Patent ID: 8059675
Filing Date: 2011-11-15
Classification: H04L

Abstract:
1. A method of managing computer processing resources connected within a network, said method comprising the steps of: (a) interconnecting a plurality of physical processing components within said network for providing a plurality of virtual processing elements that are accessible by respective network traffic paths to perform a respective data processing operation on user-supplied data; (b) representing a pool of said virtual processing elements using a resource aggregator, each virtual processing element having a capacity allocable according to a respective communication transfer rate based on a sustainable data flow to complete respective data processing transactions on user-supplied data; (c) receiving a reservation request for utilizing specified processing resources; (d) exclusively reserving at least one virtual processing element with said resource aggregator for providing capacity to satisfy said reservation request in response to said respective communication transfer rate; (e) allocating use of a respective network traffic path to service said reservation request in response to said identified virtual processing element; (f) sending a first test message through the interconnected plurality of physical processing elements; (g) sending a reply message to the sender through the interconnected plurality of physical processing elements in response to receipt of the first test message to confirm connectivity and functionality; with message transmission beginning only after the reply message is received over the allocated network path within a predetermined time period that begins with the sending of the first test message; (h) sending a second test message upon not receiving a reply message to the first test message within the predetermined time period, with message transmission beginning only after a reply message is received over the allocated network traffic path in response to receipt of the second test message within a predetermined time period that begins with the sending of the second test message; (i) upon not receiving a reply message to the second test message, sending further test messages with message transmission beginning only after a reply message is received over the allocated network traffic path in response to one of the further test messages; (j) upon having sent a predetermined number of test messages without receiving a reply message, reallocating the network traffic path; and (k) sending a test message to at least one intermediate node in the network traffic path to determine a nodal delay time associated with the intermediate node and comparing said nodal delay time to a nodal delay time threshold and further, upon determining that the nodal delay time is unsatisfactory, reallocating the network traffic path.