Patent ID: 7493398

Claim:
In a computing machine within a computer network, a method of sharing data communication sockets, the method comprising: a socket manager maintaining a list of open data communication sockets; the socket manager receiving a request from a computing process for transmission of data to a destination computer within the computer network; the socket manager reviewing the list of open data communication sockets; the socket manager determining, after having reviewed the list of open data communication sockets, if a socket is open to the destination computer; when a socket is open to the destination computer, the socket manager providing that socket to the computing process for transmission of the data requested to be transmitted to the destination computer; when a socket is not open to the destination computer, the socket manager opening a socket to the destination computer, providing that socket to the computing process, and adding the opened socket to the list of open data communication sockets; adding header data to the data requested to be transmitted from the computing process to the destination computer through a socket, the header data enabling multiplexing by a sending system and enabling demultiplexing by a receiving system and the header data being maintained in an OVERLAPPEDPLUS structure; and keeping a socket open to the destination computer for a lapse of time after communications to the destination computer have ceased.