Patent ID: 7756984
Filing Date: 2010-07-13
Classification: H04L

Abstract:
1. A method for providing a uniform network address, for a user accessing a computer on a network, independent of the computer the user is accessing, the method comprising: (a) obtaining, by an interface mechanism executing on a first computer having a computer host name and a computer internet protocol address to connect to a network, a plurality of virtual host names, each of the plurality of virtual host names comprising a host name uniquely identifying a user session from a plurality of user sessions hosted on the first computer; (b) obtaining, by the interface mechanism executing on the first computer, a plurality of internet protocol addresses, wherein none of the internet protocol addresses are previously reserved for a particular user; (c) assigning, by the interface mechanism executing on the first computer and from the plurality of virtual host names, a first virtual host name to a first user session for a first user accessing the network via the first computer; (d) assigning, by the interface mechanism executing on the first computer and from the plurality of internet protocol addresses, a first internet protocol address to the first user session; (e) assigning, by the interface mechanism executing on the first computer and from the plurality of virtual host names, a second virtual host name, different from the first virtual host name, to a second user session for a second user accessing the network via the first computer; (f) assigning, by the interface mechanism executing on the first computer and from the plurality of internet protocol addresses, a second internet protocol address different from the first internet protocol address, to the second user session; (g) accessing, by the first user session, the network using the first virtual host name with the first internet protocol address; (h) accessing, by the second user session, the network using the second virtual host name with the second internet protocol address; (i) assigning, by the interface mechanism executing on a second computer and from the plurality of virtual host names, the first virtual host name to a third user session for the first user accessing the network via the second computer; (j) assigning, by the interface mechanism executing on the second computer, a third internet protocol address to the third user session; and (k) accessing, by the third user session, the network using the first virtual host name with the third internet protocol address.