Network server having dynamic load balancing of messages in both inbound and outbound directions

Claim 1

In a communications network including a server having multiple entry ports coupled to a plurality of workstations through a network switch, a method of dynamically balancing in-bound and out-bound messages to/from the multiple entry port server comprising the steps of: a) initializing the network switch from a master processor; b) transmitting on the network an address resolution protocol using the network switch, the address resolution protocol mapping all medium accesses control addresses connected to each channel in the communication network; c) querying the communication network for a medium access control address of a server with which a workstation wishes to communicate; d) responding to the workstation with a medium access control address for the server using the server with which the workstation wishes to communicate; e) updating the address table of the workstation with the medium access control address of the responding server; f) receiving a data packet from the workstation at the network switch, the data packet containing a destination address of a server; g) generating and prepending a header to the data packet identifying a network interface card of server to which the data frame is directed; h) testing the header to determine that the data frame matches a designated switch output port for the destination address included in the frame; i) testing the designated switch output port to determine if busy; j) determining if other switch output ports grouped with the designated switch output port are available if the designated switch output port is busy; k) stalling the transmission of the data frame if the designated or grouped destination ports are busy until such designated or grouped destination ports are available; and l) transmitting the data frame to the first network interface card in the server which if busy transfers the data frame to a network interface card in the server which is not busy.