Patent ID: 6976066

Claim:
A method in combination with a network for implementing a network-based computing environment, the network comprising: a centralized data center (CDC); a plurality of regional data centers (RDCs) operatively coupled to the CDC, each RDC being operatively coupled to a plurality of clients by way of a communications network, the method for an application to implement an action at a first network location, the application being at a second network location and coupled to an RDC thereat, the method comprising: determining over the network what clients are available at the first location and coupled to an RDC thereat, each available client having capabilities; determining over the network what capabilities each available client at the first location has; selecting an available client at the first location having a capability required for the action to be implemented at the first location; and issuing a command over the network to the selected client to perform at least a portion of the action, wherein the issued command is received over the network from the application by the selected client and the selected client performs at least a portion of the action in accordance with the received command, wherein each client at the first location is coupled to the RDC thereat by way of a gateway having information on each client at the first location, and wherein determining what clients are available at the first location comprises obtaining the information on each client at the first location from the gateway, and wherein the gateway has information on what capabilities each available client at the first location has, and wherein determining what capabilities each available client at the first location has comprises allowing the application to obtain the information on the capabilities of each client at the first location from the gateway.