Abstract: A method for scheduling time initiated tasks from an Intelligent Work Station (IWS) of an SNA network in which a host processor has created a plurality of run ready virtual machines which are assigned under control of a Virtual Machine Pool Manager in response to an LU 6.2 allocate verb to establish an LU 6.2 conversation between distributed parts of an application program, one part of which is resident at the IWS and the other part of which is resident at the host. A distributed application program named BATCH is provided, Part A of which is resident on the user's IWS and Part B of which is resident on the host processor. Part B is functionally a component of Virtual Machine Pool Manager (VMPM). The BATCH program allows the user to tranfer information regarding the task that is to be initiated at a designated time, to the host processor.

Abstract: A method for processing a distributed application program in a SNA type network having a host processor executing a virtual machine type operating system and a relatively large plurality of terminals, in which a plurality of run ready virtual machines are established at the host and primed by pre-initializing each machine with the host resident portion of the application program under the control of a Virtual Machine Pool Manager that was previously created. Primed virtual machines are assigned to process requests from the terminals for LU 6.2 type conversation with the application program since the virtual machine is pre-initialized the request is immediately accepted for processing. At the end of the conversation the primed machine is returned to the pool of primed machines to await the processing another request. The Pool Manager is provided with a control strategy which determines the number of primed virtual machines that are in the pool during any period of time.