Patent ID: 7043758

Claim:
A computer program product comprising a computer program operable to control a master computer to scan a plurality of computer files to identify one or more computer files having one or more predetermined characteristics indicative of a computer file having at least some specified content, said computer program comprising: scan initiating logic operable in response to a scan initiating command to initiate a scan of said plurality of computer files; scan dividing logic operable to divide said scan into a plurality of tasks; task issuing logic operable to issue at least some of said plurality of tasks to one or more further computers to be performed by respective ones of said one or more further computers; task result receiving logic operable to receive from said one or more further computers results of said tasks performed by respective ones of said one or more further computers; scan result merging logic responsive to said results of said tasks performed by respective ones of said one or more further computers to identify any of said plurality of computer files having any of said one or more predetermined characteristics to provide a merged scan result; and task performing logic such that said master computer may also perform one or more of said tasks, wherein said scan dividing logic identifies high priority tasks with said high priority tasks being performed by said task performing logic of said master computer.