Abstract: The present invention is a method and apparatus for monitoring packet loss activity in an Internet Protocol (IP) network clustering system which can provide a useful, discrete and tangible mechanism for controlled failover of the TCP/IP network cluster system. An adaptive interval value is determined as a function of the average packet loss in the system, and this adaptive interval value used to determine when a cluster member must send a next keepalive message to all other cluster members, and wherein the keepalive message is used to determine network packet loss.

Abstract: The present invention is an Internet Protocol (IP) network clustering system which can provide a highly scalable system which optimizes message throughput by adaptively load balancing its components, and which minimizes delay and packet loss especially in the TCP mode by a controlled fail-over process. An innovative process of defining the essential portion of TCP state required to maintain reliable message connections across the cluster is also disclosed.