Load balancing utilizing adaptive thresholding

Abstract

Methods and systems for processing data requests in a client-server computing environment, such as the Web, are disclosed. A client device initially transmits a data request to a randomly selected first server device. The first server device may reject the data request if its request queue threshold is exceeded. The client device retransmits the data request, including the request queue threshold, to a randomly selected second server device. The second server device may reject the data request if the request queue threshold of the first server device is smaller than a request queue threshold of the second server device. The client device transmits the data request back to the first server device, including the request queue threshold of the second server device. The first server device processes the data request and adjusts its request queue threshold based on the request queue thresholds of the first and second server devices.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A computer-implemented method of operating a server computing device to process data requests, the method comprising:
 receiving a first data request from a client computing device at a first server computing device, wherein the first data request includes a second queue threshold obtained from a second server computing device;   comparing, by the first server computing device, a first queue threshold associated with the first server computing device and the second queue threshold obtained from the second server computing device;   determining, by the first server computing device, whether to process the data request at the first server computing device based on the comparison of the first queue threshold and the second queue threshold; and   managing, by the first server computing device, the first queue threshold based on the comparison of the first and second queue thresholds; and   processing the data request, at the first server computing device, based on the comparison of the first and second queue thresholds.