An application server is disclosed for communicating with a plurality of
clients. The application server executes code segments stored on a
computer readable storage medium, such as on a disk storage medium, FLASH
memory, etc. The application server initiates a Transmission Control
Protocol/Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) object for processing a request
received from one of the clients, wherein the request comprises input
data. The application server invokes an asynchronous function with the
TCP/IP object as an input parameter to process the request, and when the
asynchronous function is finished processing the request, returns output
data to the client.