Patent ID: 8108445

Claim:
A computer program product stored in a computer memory, comprising functional descriptive material that, when executed by a computer processor, causes the computer processor to perform actions comprising: determining that a consolidated instant messaging chat history is maintained at a selected instant messaging point of presence that is selected from a plurality of instant messaging points of presence, wherein one or more of the non-selected instant messaging points of presence include one or more local chat histories, the local chat histories comprising a first plurality of instant messaging messages transmitted during one or more previous instant messaging sessions conducted between the non-selected instant messaging points of presence and one or more instant messaging participants, the instant messaging participants being different than the plurality of instant messaging points of presence, wherein the determining further comprises reading a consolidated history setting from a configuration data store; in response to the determination, retrieving, at the selected instant messaging point of presence, the plurality of instant messaging messages included at the non-selected instant messaging points of presence from the local chat histories of the non-selected instant messaging points of presence; creating an updated consolidated instant messaging chat history by storing the retrieved instant messaging messages in the consolidated instant messaging chat history; in response to creating the updated consolidated instant messaging chat history, initiating, by the selected instant messaging point of presence, a passive instant messaging session; in response to initiating the passive instant messaging session, receiving, at the selected instant messaging point of presence, a second plurality of instant messaging messages, wherein the second plurality of instant messaging messages correspond to a plurality of messages transmitted during an active instant messaging session being concurrently conducted between a first of the non-selected instant messaging points of presence and one or more of the instant messaging participants; and storing the second plurality of instant messaging messages in the updated consolidated instant messaging chat history.