Efficiently handling client requests in a server farm

A system, comprising:

• a plurality of servers comprising a server farm;
• wherein a server of said server farm comprises:
• a memory unit operable for storing a computer program operable for handling client requests in said server farm;
• a hardfile coupled to said memory unit, wherein said hardfile comprises a plurality of partitions configured to store data, wherein each image comprises a limited number of partitions of said plurality of partitions of said hardfile, wherein said hardfile stores a first table configured to indicate an active image, wherein said first table stores a first image indicating said first image is active;
• and
• a processor coupled to said memory unit and to said hardfile, wherein said processor, responsive to said computer program, comprises:
• circuitry operable for receiving input to substitute said first image with a second image, wherein said first image comprises a first combination of said limited number of partitions of said plurality of partitions of said hardfile, wherein said second image comprises a second combination of said limited number of partitions of said plurality of partitions of said hardfile;
• circuitry operable for receiving input to select said second image to be activated;
• circuitry operable for substituting said first image with said second image in said first table to indicate that said second image is to be activated;
• and
• circuitry operable for activating said second image.

A system, comprising:

• a plurality of servers comprising a server farm;
• wherein a server of said server farm comprises:
• a hardfile configured to store data, wherein said hardfile comprises a plurality of partitions, wherein each image comprises a limited number of partitions of said plurality of partitions of said hardfile, wherein said hardfile stores a first table configured to indicate an active image, wherein said first table stores a first image indicating said first image is active;
• means for receiving an input to substitute said first image with a second image, wherein said first image comprises a first combination of said limited number of partitions of said plurality of partitions of said hardfile, wherein said second image comprises a second combination of said limited number of partitions of said plurality of partitions of said hardfile;
• means for receiving input to select said second image to be activated;
• means for substituting said first image with said second image in said first table to indicate that said second image is to be activated;
• and
• means for activating said second image.

A computer program product embodied in a machine readable medium for handling client requests in a server farm comprising the programming steps of:

• receiving input to substitute a first image with a second image in a server of said server farm, wherein said first image and said second image comprise a limited number of partitions of a plurality of partitions of a hardfile in said server, wherein said first image comprises a first combination of said limited number of partitions of said plurality of partitions of said hardfile, wherein said second image comprises a second combination of said limited number of partitions of said plurality of partitions of said hardfile, wherein said hardfile stores a first table configured to indicate an active image, wherein said first table stores said first image indicating said first image is active;
• receiving input to select said second image to be activated;
• substituting said first image with said second image in said first table to indicate that said second image is to be activated;
• and
• activating said second image.