Method and apparatus for a client connection manager

1. A method comprising in this specific order, first a), then b), then c), then d), then e), as denoted below:

first a) receiving at a connection manager a client initiated connection request from a client the client initiated connection request from the client is not in response to any received communication at the client from the connection manager or any received communication at the client from a server;

then b) establishing at the connection manager a first connection between the connection manager and the client and the first connection based only upon the received client initiated connection request from the client to the connection manager;

then c) receiving at the connection manager a server initiated connection request from the server, the server initiated connection request from the server is not in response to any received communication at the server from the connection manager or any received communication at the server from the client;

then d) establishing at the connection manager a second connection between the connection manager and the server and the second connection based only upon the received server initiated connection request from the server to the connection manager;

then e) connecting the first connection with the second connection at the connection manager based only upon the first connection and the second connection being established at the connection manager such that the first connection with the second connection is transparent to both the client and the server, such transparency that neither the client nor the server is aware that a connection manager exists;

wherein the connection manager can maintain the first connection in four separate states, the four separate states consisting of one at a time selected from the group consisting of an active state, a standby state, an idle state, and an invalid state, and not maintain the first connection by disconnecting the first connection; and

wherein the connection manager can maintain the second connection in four separate states, the four separate states consisting of one at a time selected from the group consisting of an active state, a standby state, an idle state, and an invalid state, and not maintain the second connection selected from the consisting of disconnecting the second connection, and disconnecting the second connection and tearing down the second connection.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising in order: first transitioning the first connection from the active state to the standby state, and then second disconnecting the first connection from the second connection.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising in order: first transitioning the first connection from the active state to the idle state, and then second disconnecting the first connection from the second connection, and then third tearing down the second connection only.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein transitioning further comprises moving information associated with the active state and the standby state and the idle state between a faster access information storage medium and a slower access information storage medium.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising transitioning the first connection from the standby state to the active state.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein transitioning further comprises moving information associated with the active state and the standby state and the idle state between a faster access information storage medium and a slower access information storage medium.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising in order: first transitioning the second connection from the active state to a state selected from the group consisting of the standby state, and the idle state, and then second disconnecting the second connection from the first connection.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein transitioning further comprises moving information associated with the active state and the standby state and the idle state between a faster access information storage medium and a slower access information storage medium.

9. The method of claim 1 further comprising in order: first transitioning the second connection from an active state to a state selected from the group consisting of the standby state, and the idle state, and then second disconnecting the second connection from the first connection, and then third tearing down the second connection only.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein transitioning further comprises moving information associated with the active state and the standby state and the idle state between a faster access information storage medium and a slower access information storage medium.