A method,
system, and program for redirecting
client connection requests among sockets providing a same service are provided. An application requests multiple sockets from a kernel. In addition, the application generates a socket call option to bind the sockets to a particular port number and passes a
list of the sockets to the kernel, where the
list indicates that the sockets will all provide access to
server systems providing the same service. In response, the kernel sets up the sockets, bound to the same port, and set to reference one another. Then, when a connection request is received for a first socket in the
list with a
queue that is full, the kernel redirects the connection request to a second socket in the list with available
queue space. Thus, rather than drop the connection request from the first socket when it lacks available
queue space, the connection request is redirected to another socket providing access to the same service.