Patent ID: 6249821
Filing Date: 2001-06-19
Classification: H04L

Abstract:
A computer network comprising:a network client memory;a network operating system executing in the network client memory for operating the computer network and for providing access to network services;a network application executing in the network client memory for performing an application function;a plurality of network devices interfaced to the network operating system and available to the network application and the network operating system for performing the network services, each network device for providing at least one specific network service and having an object component in the network client memory representative of the network device; anda network object obtaining service-related information about each network device and passing the service-related information to each network device object component, the object component periodically storing the service-related information about the network device, each object component including an interface, the network application being in direct communication with the interface of each object component such that the network application communicates directly with each of the object components, wherein the network application communicates with a respective object component to request a respective network service, the network service supported by the respective object component in the network client memory comprising at least one of configuring the network devices and providing the service-related information about the network devices and wherein the respective object component carries out all further communications necessary to have the requested network service performed.