Patent ID: 6954884

Claim:
A system for controlling operation of a plurality of computing apparatuses in a network; each respective computing apparatus of said plurality of computing apparatuses hosting at least one respective service; the system responding to any said respective computing apparatus being inoperative by effecting a continuity operation; said continuity operation including distributing said at least one service hosted by said inoperative computing apparatus among operating said respective computing apparatuses in said network; the system comprising: (a) at least one watchdog control unit; said at least one control unit being substantially embodied in hardware; said at least one control unit being coupled with each said respective computing apparatus in said network; and (b) at least one watchdog control program; each respective control program of said at least one control program being substantially embodied in software; said at least one control program being distributed among at least one of said respective computing apparatuses in said network; wherein said at least one control unit effects said continuity operation when a respective said computing apparatus becomes an inoperative computing apparatus; said at least one control program backing up said at least one control unit; said at least one control program effecting said continuity operation when said at least one unit cannot effect said continuity operation.