Combining routers to increase concurrency and redundancy in external network access
A controller is provided for increasing bandwidth between a local area network (“LAN”) and other networks by using multiple routers on the given LAN. Data packets are multiplexed between the routers using a novel variation on the standard SYN packet synchronization protocol, and other components. On receiving data destined for an external network, the controller or gateway computer will direct the data to the appropriate router. In addition to providing higher speed connections, the invention provides better fault tolerance in the form of redundant connections from the originating LAN to a wide area network such as the Internet.
1. A controller for combining routers to provide increased concurrency in external access to a computer network, the controller comprising:
a router identifier for identifying at least two routers for a LAN, each identified router having its own IP address and its own physical address;
a router selector for selecting between identified routers, the router selector making its selection in a manner which increases concurrent operation of identified routers by sending subsequent data requests and their corresponding responses through the selected router, thereby helping provide improved external access to the computer network through identified routers; and
a SYN modifier which provides modified SYN requests that contain the address of an identified router, each response specifying the address of an identified router which was selected by the router selector.
2. The controller of claim 1 , wherein the SYN modifier provides a modified SYN request that contains the IP address of a machine running the controller software, and the modified SYN packet specifies the physical address of an identified router selected by the router selector instead of specifying the physical address of the machine running the controller.
3. The controller of claim 1 , wherein the SYN modifier provides a modified SYN request that contains the physical address of a machine running the controller, and the modified packet specifies the physical address of an identified router selected by the router selector instead of specifying the physical address of the machine running the controller.
4. The controller of claim 1 , wherein the SYN modifier provides a SYN request that contains the IP address of a first identified router, and the modified SYN request specifies the physical address of a second identified router selected by the router selector instead of specifying the physical address of the first identified router.
5. The controller of claim 1 , wherein the SYN modifies a SYN request that contains the physical address of a first identified router, and the modified SYN packet specifies the physical address of a second identified router selected by the router selector instead of specifying the physical address of the first identified router.
6. The controller of claim 1 , wherein the controller divides requests from clients on a local area network to a server on a wide area network over multiple paths.
7. The controller of claim 1 , wherein the controller receives IP packets and multiplexes traffic by sending different IP packets over different routers based on at least one of a TCP port number, a UDP port number, and a load balancing criterion.
8. The controller of claim 1 , wherein a client connected to a wide area network requests information from a server node within a local area network, and the controller redirects the response from the local area network server by selecting a least loaded router.
9. The controller of claim 1 , wherein the controller resides at a source local area network, another controller resides at a destination local area network, and an inquiry is sent from the source controller to the destination controller seeking at least one of a destination router IP address and an destination router physical address.
10. The controller of claim 9 , wherein the source controller receives at least one requested destination router address and selects that router.