware paths for improved reliability and fault tolerance without increasing apparent device complexity for applications.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

The PNIL acts as a mediator that abstracts the complexity of multiple hardware interfaces from applications. It manages multiple hardware connections and provides unified access, enabling fault tolerance through hardware diversity while maintaining interface simplicity. The intermediary handles protocol translation and routing between different hardware types transparently.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Adaptability or versatility

If cluster awareness techniques are implemented, then access to multiple hardware interfaces is enabled, but compatibility with legacy socket-based applications is reduced

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveaccess to multiple hardware interfacesVSAvoidapplication compatibility

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent creates a pseudo network interface that replicates the standard internet socket interface semantics. The PNIL copies the familiar socket API behavior that legacy applications expect, while internally translating these standard socket operations into cluster-aware communications across multiple hardware interfaces. This copying approach maintains application compatibility while enabling access to diverse hardware.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #26Copying

Solution Approach 2:

The PNIL serves as an intermediary that preserves legacy socket-based application compatibility while enabling cluster awareness. It translates standard internet socket requests into cluster-specific protocols, allowing applications to operate unchanged while accessing multiple hardware interfaces through the translation layer.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Data Source

PatentUS8751603B2Exploiting cluster awareness infrastructure through internet socket based applications

Publication Date: 2014.06.10 INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINE CORPORATION

AI summary

Provided are techniques related generally to computer communication and, more specifically, to techniques that provide legacy applications with access to a cluster infrastructure. A pseudo interface layer provides applications with internet protocol (IP) family sockets access to cluster awareness protocols in a manner that may be transparent to both the application and the cluster awareness layer of a kernel.