Method for a group of services to operate in two modes simultaneously

Abstract

The invention is a method of handling groups of services where the makeup and structure of the groups can be determined and changed while the application is running. In one embodiment a group of services is grouped as a coordinator cohort group with respect to one client and, at the same time, as a peer group with respect to another client. This is accomplished by registering with a lookup service a coordinator cohort group proxy and a peer group proxy. Clients may download from the lookup service either group proxy in order to use the group of services in the desired mode.

1 . A computer implemented method of grouping services in a distributed computing application comprising the steps of: 
 initiating a plurality of services arranged into a group, with each service having its own service proxy and grouping agent;    each grouping agent registering its associated service with a group service including providing the group service with the service proxy of the service it is registering;    the group service bundling a first group logic shell for a first group mode with at least one of the service proxies to form a first group proxy for the group;    the group service bundling a second group logic shell for a second group mode with at least one of the service proxies to form a second group proxy for the group;    the group service providing the first group proxy to a first client and the second group proxy to a second client;    the first client using the first group proxy to call the group in the first group mode; and    the second client using the second group proxy to call the group in the second group mode.    
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the first group mode and second group mode are selected from the set comprising peer and coordinator cohort.  
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the first client and the second client are the same client.  
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the group acts simultaneously in the first group mode and second group mode.  
   
   
       5 . A computer readable medium containing instructions for controlling a computer system to perform a method of grouping services in a distributed computing application comprising the steps of: 
 initiating a plurality of services arranged into a group, with each service having its own service proxy and grouping agent;    each grouping agent registering its associated service with a group service including providing the group service with the service proxy of the service it is registering;    the group service bundling a first group logic shell for a first group mode with at least one of the service proxies to form a first group proxy for the group;    the group service bundling a second group logic shell for a second group mode with at least one of the service proxies to form a second group proxy for the group;    the group service providing the first group proxy to a first client and the second group proxy to a second client;    the first client using the first group proxy to call the group in the first group mode; and    the second client using the second group proxy to call the group in the second group mode.    
   
   
       6 . The computer readable medium of  claim 5  wherein the first group mode and second group mode are selected from the set comprising peer and coordinator cohort.  
   
   
       7 . The computer readable medium of  claim 5  wherein the first client and the second client are the same client.  
   
   
       8 . The computer readable medium of  claim 5  wherein the group acts simultaneously in the first group mode and second group mode.