Patent ID: 6850982

Claim:
In a network device, a method for managing communication between a client and multiple servers, the method comprising the steps of: receiving a set of data requests, each data request belonging to a single connection session; providing a first data pathway between the client and a first server through the network device in response to a first data request of the set of data requests, the first data pathway including a portion of the first data pathway that extends between the client and the network device, wherein the step of providing the first data pathway comprises the steps of: establishing, as the portion of the first data pathway, a first network connection between the client and the network device; establishing a second network connection between the network device and the first server; and providing a second data pathway between the client and a second server through the network device in response to a second data request of the set of data requests, the second data pathway including the portion of the first data pathway that extends between the client and the network device, wherein the step of providing the second data pathway comprises the steps of: maintaining the first network connection between the client and the network device; establishing a third network connection between the network device and the second server; and prior to the step of establishing the third network connection, sending a request to the first server to close the second network connection between the network device and the first server.