Controlled server loading

A method for controlled server loading, the method comprising the steps of:

• defining a maximum number of concurrent connections that a server is permitted to support;
• limiting a number of concurrent connections supported by the server to the maximum number;
• monitoring the server's performance while it supports the concurrent connections;
• and
• dynamically adjusting the maximum number as a function of the server's performance to thereby control a performance factor for the server.

A method for controlled server loading, the method comprising the steps of:

• receiving a plurality of data requests from clients;
• forwarding a number of the data requests to a server for processing;
• and
• storing at least one of the data requests until the server completes processing at least one of the forwarded data requests.

A method for controlled server loading, the method comprising the steps of:

• defining a maximum number of data requests that a server is permitted to process concurrently;
• monitoring the server's performance;
• and
• dynamically adjusting the maximum number in response to the monitoring step to thereby adjust the server's performance.

A method for controlled loading of a cluster-based server, the cluster-based server including a dispatcher and a plurality of back-end servers, the method comprising the steps of:

• receiving at the dispatcher a plurality of data requests from clients;
• forwarding a plurality of the data requests to each of the back-end servers for processing;
• and
• storing at the dispatcher at least one of the data requests until one of the back-end servers completes processing one of the forwarded data requests.

A method for controlled loading of a cluster-based server, the cluster-based server including a dispatcher and a plurality of back-end servers, the method comprising the steps of:

• defining, for each back-end server, a maximum number of data requests that can be processed concurrently;
• monitoring the performance of each back-end server;
• and
• dynamically adjusting the maximum number for at least one of the back-end servers in response to the monitoring step to thereby adjust the performance of the cluster-based server.