A method of processing a request, performed by a respective server, is provided in which a request is received from a client. After receiving the request, a determination is made as to whether at least a first predefined number of other servers have a task-processing status for the request indicating that the other servers have undertaken performance of a task-processing operation for the request. When less than the first number of other servers in the set of other servers have the task-processing status for the request, a processing-status message is sent to one or more of the servers in the set of other servers indicating that the respective server is performing the task-processing operation. Upon completion of the task-processing, a result of the processing is sent to the client contingent upon a status of the other servers in the set of other servers.