Abstract: In a distributed information network, a broker server is coupled to a plurality of child servers and to a plurality of clients in the network. The broker server connects clients to a child server in a queue on a FIFO basis and provides the client with a key identifying the child server. The client provides the server with a copy of its key at the time of the initial service request. Both the child server and the client retain a copy of the other's key upon disconnect. The child server returns to the bottom of the queue after disconnect. On a subsequent client service request, the client includes the child server key in the service request and the broker automatically re-connects the client to the child server wherever S1 may be in the queue, provided the child server is not busy serving other clients. When reconnected, the client send its key to the child server which compares the key to the retained copy of the client key.