Patent ID: 6657974
Filing Date: 2003-12-02
Classification: H04L

Abstract:
For use in a system of connected networks of multiple computing hosts using the Internet Protocol (IP) and the Address Resolution Protocol (ARP), a method of processing ARP requests, comprising:in response to the activation of an adapter X at a first host, determining if adapter X is an offload adapter that itself handles the processing of ARP requests, if adapter X is an offload adapter, registering an IP address with the adapter, whereby adapter X broadcasts an advertisement message into its network mapping the registered IP address to a Media Access Control (MAC) address of the adapter X, if adapter X is not an offload adapter, transmitting by the first host an advertisement message mapping the IP address to the Media Access Control (MAC) address of adapter X, determining if the first host owns one or more virtual IP addresses (VIPAs), where a VIPA is an IP address associated with the first host rather than with an adapter, and if the first host owns one or more VIPAs, assigning responsibility for responding to ARP requests to one of the active adapters known to the first host.