Abstract: A method and apparatus for robustly enhanced Class of Service (COS) at the application layer permits highly flexible privilege based access and enables implementation of complex policies and rules for classification and differentiation of services. Differentiation facilitates categorization of traffic to permit flexible design and implementation of multiple Class of Service levels.

Abstract: A method and apparatus is provided for generating, collecting, and manipulating useful information for validating or defining SLAs of web servers on a network. Web servers comprising a web farm on the network are adapted for logging detailed runtime information regarding user transactions and performance parameters. An Accumulator device interacts with intelligent agents to collect and combine their log files, process the combined file and post information into a database. An operator enters committed performance parameters into an SLA Reporter system according to classes of users, classes of web sites being hosted on the web servers, classes of URLs, transaction, content and file type. When compared with the database, processing of SLA reports indicate how well the parameters of the SLAs are being met for users, web sites, classes, URL's and transactions, or other measurable elements.

Abstract: A system and apparatus for control and distribution of data files in large-scale distributed networks. Members of a group of servers in a multicast network elect a group leader whenever a new group leader is required, as detected by absence of a periodic message published by the leader. Election is carried out by a system of voting by each candidate whereby each candidate has a priority calculated from its configuration, and the server with the highest priority is configured to claim the leadership faster than the other candidates. As part of the claim, each candidate multicasts its priority. Each candidate that receives a multicast claim for leadership from another candidate compares its own priority against the claimant and only votes for itself if its own priority is higher. After a preconfigured period of hearing no other claimants with higher priority, the candidate with the highest priority becomes the new leader.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for robustly enhanced Class of Service (COS) at the application layer permits highly flexible privilege based access and enables implementation of complex policies and rules for classification and differentiation of services. Differentiation facilitates categorization of traffic to permit flexible design and implementation of multiple Class of Service levels. A routing host is configured to receive all client requests for sites and virtual sites implemented on a plurality of service hosts or back-end servers. A monitoring processor incorporating an Adaptive Policy Engine, in communication with the router (and agents on back-end servers) dynamically monitors workload and availability of servers to enable requests to be sent to the most appropriate and optimal server. Incoming traffic is first processed to assign a class. The APE is employed to monitor the incoming traffic to the routing host. Traffic is measured to each hosted site and further, to each class of a hosted site.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for robustly enhanced Class of Service (COS) at the application layer permits highly flexible privilege based access and enables implementation of complex policies and rules for classification and differentiation of services. Differentiation facilitates categorization of traffic to permit flexible design and implementation of multiple Class of Service levels.