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From: crohrer@uswat.uswest.com ( Chris Rohrer #330 x1513 )
Newsgroups: comp.protocols.tcp-ip
Subject: Multiple server contention resolution
Message-ID: <14198@uswat.UUCP>
Date: 9 Jan 91 01:04:42 GMT
Sender: news@uswat.UUCP
Organization: US WEST Advanced Technologies, CO, USA
Lines: 33

I know this is a problem that has been solved many times, many ways, but I
was hoping for some guidance.  The setup is that I have a client machine 
that needs services from any of a number of physically redundant servers
on a CSMA/CD type of LAN; the exact service or services are irrelevant to
the discussion (I think...) except that once a server responds, a session
on that 'connection' will transpire.  The goal is to share usage across
the servers even allowing a server to be taken out of service (or at least
quiesced) transparently to a client base.

I'm looking for a possibly already existing reference to a protocol or 
mechanism that will govern the resolution of multiple responses to a given
request for service that has been broadcast to the multiple servers. 


My questions can be distilled down to something like these:

1) Is a broadcast mechanism a useful way of soliciting a server response?

2) Would a more deterministic method of server selection be better?

3) Are these things available off the shelf?

4) Would I have to give tons more specs to elicit a meaningful netnews
response?

Any help would be greatly appreciated, even advice as to which news groups
would be more appropriate for this type of question.

Thanks,


Chris Rohrer
crohrer@uswest.com