LOAD DISTRIBUTION METHOD TAKING ACCOUNT OF NODE OF EACH RANK OF MULTI-RANK

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To achieve load equalization for the entire network system, taking account of load on a lower rank, in a hierarchical type network system.SOLUTION: In arbitrary three ranks (n to n+2 ranks), the node of one of the (n+1)th ranks captures load information from one or more nodes of the (n+2)th rank, calculates an amount of free resource of its own node on the basis of the captured load information and the load information of the own node, transmits the calculated amount of free resource of the own node to the node of the n-th rank. On the basis of the amount of free resource, captured from each node of the (n+1)th rank, the node of the n-th rank calculates a weighted value, and distributes a received processing request to one of the nodes of the (n+1)th ranks.