Abstract: The invention is a method and apparatus for facilitating facilitates load balancing in a server farm. In accordance with various aspects of the invention, all of the information about each server necessary for a load balancing program to define and execute a load balancing algorithm is stored at a predetermined URL for each server. The load balancer can query the predefined URL, which returns the necessary information. The load balancer then dynamically configures the load balancing algorithm in accordance with the returned information.

Abstract: A method, system, and computer program product for implementing a customizable visual configuration (VC) template to retrieve and display a working set of system configuration objects. The computer-implementable method includes selecting a current system configuration object. Once a system configuration object is selected, a VC utility examines all available VC templates. The VC utility displays available VC templates whose starting configuration object matches the selected current system configuration object. In response to a selected VC template, the VC utility retrieves and displays system configuration objects defined by the selected VC template.

Abstract: A system and method for comparing middleware configurations on a plurality of data processing systems. A comparison manager organizes a first set of configuration objects into a first representative tree structure and a second set of configuration objects into a second representative tree structure. The comparison manager uniquely identifies (utilizing a key value) each configuration object in the first and second set of configuration objects. If at least two configuration objects have matching key values, the comparison manager compares the property values of the at least two configuration objects. The comparison manager then outputs the result of the comparison.

Abstract: The invention is a method and apparatus for facilitating load balancing in a server farm. In accordance with the invention, all of the information about each server necessary for a load balancing program to define and execute a load balancing algorithm is stored at a predetermined URL or each server. The load balancer can query the predefined URL, which returns the necessary information. The load balancer then dynamically configures the load balancing algorithm in accordance with the returned information.

Abstract: A method, apparatus, and computer implemented instructions for processing a request in a data processing system. The request is received. In response to a first hash value being present within the request, the first hash value is compared to a second hash value that was computed locally, wherein the second hash value represents a current policy configuration for assigning a quality of service. In response to a match between the first hash value and the second hash value, other information in the request is used to establish a quality of service for packets associated with the request.

Abstract: Techniques are disclosed that enable an application to prioritize its traffic in an application-specific manner, such that traffic which is most important to this application can be prioritized over traffic that is less important to this application, where this prioritization information is reflected in differential treatment of the traffic within the network. An application conveys relative priority information for its traffic to a Web proxy or edge server, and this device then consults stored policy information to determine how the traffic should be prioritized in the network. The Web proxy also ensures that usage of network resources is balanced among multiple applications. Cookies are used for transmitting priority information between the edge server and application in an efficient manner.

Abstract: Techniques are disclosed that enable an application to prioritize its traffic in an application-specific manner, such that traffic which is most important to this application can be prioritized over traffic that is less important to this application, where this prioritization information is reflected in differential treatment of the traffic within the network. An application conveys relative priority information for its traffic to a Web proxy or edge server, and this device then consults stored policy information to determine how the traffic should be prioritized in the network. The Web proxy also ensures that usage of network resources is balanced among multiple applications. Cookies are used for transmitting priority information between the edge server and application in an efficient manner.

Abstract: A method, apparatus, and computer implemented instructions for processing a request in a data processing system. The request is received. In response to a first hash value being present within the request, the first hash value is compared to a second hash value that was computed locally, wherein the second hash value represents a current policy configuration for assigning a quality of service. In response to a match between the first hash value and the second hash value, other information in the request is used to establish a quality of service for packets associated with the request.

Abstract: Methods, systems, computer program products, and methods of doing business by improving quality of service (“QoS”) in network exchanges comprising a plurality of related request and response messages. A TQoS (“transactional QoS”) cookie is defined, which is used to store information needed when controlling response time (and perhaps other QoS factors as well) for messages exchanged with a particular client. In preferred embodiments, this QoS information comprises a relative priority for these related messages and an available bandwidth for transmitting messages to the client. The disclosed techniques enable applying consistent QoS requirements for delivery of all the related Web objects comprising a transaction. No changes are required on client devices or in client software, and there is no dependency on a client to support cookies.

Abstract: Techniques are disclosed that enable an application to prioritize its traffic in an application-specific manner, such that traffic which is most important to this application can be prioritized over traffic that is less important to this application, where this prioritization information is reflected in differential treatment of the traffic within the network. An application conveys relative priority information for its traffic to a Web proxy or edge server, and this device then consults stored policy information to determine how the traffic should be prioritized in the network. The Web proxy also ensures that usage of network resources is balanced among multiple applications. Cookies are used for transmitting priority information between the edge server and application in an efficient manner.

Abstract: The invention is a method and apparatus for facilitating load balancing in a server farm. In accordance with the invention, all of the information about each server necessary for a load balancing program to define and execute a load balancing algorithm is stored at a predetermined URL or each server. The load balancer can query the predefined URL, which returns the necessary information. The load balancer then dynamically configures the load balancing algorithm in accordance with the returned information.

Abstract: A method, apparatus, and computer implemented instructions for processing a request in a data processing system. The request is received. In response to a first hash value being present within the request, the first hash value is compared to a second hash value that was computed locally, wherein the second hash value represents a current policy configuration for assigning a quality of service. In response to a match between the first hash value and the second hash value, other information in the request is used to establish a quality of service for packets associated with the request.

Abstract: Methods, systems, computer program products, and methods of doing business by improving quality of service (“QoS”) in network exchanges comprising a plurality of related request and response messages. A TQoS (“transactional QoS”) cookie is defined, which is used to store information needed when controlling response time (and perhaps other QoS factors as well) for messages exchanged with a particular client. In preferred embodiments, this QoS information comprises a relative priority for these related messages and an available bandwidth for transmitting messages to the client. The disclosed techniques enable applying consistent QoS requirements for delivery of all the related Web objects comprising a transaction. No changes are required on client devices or in client software, and there is no dependency on a client to support cookies.