Patent ID: 8645542

Claim:
An apparatus for use in administering a virtual server comprising two or more server units, the apparatus comprising: a network interface; and a processor to: detect an online presence of a server unit based, at least in part, on identification information obtained from said server unit via said network interface; in response to a determination that data information indicating a present capability of said server unit to respond to service requests is not available or is available but outdated at said apparatus, initiate transmission of an information request to said server unit via said network interface; in response to a determination that said data information indicating said present capability of said server unit to respond to service requests has been obtained via said network interface from said server unit in response to said information request, and/or is available at said apparatus, and that said information data is not outdated, operatively add said server unit to said virtual server; maintain updated data information for each server unit in said virtual server; and in response to a determination that a service request received from a client via said network interface is authentic and that based, at least in part, on said updated data information for said server unit that said server unit is available to respond to said service request, provide said service request to at least said server unit, authenticate said server unit to establish a first independent communication link with said client, and affect mapping information to indicate that said service request has been assigned to at least said server unit.