A server operable to process requests received at an input thereof, the server including: a receive component operable to receive a request for a service from a user terminal, the request identifying the user terminal and including distress information representing a degree of failure to process at least one previous, first request for the service from the user terminal; and a processing component operable to process the request; wherein: the receive component is operable to read the distress information from the request to evaluate the degree of failure to process the at least one previous, first request for the service from the user terminal, wherein the degree of failure is evaluated based on a number of failed requests for the service transmitted from the user terminal or a time since the first request for the service was transmitted from the user terminal as represented in the distress information; and the processing component is operable to process the request in accordance with the degree of failure evaluated from the distress information by performing at least one of: (i) processing the request by selecting, from at least two algorithms, the computationally cheaper algorithm to handle the request and serving the request with the computationally cheaper algorithm when the distress information indicates that there has been a worsening quality of service, and (ii) prioritizing the request from a queue of requests based on the distress information. a receive component operable to receive a request for a service from a user terminal, the request identifying the user terminal and including distress information representing a degree of failure to process at least one previous, first request for the service from the user terminal; and a processing component operable to process the request; wherein: the receive component is operable to read the distress information from the request to evaluate the degree of failure to process the at least one previous, first request for the service from the user terminal, wherein the degree of failure is evaluated based on a number of failed requests for the service transmitted from the user terminal or a time since the first request for the service was transmitted from the user terminal as represented in the distress information; and the processing component is operable to process the request in accordance with the degree of failure evaluated from the distress information by performing at least one of: (i) processing the request by selecting, from at least two algorithms, the computationally cheaper algorithm to handle the request and serving the request with the computationally cheaper algorithm when the distress information indicates that there has been a worsening quality of service, and (ii) prioritizing the request from a queue of requests based on the distress information. the receive component is operable to read the distress information from the request to evaluate the degree of failure to process the at least one previous, first request for the service from the user terminal, wherein the degree of failure is evaluated based on a number of failed requests for the service transmitted from the user terminal or a time since the first request for the service was transmitted from the user terminal as represented in the distress information; and the processing component is operable to process the request in accordance with the degree of failure evaluated from the distress information by performing at least one of: (i) processing the request by selecting, from at least two algorithms, the computationally cheaper algorithm to handle the request and serving the request with the computationally cheaper algorithm when the distress information indicates that there has been a worsening quality of service, and (ii) prioritizing the request from a queue of requests based on the distress information.