Client server communication system

Abstract

A method for communicating with agent applications. A first request is sent by a server application on a server computer system to a first agent application to communicate with the server application. The first agent application is located in a first network. If the first agent application fails to respond to the first request, a second request is sent by the server application to a second agent application to instruct the first agent application to communicate with the server application. The first agent application is located on a first client computer system that is in a zone with a second client computer system on which the second agent application is located.

1 . A method for communicating with agent applications, the method comprising:
 sending, by a server application on a server computer system, a first request to a first agent application to communicate with the server application, wherein the first agent application is located in a first network; and   
       responsive to the first agent application failing to respond to the first request, sending, by the server application, a second request to a second agent application to instruct the first agent application to communicate with the server application, wherein the first agent application is located on a first client computer system that is in a zone with a second client computer system on which the second agent application is located. 
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the sending step comprises:
 responsive to the first agent application failing to respond to the first request, identifying, by the server application, the zone for the first agent application;   
       waiting for the second agent application in the zone to contact the server application; and responsive to the second agent application contacting the server application, sending, by the server application, the second request to the second agent application to instruct the first agent application to communicate with the server application. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising:
 receiving addresses from the agent applications when the agent applications contact the server application, wherein the addresses are used by the server application to contact the agent applications. 
 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein client computer systems are selected for the zone such that second agent application is able to communicate with the first agent application when the first agent application fails to respond to the first request. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein client computer systems are selected for the zone such that the client computer systems are configured to communicate with each other without communications going through a firewall. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first agent application polls the server application after a polling interval passes; listens to a listening socket for the first request; and polls the server application in response to detecting the first request at the listening socket even if the polling interval has not occurred. 
     
     
         7 - 20 . (canceled)