Patent ID: 8862697
Filing Date: 2014-10-14
Classification: H04L

Abstract:
1. A method for establishing connections between a client and a plurality of IP-based switching devices, the method comprising: (a) obtaining and storing system configuration information on each of a first control computer and one or more second control computers, the system configuration information including, for each of the first control computer and the one or more second control computers connected to the first control computer over a communication network, address and port information, and identification information of all of the plurality of IP-based switching devices managed by each respective control computer, wherein each of the plurality of IP-based switching devices are connected to either the first control computer or one of the one or more second control computers, each IP-based switching device connecting multiple computers to one or more user consoles, wherein each control computer and its managed IP-based switching devices form a sub-network connected to the communication network via a router; (b) in response to a user of the client choosing and logging on to the first control computer to access an IP-based switching device, the first control computer communicating with the client using a user interface (UI), wherein the UI displays all of the plurality of IP-based switching devices; (c) receiving, by the first control computer from the client, an input indicating a selected one of the displayed IP-based switching devices; (c1) determining, by the first control computer, whether the selected IP-based switching device and the first control computer are on a same sub-network; (c2) if the selected IP-based switching device and the first control computer are determined to be on the same sub-network, then the first control computer enabling communication between the client and the selected IP-based switching device via the first control computer, wherein enabling communication includes performing managing functions by transmitting data between the client and the selected IP-based switching device; (c3) if the selected IP-based switching device and the first control computer are determined to not be on the same sub-network, then the first control computer identifying one of the one or more second control computers that manages the selected IP-based switching device; and (d) determining, by the first control computer, whether the client and the identified one of the one or more second control computers are on a same sub-network based on the system configuration information stored on the first control computer; (d1) if the client and the identified one of the one or more second control computers are determined to not be on the a same sub-network, then enabling communication between the client and the selected IP-based switching device via the first control computer and the identified one of the one or more second control computers, wherein enabling communication comprises the first control computer transmitting a request containing an identity of the selected IP-based switching device to the identified one of the one or more second control computers, the identified one of the one or more second control computers performing managing functions with respect to the selected IP-based switching device, and wherein data communicated between the client and the selected IP-based switching device is communicated via the first control computer and the identified one of the one or more second control computers; (d2) if the client and the identified one of the one or more second control computers are determined to be on the a same sub-network, then enabling direct communication between the client and the identified one of the one or more second control computers, wherein enabling direct communication comprises the first control computer transmitting a request to the identified one of the one or more second control computers identifying the client's IP address and an identity of the selected IP-based switching device, the identified one of the one or more second control computers performing managing functions with respect to the selected IP-based switching device and based on automatically established network communication directly between the client and the identified one of the one or more second control computers, thereafter transferring data between the selected IP-based switching device and the client via the identified one of the one or more second control computers without going through the first control computer.