Systems and methods for server failover and load balancing

Abstract

Systems and methods for server failover and/or load balancing are provided herein. Systems for server failover and load balancing may include a computer system in electronic communication over a network with one or more client applications, the computer system including a plurality of servers, and an engine stored on and executed by a client, the engine configured to allow one or more clients to select a target server among the plurality of servers using a client application identifier.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A system comprising:
 an engine executed by one or more clients to select a target server or server subset among a plurality of servers, using a client application identifier.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein two or more clients, using the same client application identifier, select the same target server or server subset. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of servers is coupled to the one or more clients and configured to provide one or more service classes, the services classes including application services and directory services. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 3 , wherein the application services on each server serve only a subset of all client applications. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 3 , wherein the directory services of each server are configured to provide a list of servers, each server tagged with the application services that server supports. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the engine includes a service mapping subsystem configured to map each client application identifier to the target server or server subset. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 6 , wherein the service mapping subsystem is configured to map said client application identifier using Highest Random Weight. 
     
     
         8 . The system of any of  claim 1 , wherein the client application identifier comprises a large number. 
     
     
         9 . The system of any of  claim 1 , wherein the engine is executed by a first one of the one or more clients to select a target server or server subset among the plurality of servers using the client application identifier; and,
 wherein the engine is executed by a second one of the one or more clients to select the same target server or server subset among the plurality of servers using the client application identifier.   
     
     
         10 . A method comprising:
 executing, by one or more clients, an engine to select a target server or server subset among a plurality of servers, using a client application identifier.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein two or more clients, using the same client application identifier, select the same target server or server subset. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein each of the plurality of servers is coupled to the one or more clients and configured to provide one or more service classes, the services classes including application services and directory services. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the application services on each server serve only a subset of all client applications. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the directory services of each server are configured to provide a list of servers, each server tagged with the application services that server supports. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the engine includes a service mapping subsystem configured to map each client application identifier to the target server or server subset. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the service mapping subsystem is configured to map said client application identifier using Highest Random Weight. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the client application identifier comprises a large number. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the executing, by one or more clients, an engine to select a target server or server subset among a plurality of servers, using a client application identifier comprises:
 executing, by a first one of the one or more clients, an engine to select a target server or server subset among a plurality of servers, using a client application identifier; and   executing, by a second one of the one or more clients, the engine to select the target server or server subset among the plurality of servers, using the client application identifier.   
     
     
         19 . A non-transitory computer-readable medium having computer-readable instructions stored thereon that, if executed by a computer system, result in a method comprising:
 executing, by one or more clients, an engine to select a target server or server subset among a plurality of servers, using a client application identifier.   
     
     
         20 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 19 , wherein two or more clients, using the same client application identifier, select the same target server or server subset. 
     
     
         21 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 19 , wherein each of the plurality of servers is coupled to the one or more clients and configured to provide one or more service classes, the services classes including application services and directory services. 
     
     
         22 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 21 , wherein the application services on each server serve only a subset of all client applications. 
     
     
         23 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 21 , wherein the directory services of each server are configured to provide a list of servers, each server tagged with the application services that server supports. 
     
     
         24 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 19 , wherein the engine includes a service mapping subsystem configured to map each client application identifier to the target server or server subset. 
     
     
         25 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 24 , wherein the service mapping subsystem is configured to map said client application identifier using Highest Random Weight. 
     
     
         26 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 19 , wherein the client application identifier comprises a large number. 
     
     
         27 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 19 , wherein the executing, by one or more clients, an engine to select a target server or server subset among a plurality of servers, using a client application identifier comprises:
 executing, by a first one of the one or more clients, an engine to select a target server or server subset among a plurality of servers, using a client application identifier; and   executing, by a second one of the one or more clients, the engine to select the target server or server subset among the plurality of servers, using the client application identifier.