Abstract: The dynamic server switching system maintains a list in each client which identifies the primary server for that client and the preferred communication method as well as a hierarchy of successively secondary servers and communication method pairs. In the event that the client does not have requests served by the designated primary server or the designated communication method, the system traverses the list to ascertain the identity of the first available alternate server-communication method pair. The client then uses this retrieved data to initiate future requests. The client periodically tests the primary server-communication method pair to determine whether the fault has been cleared. If so, the client reestablishes the originally selected primary server-communication method pair as the request route.