The present invention refers to a method for extending replicated
service discovery information for determining the availability of requested remote services in a
client /
server-based network environment (400), wherein each of a multiplicity of
client terminals (402) is connected to a single file and / or
application server (404, 405) of a specific
service provider via a
wireless multi-hop network which is based on a store-and-forward messaging principle, i.e. a
wireless Personal Area Network (PAN) based on
Bluetooth technology. Thereby, said
service discovery information is needed for a selection of the optimal
service provider. The method comprises the steps of providing (S1) network distance information indicating the number of intermediate network nodes (406) acting as forwarding servers for accessing remotely accessible services between a
client terminal (402) and a number of file and / or application servers (404, 405) within said
wireless wireless multi-hop network and selecting (S2) a requested remote service running on a file and / or
application server (404) of a specific
service provider at a network distance in the physical proximity of the respective client terminal (402) which can be reached from said client terminal (402) with a minimum of forwarding
delay based on said network distance information. According to one embodiment of the invention,
service discovery information is dynamically adapted (S3) to information concerning varying resource availability and / or changing link characteristics within said wireless multi-hop network. In this connection, cached service discovery information is marked as active (S3a) only as long as a file and / or
application server (404, 405) participates in a wireless communication session with the respective client terminal (402) and marked as inactive (S3b) after the connection between said
server (404, 405) and the respective client terminal (402) is closed and a predefined time-out period has expired, thereby discarding (S3c) outdated service discovery information. According to a further embodiment, information indicating the usage of requested remote services is taken into account during the process of selecting (S2) a specific remote service.