Patent ID: 6311226
Filing Date: 2001-10-30
Classification: H04L

Abstract:
A method for dynamically negotiating logical names of applications executing on nodes of a computer network to create a data link for communication over a channel between the nodes, the method comprising the steps of:creating a control message at a requesting node, the control message specifying a desired logical name to be used for an application to be created in a responding node;transmitting the control message to the responding node over a control link of the channel;interpreting the control message at the responding node as an instruction to create the application and to assign the desired logical name specified in the control message to the application when created;if the responding node agrees to assign the desired application logical name to the application, returning a response control message from the responding node to the requesting node over the control link, the response control message containing the desired application logical name and an acknowledgement code; andif the responding node does not agree to assign to the application the desired application logical name, returning an alternate response control message from the responding node to the requesting node over the control link, the alternate response control message containing an error code specifying that the desired application logical name is already in use, and the alternate response control message also containing, in addition to the error code, an alternate logical name for the application to be used in the data link, the alternate logical name being different from the desired logical name.