Abstract: The invention is a method of handling groups of services where the makeup and structure of the groups can be determined and changed while the application is running. In one embodiment a group of services is grouped as a coordinator cohort group with respect to one client and, at the same time, as a peer group with respect to another client. This is accomplished by registering with a lookup service a coordinator cohort group proxy and a peer group proxy. Clients may download from the lookup service either group proxy in order to use the group of services in the desired mode.
Abstract: The invention is a method of handling groups of services where the makeup of the groups can be determined and changed while the application is running. In one embodiment a group of services switches from peer mode to coordinator cohort mode to perform a task and then switches back. This is mainly accomplished through a group proxy, which is generated at run time, and which handles interactions with groups of services on behalf of one or more clients. The group proxy, buffers calls from a client to a group when the group is unavailable because it is in transition. When the transition is complete the group proxy transmits the stored client commands to the group.
Abstract: The invention is a method of handling groups of services where the makeup of the groups can be determined and changed while the application is running. This is mainly accomplished through a group proxy, which is generated at run time, and which handles interactions with groups of services on behalf of one or more clients. The group proxy consists of a group logic shell which contains all the group-aware logic, and a service proxy for each service in the group which contains the necessary logic to interact with the particular service. The group proxy, which is given to a client for all of its interactions with the group of services, buffers calls from that client to its group when the group is unavailable because it is in transition. When the transition is complete the group proxy transmits the stored client commands to the group.