Abstract: A method of providing a service, to a plurality of terminals on a communication network, through a server on the communication network includes the following steps: 1) coupling a correlator to the network which links a unique name for the server to multiple network addresses; 2) providing a set of multiple computers on the network, each of which performs the service and is assigned a different one of the multiple network addresses; and, 3) incorporating a network address selector on the network which directs any one of the terminals to a single one of the computers, when an operator of that one terminal generates a request for the service which includes the unique name of the server. Due to this method, the server has a virtual single network address which means that from the point of view of an operator of a terminal, the service is being provided by a single computer on the network that has a single network address that corresponds to the server's unique name.

Abstract: A method of transferring funds electronically, is performed by a group of N computers X(1) thru X(N) which are intercoupled to each other, and to another computer Y, by a communication channel. Each computer of the group includes multiple customer accounts, and the computer Y includes a net account for each computer of the group. To initiate the transfer of funds between two customer accounts, a customer sends an input request to one of computers X(i) of the group; and this input request specifies that funds F(z) be transferred in a particular direction between a customer account A(r) in computer X(i) and a customer account A(s) in another computer X(j) of the group. For each input request that is received by computer X(i), a respective sequence of electronic control messages is sent on the communication channel among the computers X(i), X(j) and Y.