Patent ID: 7216158

Claim:
A system for allowing an automatic process to control the lifecycles of servers in an application server environment, the system comprising: a primary server that operates within the application server environment, currently claims a plurality of resources, including Internet protocol addresses and disks, and has a server lifecycle associated therewith that comprises a running state; a standby server that operates within the application server environment and has a server lifecycle associated therewith that comprises a standby state and a running state, wherein in the standby state the standby server is administrable by the automated process and is prepared to claim the plurality of resources currently claimed by the primary server; a first plurality of services that operates with the primary server, such that when the primary server is brought from the running state to a shutdown state, a set of the first plurality of services stop primary server acceptance of new work, allow primary server work in progress to complete, and release the plurality of resources currently claimed by the primary server; a second plurality of services that operate with the standby server, such that when the standby server is brought to the standby state, a first of the second plurality of services are initialized and claim resources other than those currently claimed by the primary server, and when the standby server is subsequently brought to a running state, a second set of the second plurality of services are then initialized and claim the remaining resources previously claimed by the primary server; an interface between the standby server and the second plurality of services, wherein the interface allows the second plurality of services to participate in the standby server lifecycle; and a plurality of functions defined by the interface that transition the standby server from the standby state to the running state and allow the standby server to take over from the primary server.