| abstract |
In a computing network environment having a gateway device that is electronically connected on one side to at least one local area network and on other side to a plurality of initiating hosts, an apparatus for establishing direct communication between a first initiating host and a second initiating host through the gateway device without necessity of involving the local area network in the communication and its related data transmission. The apparatus comprises of an initialization component for obtaining all information about all connected hosts and storing it in a port-sharing table in a memory location accessible to the gateway device. The gateway device controls all communications through a controller component. Upon receiving of a request for establishing communication between two initiating hosts, retrieving means is used for obtaining all information for establishing of a successful communication from said port-sharing table. Finally an initiating component is used for setting up of communication directly between the two initiating hosts without any need to route the communication through said local area network. |