Patent ID: 7380002
Filing Date: 2008-05-27
Classification: H04L

Abstract:
1. A network load-balancing/external network interface node providing bi-directional load-balancing affinity, the network load-balancing /external network interface node comprising: an external network load-balancing adapter operable to receive a request from an external client and to process the request via a first load-balancing algorithm, the first load-balancing algorithm determining acceptance of the request, the external network load-balancing adapter being one of a group of external network load-balancing adapters forming an external network load-balancing cluster; an external network interface utility coupled to the external network load balancing adapter and operable to process the request, if accepted, the processing including: an internal network load-balancing adapter associated with the external network load balancing adapter and operable to receive a response from the one of the participating servers of the plurality of internal servers and to process the response via a second load-balancing algorithm, the second load-balancing algorithm determining acceptance of the response based on the global load-balancing state and a modulo algorithm on a hash of an address of the response, the internal network load-balancing adapter being one of a group of internal network load-balancing adapters forming the internal network load-balancing cluster, wherein the external network load-balancing cluster and the internal network load-balancing cluster form a network load-balancing cluster operable to function as a secure gateway to one or more internal clients and operable to protect against intrusions from a plurality of external clients including the external client.