A computer network and a database are used to provide a hardware-independent, dynamic information system in which the information content is entirely user-controlled. Requests are received from individual users of the computer network to electronically publish information, and input is accepted from the individual users. Entries from the users containing the information to be electronically published are automatically collected, classified and stored in the database in searchable and retrievable form. Entries are made freely accessible on the computer network. In response to user requests, the database is searched and entries are retrieved. Entries are served to users in a hardware-independent page description language. The entries are password protected, allowing users to retrieve and update entries by supplying a correct password. Preferably, the process is entirely automated with any necessary billing being performed by secure, on-line credit card processing. The user making a database entry has complete control of that entry both at the time the entry is made and in the future after the entry has been made. The entry, when served to a client, is transformed on-the-fly to the page description language. Where the page description language is HTML and the computer network is the World Wide Web, the entry may function as a “mini” homepage for the user that made the entry. Provision is made for graphics and other kinds of content besides text, taking advantage of the content-rich nature of the Web.

Automated on-line information service and directory, particularly for the world wide Web

A method and system for performing user authorization in a multi-user computer system. The novel method has particular application to the multi-user internet protocol. Within the system, an application contains a list of registered users. For each registered user, the application stores a user identification, an email (electronic mail) address, and a database containing each authorized IP address for that user. When a user requests access to the application over the multi-user system, the application requires the user to input a user identification value and, simultaneously, the application accesses the user's current IP address (e.g., the user's internet domain address) over the multi-user system. The application attempts to validate the user identification, and if valid, the application examines its database to determine if the user is authorized for its current IP address. If so, access is permitted. If the user identification is valid but the current IP address is not authorized, the application determines a validation key ("key") based on the user identification and the current IP address. The pseudo unique key is then forwarded via the email protocol to the user's known email address. The user then is required to enter that key into the application to authorized the current IP address. Security is provided because (1) given a user identification, which can be stolen, the unauthorized user also needs to access the application using an authorized IP address and (2) email is used to transmit the keys to the user to a known user email address.

Method and system for user authorization over a multi-user computer system

The Multiprotocol Transport Networking (MPTN) architecture is a general solution that breaks the binding between distributed applications and communications protocols. The MPTN architecture enables existing applications to run unmodified over any communications protocol. In this paper, we first present the trends in networking that resulted in today's networks supporting multiple communications protocols. Next, we describe the classes of problems this support causes. The MPTN architecture is described and presented as a solution to many of these problems. We also present several alternative solutions to the multiple communications protocol problem and compare them to the MPTN solution. Last, we describe the IBM AnyNet™ family of products that implement the MPTN architecture.

Multiprotocol transport networking: eliminating application dependencies on communications protocols

An improved method and system for initializing the logical units (LUs) in a Gateway between an SNA network having a mainframe host computer and another network. An activation procedure derives the Table of Boundary LUs on the mainframe host computer by noting the device logical unit numbers within the set of ‘Activate Logical Unit’ (ACTLU) SNA Request Units. If the mainframe host computer includes an LU in its Table of Boundary LUs, then the activation procedure creates a corresponding LU in the Gateway. The activation procedure also marks each of the created LUs in the Gateway as active. The newly created LUs are then added to the resource pool of LUs available to the network. Additional aspects include a method for assigning a logical unit type to an LU based upon whether a Bind request is received from the mainframe host computer within a certain amount of time after sending a positive sense code to the mainframe host computer.

Using a systems network architecture logical unit activation request unit as a dynamic configuration definition in a gateway

The purpose of this paper is to investigate and construct a new generalized framework for VOD transmission on future high-speed BISDN in order to make every multimedia-based server serve the same information service to large volume of users simultaneously by using some new concepts and mechanisms of UNIX. The socket mechanism of 4.3 BSD UNIX, playing a critical role in the framework, has been studied. The software developments have already been made. In addition, some future works on the generalized framework have been pointed out briefly.

A new generalized framework for VOD transmission on future high-speed BISDN

An application enablement method that enables communications applications to run on protocols for which they were not written is discussed. The focus is on a subset of networks and communications application programming interfaces. The communications interface chosen is Berkeley sockets. The network protocols used are SNA (Systems Network Architecture) and TCP/IP (Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol). The running of existing socket applications over SNA networks, which requires support for transparently masking the differences between TCP/IP and SNA from the applications, is described. Protocol selection, address mapping, and connection management are also described. >

http://ieeexplore.ieee.org/iel3/65/5853/00224019.pdf

G. Bollella

Papers

Dynamically selecting protocols for socket applications