Patent ID: 7831731

Claim:
In a communication network, a method of TCP state migration comprising the steps of: a) establishing a TCP/IP communication session between a client computer and a first server computer, said first server computer part of a plurality of server computers forming a web cluster containing information, said communication session established for the transfer of data contained within said information; b) handing off, by sending a handoff request packet, said communication session to a selected server computer from said first server computer over a persistent control channel using TCP handoff modules that are dynamically loadable within TCP/IP stacks in operating systems located at both said first server computer and said selected server computer, wherein the TCP handoff modules implement a TCP handoff protocol that works within kernel levels of the operating systems, wherein said first server computer includes a first bottom TCP (BTCP) module, and said selected server computer includes a second BTCP module; and c) migrating a first TCP state of said first server computer to said selected server computer, and a second TCP state of said selected server computer to said first server computer over said control channel, wherein said migrating comprises migrating said first TCP state to said second BTCP module at said selected server computer over said control channel by including a first initial sequence number in said handoff request packet, such that said second BTCP module can calculate said first TCP state for said first server computer in said TCP/IP communication session.