Patent ID: 6324571
Filing Date: 2001-11-27
Classification: G06F,H04L,Y10S

Abstract:
In a network comprising a plurality of servers, wherein each of the servers is capable of performing a predefined task, a system for identifying a master server to exclusively perform the predefined task, comprising:a first data object having an attribute for identifying one of the plurality of servers as a master server to exclusively perform the predefined task; anda second object used by a master server to perform the predefined task, wherein the value of the second object changes during performance of the predefined task,wherein the first data object and second data object are replicated in each of the plurality of servers, and transferring exclusive authority to perform the predefined task involves updating the attribute on a first server presently having exclusive authority to perform the predefined task to identify a second server to which exclusive authority to perform the predefined task is being transferred, updating the attribute on the second server to identify the second server as having exclusive authority to perform the predefined task, and updating the second object on the second server to the value of the second object on the first server when the attribute on the first server was changed to identify the second server as having exclusive authority to perform the predefined task.