METHOD OF PROVIDING COMPUTING RESOURCES TO COMPUTERS OPERATED BY DIFFERENT COMPANIES

摘要

An implementation of this invention is a hybrid approach, offering features of conventional service provider based IT system (e.g. with applications remaining resident on a remote server) combined with features associated with client-server architectures. More specifically, a central server provides services requiring low levels of bandwidth for delivery, such as one or more of the following functions: e-mail server hosting, messaging server hosting, groupware application hosting, managed desktop, virus scanning, patch deployment, spam filtering, remote access, automated off-site back-up, web site hosting, disaster recovery. The client devices each provide one or more of the following functions: running local applications and a local operating system; access to the remote server over the network. This approach is implemented by the server automatically deploying the applications and OSs to a local server on the same physical network as the client device; it is then the local server that then deploys these to the client device. Resources for a given client device that require high levels of network bandwidth, including file/print services, network authentication and software deployment, are stored on the local server. This approach combines the best of a fully outsourced, service provider based IT system, with the performance of a client-server system wholly within the control of a given company.