Patent ID: 8533267

Claim:
A method of distributing XML documents/messages in a network of XML appliances/routers, the network of XML appliances/routers comprising XML appliances/routers implemented as processes in separate physical computer systems interconnected by physical communication links, the XML appliances/routers being configured to make XML routing decisions for XML documents/messages by applying XML subscription information to the XML documents/messages, and the XML appliances/routers being configured to forward the XML documents/messages toward subscribing clients according to the XML subscription information submitted by the subscribing clients, the subscribing clients being network elements other than the XML appliances/routers, the method comprising: establishing at least one distribution ring in the network of XML appliances/routers for the distribution of XML documents/messages between the XML appliances/routers, the distribution ring comprising a plurality of the XML appliances/routers arranged serially in a ring and configured to transmit the XML documents/messages from XML appliance/router to XML appliance/router around the ring; coupling subsets of subscribing clients to XML appliances/routers on the distribution ring via respective originating XML appliances/routers; enabling the respective originating XML appliances/routers to transmit/publish XML documents/messages onto the ring; and operating the XML appliances/routers on the distribution ring: to receive XML subscription information from a respective subset of subscribing clients; to locally apply the subscription information to each XML document/message received on the distribution ring; to select XML documents/messages to be forwarded toward its subset of subscribing clients without exchanging XML subscription information between the XML appliances/routers; and to forward the selected XML documents/messages toward subscribing clients according to the XML subscription information submitted by subscribing clients.