System for extending network resources to remote networks

Claims

What is claimed is:

1. An apparatus that connects a first network located in a particular site and a second network located in a remote site, so that resources on the first network appear to users of the second network as if such resources were located on the second network, comprising:

a first processor, having a first interface on the first network through which network frames of data are transmitted and received to and from the first network and an extended interface through which network frames of data are transmitted and received to and from the second network, the first processor providing network services to network frames of data received through the first and extended interfaces from users of the first and second networks and transmitting network frames of data through the first interface to users of the first network and through the extended interface to users of the second network; wherein the extended interface includes a point-to-point communication link from the particular site to the remote site, having a first link interface at the particular site coupled to the first processor and a remote link interface at the remote site, the network frames encapsulated and decapsulated according to a communication link format in the first link interface and the remote link interface, and

a second processor, on the second network in the remote site and coupled to the extended interface, the second processor forwarding network frames of data from users of the second network addressed to the extended interface through the remote link interface to the first processor, and forwarding network frames of data received from the extended interface to the second network so that the first processor appears to users of the second network as if it was on the second network.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the network services include routing services to apply lower level protocol destination network addresses to frames of data which include higher level protocol destinations and are received through the first and extended interfaces, and the first interface has a lower level protocol network address on the first network and the extended interface has a lower level protocol network address on the second network.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the routing services apply the lower level protocol network address of the first interface as source address to network frames of data routed through the first network and the lower level protocol network address of the extended interface as source address to network frames of data routed through the second network.

4. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the first processor includes means for maintaining end system directories for end systems in the first and second networks to support routing of network frames received from the first and second networks.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the network services include routing services supporting routing algorithms of a plurality of higher level protocol suites, and the extended interface operates to encapsulate and forward network frames of data transparent to the higher level protocol suites.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the second processor includes management resources for responding with messages to the second network in the event that the communication link is inoperable.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the communication link comprises a point-to-point channel in a public switched network, connecting the first processor and the second processor.

8. An apparatus that connects a first network and a plurality of remote networks, comprising:

a plurality of communication links;

a first processor, having a local interface coupled to the first network through which frames of data are transmitted and received to and from the first network and a plurality of extended interfaces including respective communication links in the plurality of communication links through which frames of data are transmitted and received to and from the respective communication links, the first processor providing network services to frames of data received through the local interface from users of the first network and through the plurality of extended interfaces from users of the plurality of remote networks and transmitting frames of data through the local interface to users of the first network and through the plurality of extended interfaces to users of the plurality of remote networks; and

wherein the plurality of extended interfaces include respective adaptor processors, coupled to corresponding networks in the plurality of remote networks and to corresponding communication links in the plurality of communication links, each particular adaptor processor forwarding frames of data from users of the corresponding remote network addressed to the respective extended interface across the corresponding communication link to the first processor, and forwarding frames of data received from the first processor across the corresponding communication link to the corresponding remote network.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the network services include routing services to apply lower level protocol destination network addresses to frames of data which include higher level protocol destinations and are received through the local interface and the plurality of extended interfaces, and the local interface and the plurality of extended interfaces have respective lower level protocol network addresses.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the routing services apply the lower level protocol network address of the local interface as source address to frames routed to the first network and the lower level protocol network address of the corresponding extended interface as source address to frames routed to networks in the plurality of remote networks.

11. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the first processor includes means for maintaining end system directories for end systems in the first network and in the plurality of remote networks to support routing among the first network and the plurality of remote networks.

12. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the network services include routing services supporting routing algorithms of a plurality of higher level protocol suites, and the plurality of adaptor processors operate to forward frames of data transparent to the higher level protocol suites.

13. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the adaptor processors include management resources for responding with messages to the corresponding remote network in the event that the corresponding communication link is inoperable.

14. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein at least one of the plurality of communication links comprises a point-to-point channel in a public switched network, connecting the corresponding first processor and the corresponding adaptor processor.

15. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the network services comprise a multiprotocol router for routing frames among the plurality of remote networks and the local network.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the multiprotocol router includes resources for routing frames between interfaces, extended interfaces in the plurality of extended interfaces, and resources for routing frames between the local and respective ones of the plurality of extended interfaces.

17. An apparatus that connects a first network to a second network, comprising:

a communication link;

routing means, connected to the first network and to the communication link, for routing frames of data according to a plurality of higher level protocols through the first and second networks in response to frames received from users of the first network and by way of the communication link from users of the second network; and

routing adaptor means connected to the second network and to the communication link, and including memory for storing a programmed set of lower level protocol network addresses, and responsive to destination lower level protocol network addresses within the programmed set in frames of data on the second network, for forwarding frames of data having a destination lower level protocol network address within the programmed set from users of the second network across the communication link to the routing means, and forwarding frames of data received from the routing means by way of the communication link to users of the second network.

18. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the routing means applies a first lower level protocol source address to frames routed to the first network and a second lower level protocol source address to frames routed across the communication link to the second network.

19. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the routing adaptor means has a lower level protocol routing adaptor address, and the programmed set includes the routing adaptor address.

20. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the routing means applies a first lower level protocol address as a source address to frames routed to the first network and the routing adaptor address as a source address to frames routed across the communication link to the second network.

21. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the programmed set includes a list of group addresses which identify frames to be processed by the routing means.

22. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the routing means includes means for maintaining end system directories for the first and second networks for support of routing in the first and second networks.

23. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the routing means includes routing resources supporting routing algorithms of a plurality of higher level protocol suites, and the routing adaptor means operates independent of the higher level protocol suites.

24. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the routing adaptor means includes management resources for responding with messages on the second network to frames having lower level protocol destination addresses within the programmed set in the event that the communication link inoperable.

25. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the communication link comprises a point-to-point channel in a public switched network, connecting the routing means and the routing adaptor means.

26. An apparatus that connects a first network through a communication link to a remote system providing network resources on a second network, comprising:

a processor, connected to the communication link and to the second network and having a network address, which provides an extended interface to the network resources in the remote system, by encapsulating and forwarding frames of data from users of the first network having a destination address equal to the network address of the extended interface, across the communication link to the remote system on the second network, and decapsulating and forwarding frames of data having a destination address not equal to the network address of the extended interface received from the remote system across the communication link to the first network; and

means for managing communication across the communication link transparently to the first network.

27. The apparatus of claim 26, wherein the processor includes:

memory to store a programmed set of network addresses;

means, coupled to the communication link and the first network, and responsive to destination addresses in frames within the programmed set, for forwarding frames of data having a destination address within the programmed set from the first network across the communication link to the system.

28. The apparatus of claim 26, wherein the first network includes a plurality of local area networks, and further including:

a bridge coupling the plurality of local area networks to the extended interface.

29. The apparatus of claim 26, wherein the network resources in the remote system comprise a multi-protocol router.

30. The apparatus of claim 26, further including:

management resources in the processor for responding with messages on the first network to frames in the event that the communication link is inoperable.

31. An apparatus that connects a first network through a first communication link to a first system on a second network and through a second communication link to a second system on a third network, the first and second systems providing network resources, the apparatus comprising:

first means, connected to the first communication link and to the first network and having a first network address, for providing a first extended interface to the network resources in the first system transparently to users of the first network by forwarding frames of data having a destination address equal to the first network address across the communication link to the first system and forwarding frames of data having a destination address not equal to the first network address received from the first system across the communication link to the first network; and

second means, connected to the second communication link and to the first network and having a second network address, for providing a second extended interface to the network resources in the second system transparently to users of the first network by forwarding frames of data having a destination address equal to the second network address across the communication link to the second system and forwarding frames of data having a destination address to the second network address received from the second system across the communication link to the first network.

32. The apparatus of claim 31, wherein the first means includes:

memory to store a programmed set of network addresses including the first network address;

means, coupled to the communication link and the first network, and responsive to destination addresses within a programmed set, for forwarding frames of data having a destination address within the programmed set from the first network across the communication link to the first system; and

means, coupled to the communication link and the first network, for forwarding frames received from the first system by way of the communication link to the first network, except frames of data having a destination address equal to the first network address.

33. The apparatus of claim 31, wherein the first network includes a plurality of local area networks, and further including:

a bridge coupling the plurality of local area networks to the first and second means.

34. The apparatus of claim 31, wherein the network resources in the first and second systems comprise multi-protocol routers.

35. The apparatus of claim 31, further including:

management resources for responding with messages on the first network to frames of data having a destination address equal to the first network address in the event that the first communication link is inoperable, and for responding on the first network to frames of data having a destination address equal to the second network address in the event that the second communication link is inoperable.

36. An apparatus that connects a system providing network resources on a first network through a communication link to a remote system on a second network, the apparatus comprising:

means, coupled with the system, for providing a local interface to the network resources for users of the first network in response to frames of data having a destination address equal to a first network address;

means, coupled with the system and having a unique network address, for providing an extended interface to the network resources for users of the second network through the communication link for frames of data having a destination address equal to the unique network address of the extended interface forwarded across the communication link by the remote system; and

means for managing the communication link transparently to the second network.

37. The apparatus of claim 36, wherein the network resources comprise:

means for routing frames of data according to multiple network protocols to systems in the first and second networks through the local and extended interfaces.

38. An apparatus that connects a local system having a local network address on a local network, to a plurality of remote networks through a corresponding plurality of communication links, the local system providing network resources for the local network and the plurality of remote networks, the apparatus comprising:

means, coupled with the local system, for providing a local interface to the network resources for frames of data having the local network address as a destination address from users of the first network;

means, coupled with the local system and the plurality of communication links, for providing a plurality of extended interfaces having respective network addresses on the corresponding plurality of remote networks to the network resources for frames of data having destination addresses equal to respective network addresses of the plurality of extended interfaces.

39. The apparatus of claim 38, wherein the network resources comprise:

means for routing frames of data through the first network and the plurality of remote networks according to a plurality of network protocols.

40. The apparatus of claim 38, wherein the network resources comprise a multiprotocol router.

41. A network intermediate system, comprising:

a first network interface adapted to be connected to a local area network;

a second network interface adapted to be connected to a wide area network; and

a processor, coupled to the first and second network interfaces, including local processor management resources, and boundary relay resources which encapsulate and transfer frames from users of the local area network received from the first network interface having one of a first set of at least one destination address through the second network interface, which decapsulate frames from a user of the wide area network received through the second network interface and transfer decapsulated frames not having one of a second set of at least one destination address through the first network interface to users of the local area network, and which transfer frames from a user of the wide area network received through the second network interface having a destination address equal to a particular address in the second set to the local processor management resources.

42. The intermediate system of claim 41, wherein one destination address in the first set consists of an assigned data link layer address; and

wherein the first network interface comprises a data link layer adaptor responsive to the assigned data link layer address.

43. The intermediate system of claim 42, wherein the second network interface comprises an adaptor for connection to a point-to-point communication link.

44. A network intermediate system, comprising:

a first network interface adapted to be connected to a first local area network and responsive to a first address;

a second network interface adapted to be connected to a wide area network and responsive to a second address, at least one remote user of the wide area network coupled to a remote local area network;

a processor, coupled to the first and second network interfaces, including

multiprotocol router resources which generate intermediate system to end system addresses in response to routing protocols for frames having the first address received through the first network interface, and for frames from users of a remote local area network encapsulated in frames received through the second network interface from the wide area network having the second address, the routing resources including end system directories for at least the remote local area network and the first local area network, and

boundary link resources which encapsulate frames having end system addresses supplied by the multiprotocol routing resources for transfer through the second network interface across the wide area networks and through at least one remote user of the wide area network to users of the remote local area network so that the multiprotocol router appears to users of the second network as if it was a station on the second network.

45. The intermediate system of claim 44, wherein the first address consists of an assigned data link layer address; and

wherein the first network interface comprises a data link layer adaptor having the assigned data link layer address.

46. The intermediate system of claim 45, wherein the second network interface comprises an adaptor for connection to a point-to-point communication link.