Communication network comprising communication components having client and server functionalities and search functions

1. A communication network comprising:

a plurality of communication devices, at least some of which comprise both client and server functionalities, at least some of the client functionalities including a search function that ascertains network addresses of others of the communication devices that allow the server functionalities of the others to be used; and

a retrieval mechanism in said at least some of the client functionalities that obtains information about the server functionalities of said other communication devices;

wherein the server functionalities provide usable services in the communication network;

wherein a server functionality is selected for use by a client functionality using a state information comprising a current utilization level of each of the server functionalities and the cost to use each of the server functionalities;

wherein each of the communication devices searches for neighboring ones of the communication devices and creates a servant list of the neighboring communication devices;

wherein each of the communication devices maintains the current utilization level of each server functionality of the neighboring communication devices in the servant list by performing a repeating search at timed intervals;

wherein one of the communication devices performs a gateway search for a gateway among the neighboring communication devices in the servant list;

wherein a first of the neighboring communication devices comprises a first gateway, and returns a first hit response to said one communication device;

wherein a second of the neighboring communication devices does not comprise a gateway, and forwards the gateway search to additional neighboring communication devices of the second neighboring communication device;

wherein one of the additional neighboring communication devices comprises a second gateway, and returns a second hit response to said one communication device; and

wherein said one of the communication devices chooses one of the gateways for use based on a respective number of available channels on each gateway and a respective propagation time for the first and second hit responses.

2. The communication network as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the communication network provides for a self-administration on the basis of the information ascertained by the search functions.

3. The communication network as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the client functionality is designed to retrieve an authorization before using a server functionality.

4. The communication network as claimed in claim 3 , wherein at least one server functionality is provided for managing the authorization.

5. A method of communication within a network, comprising:

providing a plurality of communication devices with both client and server functionalities;

ascertaining via a search function of the client functionality of at least some of the communication devices an address of at least some others of the communication devices that allow the server functionalities of said some others to be used; and

retrieving information about the server functionality of said some others of the communication devices by the client functionality of said at least some of the communication devices;

wherein the server functionalities provide services in the communication network,

wherein one of the server functionalities is selected for use by one of the client functionalities using a state information comprising a current utilization level of each of the server functionalities and the cost to use each of the server functionalities;

wherein each of the communication devices searches for neighboring ones of the communication devices and creates a servant list of the neighboring communication devices;

wherein each of the communication devices maintains the current utilization level of each server functionality of the neighboring communication devices in the servant list by performing a repeating search at timed intervals;

wherein one of the communication devices performs a gateway search for a gateway among the neighboring communication devices in the servant list;

wherein a first of the neighboring communication devices comprises a first gateway, and returns a first hit response to said one communication device;

wherein a second of the neighboring communication devices does not comprise a gateway, and forwards the gateway search to additional neighboring communication devices of the second neighboring communication device;

wherein one of the additional neighboring communication devices comprises a second gateway, and returns a second hit response to said one communication device; and

wherein said one of the communication devices chooses one of the gateways for use based on a respective number of available channels on each gateway and a respective propagation time for the first and second hit responses.

6. The method as claimed in claim 5 , further comprising providing a self-administration based on the information ascertained by the search functions.

7. The method as claimed in claim 5 , wherein a plurality of search functions are contained in the communication network and in the communication devices.

8. The method as claimed in claim 5 , wherein the client functionality is designed to retrieve an authorization before using a server functionality.

9. The method as claimed in claim 8 , wherein at least one server functionality is provided for managing the authorization.

10. The method as claimed in claim 5 , wherein the current address of all of the communication devices are ascertained.

11. The method as claimed in claim 5 , wherein the server functionality of all of the communication devices are retrieved.