Scalable and flexible internet fax architecture for processing outbound fax messages

摘要

Methods and systems for processing outbound fax messages in an efficient and scalable manner are provided. According to one embodiment, a request to deliver a fax message is received by an Internet fax system. Source files associated with the request and representing at least a portion of content to be included as part of the fax message are stored to a shared storage area accessible by multiple imaging systems and multiple fax processing resources. A load score is calculated for each imaging system based on one or more of a processor load and a memory load. An imaging system is selected, based on the load scores, to convert the source files into a digital representation suitable for faxing. The source files are converted by associating the digital representation with an outbound fax job. The fax message is delivered by submitting the outbound fax job to one of the fax modems.

主权项

1. A method of delivering fax messages, the method comprising:
receiving, at an initial submission gateway device of an Internet fax system, a request to deliver a fax message to one or more third parties; causing to be stored, by the initial submission gateway device, one or more source files associated with the request and representing at least a portion of content to be included as part of the fax message to a shared storage area of the Internet fax system accessible by a plurality of imaging systems and a plurality of fax processing resources of the Internet fax system; for each imaging system of the plurality of imaging systems, calculating a load score based on one or more of a processor load associated with the imaging system and a memory load associated with the imaging system; selecting an imaging system of the plurality of imaging systems to convert the one or more source files into a digital representation suitable for faxing based on their respective load scores; and converting, by the selected imaging system, the one or more source files into the digital representation, associating the digital representation with an outbound fax job and causing the fax message to be delivered to the one or more third parties by submitting the outbound fax job to a fax modem of the plurality of fax processing resources.