DISTRIBUTED DATA ACCESS SYSTEM INCLUDING A PLURALITY OF DATABASE ACCESS PROCESSORS WITH ONE-FOR-N REDUNDANCY

In a distributed data access system in which a plurality of computers maintain and provide access to a database of stock exchange information, 1-for-N redundancy is provided by operating one computer in a standby mode, while the other computers operate online. Each on-line computer provides access to the database to a predefined set of a geographically broad plurality of users. The set of users for any on-line computer is defined by user connectivity data structures that define connectivity between the user set and the computer. When a failure is detected in any one of the computers, the user connectivity data structures of that computer are provided to the standby computer, which then assumes all operations of the failed computer. An arbitrator computer facility observes the health and determines the status of each of the computers, including the standby computer, and controls the transfer of online status from a failed computer to the standby computer. The arbitrator computer facility is a pair of redundant computers, one of which executes the arbitration function and the other of which operates as a standby.