Abstract: Data files are supplied to a plurality of requesting stations (102 to 106) by accessing serving devices (109 to 116). A plurality of requests are received for one or more data files at a traffic management system (101) from requesting stations via an external network (107). A specific server is selected at the traffic management system and a request is issued to the selected server over a local network for the requested file. The requested file is accepted at the traffic management system from the selected server over the local network and the requested file is sent from the traffic management system to the requesting station over external network. The response of selected servers is monitored (302) when responding to issued requests thereby generating monitored responses. The monitored responses are compared (303) against an operational criterion to identify sub-standard operations.

Abstract: Communication occurs between at least one server and a plurality of clients. Client-side connections are established between a traffic manager and clients, in response to clients making requests to communicate with a server. Server-side connections are created and maintained between the traffic manager and the server in order to service the client requests. At least one of the server-side connections is reused to service a client request.

Abstract: A system is shown that supplies web pages from servers (109 to 116, 301 to 305) to requesting clients (102 to 106) over the Internet (101). Each server is configured to supply web page data to requesting clients. A traffic manager (120) receives request data from browsing clients and selects one of the serving devices for serving web page data. A data manipulation station (125) manipulates request data or web page data. The traffic manager supplies a function call to the data manipulation station that includes request data or web page data using Internet protocol. The manipulation station manipulates the request data or the web page data to produce manipulated data and the manipulated date is returned to the traffic manager.

Abstract: Data files are supplied to a plurality of requesting stations (102 to 106) by accessing serving devices (109 to 116). A plurality of requests are received for one or more data files at a traffic management system (101) from requesting stations via an external network (107). A specific server is selected at the traffic management system and a request is issued to the selected server over a local network for the requested file. The requested file is accepted at the traffic management system from the selected server over the local network and the requested file is sent from the traffic management system to the requesting station over external network. The response of selected servers is monitored (302) when responding to issued requests thereby generating monitored responses. The monitored responses are compared (303) against an operational criterion to identify sub-standard operations.

Abstract: A system is shown that supplies web pages from servers (109 to 116, 301 to 305) to requesting clients (102 to 106) over the Internet (101). Each server is configured to supply web page data to requesting clients. A traffic manager (120) receives request data from browsing clients and selects one of the serving devices for serving web page data. A data manipulation station (125) manipulates request data or web page data. The traffic manager supplies a function call to the data manipulation station that includes request data or web page data using Internet protocol. The manipulation station manipulates the request data or the web page data to produce manipulated data and the manipulated date is returned to the traffic manager.

Abstract: Failures are tolerated in an environment in which a plurality of traffic management systems are coordinated to manage the supply of data to and from a plurality of clients via a plurality of network addresses. Each functional traffic management system is responsible for at least one network address, and each functional traffic management system periodically transmits a signal to each of the other traffic management systems to confirm functionality. Each of the traffic management systems creates and maintains configuration data that specifies the responsibility of traffic management systems for network addresses dependent upon the status of each of the traffic management systems. Each of the traffic management systems responds to a failure of any of the traffic management systems by taking responsibility for certain network addresses as prescribed by the configuration data.