Network match maker

Abstract

A network match making system and method is used to match users of a multi-users networked application. Each user is associated with a client computer connected to the network. Clients are selected based on attributes of their users, the clients, servers, and/or communication links. The network match maker works with three different forms of network applications: peer-to-peer, multiple clients to a single server, and multiple clients to multiple servers. In one match maker method, a client computer and one multi-user application server are matched. A list of multi-user application servers connected to the computer network that are available for a match is received. At least one communication attribute of respective data communication links between the client computer and a plurality of multi-application servers in the received list is measured. An additional attribute, such as a server attribute, is received from at least one of the plurality of multi-user application servers. A subset of one or more multi-user application servers is then selected based on the measured communication attributes and the additional attribute received from the multi-user application servers.