Abstract: A scalable software architecture (20) for business computer platforms implements a messaging platform (FIG. 3) for communicating messages among various dynamically connected components, preferably including a communication gateway (28) for communication with at least one external media channel (52-62), a data manager layer (22) for maintaining data in a connected database system (40), and a business workflow engine (26) for implementing predetermined business workflows leveraging customized business logic and business software objects (22). The messaging platform comprises a managing process (502) and at least one agent process (504) forming a serial chain for distributed port number assignments and implementing client registration (Table 1) for robust, reliable messaging.