Patent ID: 7707308

Claim:
A geographically redundant system of message servers, for storing and forwarding communication of messages for mobile stations through a mobile communication network, comprising: a) a first message server at a first geographic site; b) a second message server at a second geographic site; c) a first balancer at the first geographic site; wherein the first balancer is adapted to generate a first virtual Internet protocol address with a first routing metric for the first message server, and wherein the first balancer is adapted to generate a second virtual Internet protocol address with a second routing metric for the second message server; and d) a second balancer at the second geographic site; wherein the second balancer is adapted to generate a first virtual internet protocol address with a third routing metric for the first message server, and the third routing metric is less attractive than the first routing metric, and wherein the second balancer is adapted to generate a second virtual internet protocol address with a fourth routing metric for the second message server, and the fourth routing metric is more attractive than the second routing metric; e) a first router at the first geographic site; and f) a second router at the second geographic site; wherein the first and second routers are adapted to operate with a first instance of Open Shortest Path First associated with a first administrative distance, and with a second instance of Open Shortest Path First associated with a second administrative distance, wherein the first instance of Open Shortest Path First is associated with an internal message server network, and the second instance of Open Shortest path First is associated with an external public facing network, and the first administrative distance is less than the second administrative distance.