How to sync scripts on multiple computers

[dcat127]

I have a script that I want to run on multiple computers, this script will:

• Download an email of over pop3, and after processing it (which may take a minute) delete it from the server. The script will poll the pop3 server every 1 minute to check for new messages.
• I want to have scripts running on at least 2 different computers (at different locations) to provide: Redundancy and load balancing.
• It is important that each email only gets processed once.

My question is, what is the best way for the scripts to check whether the other is currently downloading a message on the mail server?

Is using writing information into an Mysql database on the Webserver a good choice?

[water]

If both computers are on the same network you could write a lock file to a file share when a computer starts to read mails and delete it when he has finished to do so.
The script then just has to check for the lock file and if it exists wait in a loop until it gets deleted.

[dcat127]

Both computers are going to be on a separate network

[water]

If they can't share a file on a network share then a database will be a good choice.

[argumentum]

My question is, what is the best way for the scripts to check whether the other is currently downloading a message on the mail server?

Is using writing information into an Mysql database on the Webserver a good choice?

The answer is .... How else would it be practical. Go for it.
Now, what if the webserver is down ?
How do you handle synchronizing the other scripts.

I'd let them all "check mail, d/l, remove", the script that has the longer .eml is the correct one and sync based on that.  

Or better, once you have the same .eml by more than one script, then remove the source email, just to be safe for the redundancy.

Edit: Let us know how you ended up doing it.

Edited January 3, 2016 by argumentum