초록 ▼

An on-line services network includes application servers and Gateway microcomputers that are interconnected by a LAN. The Gateway microcomputers receive service requests which are transmitted over a WAN from client microcomputers operated by end users. Upon receiving a request to open a service, the

An on-line services network includes application servers and Gateway microcomputers that are interconnected by a LAN. The Gateway microcomputers receive service requests which are transmitted over a WAN from client microcomputers operated by end users. Upon receiving a request to open a service, the Gateway microcomputers access a periodically-updated service map to locate the replicated application servers that are currently running the corresponding service application, and then apply a load balancing method (using server load data contained within the service map) to select an application server that has a relatively low processing load. A communications protocol between the client and Gateway microcomputers enables users to access multiple services simultaneously. A hot redirection technique allows a user service session to be transferred from one application server to another (replicated) application server without termination of the service session. Various mechanisms are provided for efficiently reallocating application servers to different on-line services, and for allowing additional servers to be efficiently added to the network.

대표청구항 ▼

[ What is claimed is:] [55.] A method of disseminating load data of a plurality of servers to a plurality of routing computers that route client requests to the servers based on the load data received from a dispatcher entity, the servers, the routing computers and the dispatcher entity interconnect

[ What is claimed is:] [55.] A method of disseminating load data of a plurality of servers to a plurality of routing computers that route client requests to the servers based on the load data received from a dispatcher entity, the servers, the routing computers and the dispatcher entity interconnected by a local area network, the method comprising the steps of:(a) at each server of the plurality of servers, automatically determining a current load on the respective server, and automatically transmitting load data that reflects the current load to the dispatcher entity of the local area network; and(b) at the dispatcher entity, automatically compiling the load data received from each of the plurality of servers into a map, and broadcasting the map on the local area network to allow the routing computers to obtain the load data of the plurality of servers.