Abstract: Methods, systems, and articles of manufacture consistent with the present invention provide for a data processing system having an efficient network communication infrastructure. The data processing system has a plurality of data processing nodes distributed across a network. Each node comprises a processor and a memory having an application and a routing thread operatively configured to receive a message on the network. The message has an application identifier and a message group identifier. Each application has a command thread and a plurality of message group handlers. Each routing thread is operatively configured to determine whether the received message is for the application on the respective node and to notify the application's command thread of the received message in response to determining that the message is for the application. The command thread then directs the message to one of the message group handlers based on the received message's message group identifier.