System and method for transferring a session from one application server to another without losing existing resources

摘要

The present invention allows a multimedia session to be transferred from one application server to another in the event that the original application server fails, and also allows a session to be cooperatively transferred from one application server to another, even though the original application server is still available for use. The new application server may be in the same multimedia computer (i.e. the same physical machine) as the original application server, or the new application server may be in a different computer. The session is transferred without losing existing resources, and callbacks that occur during the session takeover process are not lost. An application server which owns a multimedia session may enable that session for takeover, by using an Application Programming Interface (API). The API returns session takeover data which must be available to a new application server in the event of a takeover. The new application server uses the session takeover data to reconstruct information, including access information, regarding all resources necessary to keep the session executing.