Method for processing a unit of work

Abstract

A client computer group is created at a server computer by selecting a subset of a group of client computers, where each of the group of client computers has a separate communication channel with the server computer. A message from at least one of the subset of the group of client computers is received at the server computer. In response to receiving messages from at least two of the subset of the group of client computers within the client computer group, the messages are grouped under a single unit of work. A single decision associated with the single unit of work for the client computer group is computed. Each of the at least two of the subset of the group of client computers is operable to accept the single decision.

1 . A method for processing a unit of work, comprising:
 creating, at a server computer, a client computer group by selecting a subset of a plurality of client computers, where each of the plurality of client computers has a separate communication channel with the server computer;   receiving a message from at least one of the subset of the plurality of client computers at the server computer;   in response to receiving messages from at least two of the subset of the plurality of client computers within the client computer group, grouping the messages under a single unit of work; and   computing a single decision associated with the single unit of work for the client computer group, where each of the at least two of the subset of the plurality of client computers is operable to accept the single decision.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , where the single unit of work is not under control of a client application associated with a client computer. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising assigning, via a server application of the server computer, a single thread to the single unit of work. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising sending an acknowledgement identifying a commit decision to each client computer in the client computer group if the single decision comprises a decision to commit the single unit of work. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising sending an acknowledgement identifying a rollback decision to each client computer in the client computer group if the single decision comprises a decision to rollback the single unit of work. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising terminating each separate communication channel associated with each client computer in the client computer group if the single decision comprises a decision to rollback the single unit of work. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , where creating, at the server computer, the client computer group by selecting the subset of the plurality of client computers comprises creating the client computer group by selecting the subset of the plurality of client computers based upon a determination that each client application of each client computer in the subset of the plurality of client computers produces a same message or similar messages to each other client application. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising performing pre-processing checks on each client application of each client computer in the client computer group before commencement of the single unit of work comprising receiving a client identifier via a server middleware application from each client application of each client computer in the client computer group. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , where creating, at the server computer, the client computer group by selecting the subset of the plurality of client computers comprises creating the client computer group by selecting a number of client computers in the subset of the plurality of computers according to historical statistics to provide efficiency within the client computer group relative to individual client message processing. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , where more than one client computer group is created. 
     
     
         11 . An apparatus for processing a unit of work, comprising:
 a network interface; and   a processor programmed to:
 create a client computer group by selecting a subset of a plurality of client computers, where each of the plurality of client computers has a separate communication channel with the apparatus via the network interface; 
 receive a message from at least one of the subset of the plurality of client computers via the network interface; 
 responsive to receiving messages from at least two of the subset of the plurality of client computers within the client computer group, group the messages under a single unit of work; and 
 compute a single decision associated with the single unit of work for the client computer group, where each of the at least two of the subset of the plurality of client computers is operable to accept the single decision. 
   
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 11 , where the single unit of work is not under control of a client application associated with a client computer. 
     
     
         13 . The apparatus of  claim 11 , where the processor is further programmed to assign, via a server application of the apparatus, a single thread to the single unit of work. 
     
     
         14 . The apparatus of  claim 11 , where the processor is further programmed to send an acknowledgement identifying a commit decision to each client computer in the client computer group if the single decision comprises a decision to commit the single unit of work. 
     
     
         15 . The apparatus of  claim 11 , where the processor is further programmed to send an acknowledgement identifying a rollback decision to each client computer in the client computer group if the single decision comprises a decision to rollback the single unit of work. 
     
     
         16 . The apparatus of  claim 11 , where the processor is further programmed to terminate each separate communication channel associated with each client computer in the client computer group if the single decision comprises a decision to rollback the single unit of work. 
     
     
         17 . The apparatus of  claim 11 , where, in being programmed to create the client computer group by selecting the subset of the plurality of client computers, the processor is programmed to create the client computer group by selecting the subset of the plurality of client computers based upon a determination that each client application of each client computer in the subset of the plurality of client computers produces a same message or similar messages to each other client application. 
     
     
         18 . A computer program product comprising a computer readable storage medium including computer readable program code, where the computer readable program code when executed on a computer causes the computer to:
 create a client computer group by selecting a subset of a plurality of client computers, where each of the plurality of client computers has a separate communication channel with the computer;   receive a message from at least one of the subset of the plurality of client computers at the computer;   in response to receiving messages from at least two of the subset of the plurality of client computers within the client computer group, group the messages under a single unit of work; and   compute a single decision associated with the single unit of work for the client computer group, where each of the at least two of the subset of the plurality of client computers is operable to accept the single decision.   
     
     
         19 . The computer program product of  claim 18 , where the single unit of work is not under control of a client application associated with a client computer. 
     
     
         20 . The computer program product of  claim 18 , where the computer readable program code when executed on the computer further causes the computer to assign, via a server application, a single thread to the single unit of work. 
     
     
         21 . The computer program product of  claim 18 , where the computer readable program code when executed on the computer further causes the computer to send an acknowledgement identifying a commit decision to each client computer in the client computer group if the single decision comprises a decision to commit the single unit of work. 
     
     
         22 . The computer program product of  claim 18 , where the computer readable program code when executed on the computer further causes the computer to send an acknowledgement identifying a rollback decision to each client computer in the client computer group if the single decision comprises a decision to rollback the single unit of work. 
     
     
         23 . The computer program product of  claim 18 , where the computer readable program code when executed on the computer further causes the computer to terminate each separate communication channel associated with each client computer in the client computer group if the single decision comprises a decision to rollback the single unit of work. 
     
     
         24 . The computer program product of  claim 18 , where, in causing the computer to create the client computer group by selecting the subset of the plurality of client computers, the computer readable program code when executed on the computer causes the computer to create the client computer group by selecting the subset of the plurality of client computers based upon a determination that each client application of each client computer in the subset of the plurality of client computers produces a same message or similar messages to each other client application.