Method of and apparatus for operating a client/server computer network

A server apparatus for accessing one or more common resources using a plurality of server processes to which client service requests are assigned, said server apparatus comprising

• table means, including a plurality of different predetermined workload indicator ranges, each range specifying a lower and an upper limit on how many client service requests can be assigned to each server process,
• means for receiving an unassigned client service request requesting access to one of said common resources,
• means, responsive to a server apparatus determined total number of client service requests, for accessing said table means to select in which range said total number of client service requests lies and thus determines, for the selected range, the number of client service requests or workload that can be assigned to each server process and
• means, responsive to the selected range and a workload indicator for each server process, each workload indicator being less than the upper limit of said selected range, for assigning said unassigned received client service request to a server process having a workload indicator which is less than the workload indicator of all other server processes.

A computer network comprising

• a server apparatus,
• a plurality of client apparatuses connected to said server apparatus, said server apparatus including one or more common resources which can be accessed by a client apparatus using one of a plurality of server processes activated by said server apparatus, said server apparatus comprising
• means for receiving an unassigned client service request requesting access to one of said common resources and
• means, responsive to a workload indication from each server process, each workload indication being less than a maximum workload for each server process, for assigning said unassigned received client service request to a server process having a workload indication which is less than the workload indication of all other server processes.

A computer network comprising

• a server apparatus,
• a plurality of client apparatuses connected to said server apparatus, said server apparatus including one or more common resources which can be accessed by a client apparatus using one of a plurality of server processes activated by said server apparatus, said server apparatus comprising
• table means including a plurality of different predetermined workload indicator ranges, each range specifying a lower and an upper limit on how many client service requests can be assigned to each server process,
• means for receiving an unassigned client service request requesting access to one of said common resources,
• means, responsive to a server apparatus determined total number of client service requests, for accessing said table means to select in which range said total number of client service requests lies and thus the number of client service requests or workload that can be assigned to each server process, and
• means, responsive to the selected workload indicator range and a workload indicator from each server process, each workload indicator being less than the upper limit of said selected workload indicator range, for assigning said unassigned received client service request to a server process having a workload indicator which is less than the workload indicator of all other server processes.

In a server apparatus, a method of accessing one or more common resources using a plurality of server processes to which client service requests are assigned, said method comprising the steps of

• at said server apparatus
• measuring a workload indication of each server process
• receiving an unassigned client service request requesting access to one of said common resources by way of one of said plurality of server processes and
• assigning, in response to a workload indication from each server process which is less than a maximum workload for each server process, said unassigned received client service request to a server process having a workload indication which is less than the workload indication of all other server processes.