This sample app is an example of a simple "pool manager" that could be used to maintain open instances of OLE servers for client applications.  Using this scheme, client apps ask the PM for a ptr to an object they want to use.  The PM checks his pool, and either grants or denies their request.  This approach has a number of benefits: 
1) it avoids the lengthy OLE server create costs for each client request... since the pool would typically be created  before a client needs a server.
2) based on the frequency of client requests, the potential number of clients,  and the duration of server tasks, a pool size can be created (or even adjusted as demand dictates at various times) that is significantly smaller that a 1-1 allocation scheme for clients and servers.  For example: if the number of clients is 60, the avg. frequency of requests is 1 per minute per client, and the avg duration of a server task is 1 second... a linear alocation plan would suggest that 1 server is needed to meet the needs of 60 clients.  Now realistically, requests will not be perfectly spaced... so a reasonable level of reduncency... say a pool size of 5 OLE servers, could be used to meet the normal needs of the 60 clients.
3) it limits the number of servers that can be created of a specific type to a threshold that has been determined by the server admin.  This can be a very useful tuning paramater... and also be a useful tool to prevent the server from being abused by a peak request of a low priority server.

Note: the scheduling algorithm used to initialize, adjust, and manage pool sizes can be as simple or as complex and environment specific as people need.  An awareness of the time of day, (when orders all flood in from branch offices), or of the urgency of certain tasks, of interests in look ahead allocations or lazy closing, or many other custom factors could be used to manage pools sizes.  Because the pool manager can be written in VB, it should be quite easy for people to define an intelligent and custom scheme that maps closely to their specific environment requirements.