Distributed on-demand rfid application platform

Abstract

A method and mechanism for a distributed on-demand computing system. The system automatically provisions distributed computing servers with customer application programs. The parameters of each customer application program are taken into account when a server is selected for hosting the program. The system monitors the status and performance of each distributed computing server. The system provisions additional servers when traffic levels exceed a predetermined level for a customer's application program and, as traffic demand decreases to a predetermined level, servers can be un-provisioned and returned back to a server pool for later provisioning. The system tries to fill up one server at a time with customer application programs before dispatching new requests to another server. The customer is charged a fee based on the usage of the distributed computing servers.

1 .- 27 . (canceled) 
     
     
         28 . A system, comprising:
 a distributed on-demand computing platform comprising a plurality of points of presence interconnected by a plurality of computer networks, each point of presence having one or more servers;   the distributed on-demand computing platform operative to automatically provision a given server to run an RFID application, in response to demand for the RFID application;   the RFID application receiving and processing information from an RFID tag at the given server;   wherein the RFID application comprises any of a tracking, identification, and security application that operates on the information from the RFID tag.   
     
     
         29 . The system of  claim 28 , wherein the given server is shared by RFID applications associated with a plurality of different customers of a service provider that provides the distributed on-demand computing platform. 
     
     
         30 . The system of  claim 28 , wherein the given server is shared by multiple applications that were automatically provisioned in response to demand. 
     
     
         31 . The system of  claim 28 , wherein the RFID application comprises a security application selected from the group consisting of: (i) homeland security application, (ii) employee identification application, and (iii) access application, where access is for any of vehicles, buildings, gate communities, corporate campuses, and airports. 
     
     
         32 . The system of  claim 28 , wherein the selection of the given server for automatic provisioning of the RFID application is based on one or more criteria selected from the set of criteria that is: load, availability, and geographic demand. 
     
     
         33 . The system of  claim 28 , wherein the RFID application comprises RFID supply-chain middleware. 
     
     
         34 . The system of  claim 28 , wherein multiple servers are provisioned with the RFID application and the system load-balances requests across the multiple servers provisioned with the RFID application. 
     
     
         35 . A system, comprising:
 a distributed on-demand computing platform comprising a plurality of points of presence interconnected by a plurality of computer networks, each point of presence having one or more servers;   means for automatically provisioning a given server to run an RFID application, in response to demand for the RFID application;   the RFID application receiving and processing information from an RFID tag at the given server;   wherein the RFID application comprises any of a tracking, identification, and security application that operates on the information from the RFID tag.   
     
     
         36 . A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium, comprising:
 computer program instructions that, when executed by processors on a plurality of servers in a distributed on-demand computing platform that includes a plurality of points of presence interconnected by a plurality of computer networks, each point of presence having one or more servers, cause the distributed on-demand computing platform to automatically provision a given server to run an RFID application, in response to demand for the RFID application;   the RFID application receiving and processing information from an RFID tag at the given server;   wherein the RFID application comprises any of a tracking, identification, and security application that operates on the information from the RFID tag.