Patent ID: 7882251

Claim:
One or more processor-accessible storage media comprising processor-executable instructions that, when executed, direct an apparatus including a processor to perform actions comprising: ascertaining, via the apparatus including the processor, a host identifier from a value populating a session identifier field of a client session continuation message for a given session; in an event the host identifier includes a device identifier and an application identifier and the host identifier comprises an application endpoint from among a set of potential application endpoints for the session message: the application identifier identifies a specified application on the host device that is identified by the device identifier; the host identifier is configured to identify a specific application from among multiple applications whether the specific application resides on a single host or is replicated across multiple hosts; in an event the host identifier includes a device identifier but no application identifier and the host identifier comprises an application endpoint: the host identifier serves to identify a particular application and a particular host; the routing of a client session continuation is performed expeditiously to the desired application that has session affinity with the requesting client; in an event that the host identifier includes a key: the key is a value that maps to a network address on the intranet of a host device and to a specific application thereon; the key maps to an application endpoint without using a separate application identifier; routing, via the apparatus including the processor, the session message responsive to the ascertained host identifier without employing per session state information; and forwarding, via the apparatus including the processor, the client session continuation message based on the device identifier, the application identifier, the application endpoint, and the host identifier key.