Patent ID: 7770061

Claim:
A method comprising: queuing at a first queue manager a first job to be served by a first server; queuing at a second queue manager a second job to be served by said first server; transmitting a first idle/busy indicator for said first server to said first queue manager and said second queue manager; assigning said second job to said first server within a first time interval after said first idle/busy indicator becomes idle; assigning said first job to said first server only after said first idle/busy indicator has been idle for at least said first time interval; queuing a third job to be served by a second server at said first queue manager; queuing a fourth job to be served by said second server at said second queue manager; transmitting a second idle/busy indicator for said second server to said first queue manager and said second queue manager; assigning said fourth job to said second server by said second queue manager within a second time interval after said second idle/busy indicator becomes idle; and assigning said third job to said second server by said first queue manager only after said second idle/busy indicator has been idle for at least said second time interval.