Patent ID: RE42153

Claim:
A method of providing dynamic coordination of distributed client systems in a distributed computing platform, comprising: providing at least one server system coupled to a network; providing a plurality of network-connected distributed client systems, the client systems having under-utilized capabilities and running a client agent program to provide workload processing for at least one project of a distributed computing platform; utilizing the server system to distribute workloads for the at least one project to the client systems and to distribute initial project and poll parameters to the client systems; receiving poll communications from the client systems during processing of project workloads by the client systems, wherein a dynamic snapshot information of current project status is provided based at least in part upon the poll communications; analyzing the poll communications to determine whether or not to make one or more modification to the initial project and poll parameters, wherein the modifications to the initial project and poll parameters utilize the dynamic snapshot information to determine whether to change how many client systems are active in the at least one project, and if a fewer number is desired, including within a polling response communications a reduction in the number of actively participating clients, and if a greater number is desired, adding client systems to active participation in the at least one project; sending the poll response communications to the client systems to modify the initial project and poll parameters depending upon one or more decisions reached in the analyzing step; and repeating the receiving, analyzing and sending steps to dynamically coordinate project activities of the plurality of client systems during project operations.