Looking for suggestions on an AJAX app prob. relating to updating status of long running p

What you have to is to have a TaskStatus type object in server side maybe in session or new the Profile:

For Ex You have a WebService:

[WebMethod(EnableSession=true]
void ProcessLongRunningTask()
{

TaskStatus status = new TaskStatus();
Session["status"] = status;

PerfromStep1(status);
PerfromStep2(status);
//And So On
}

void PerfromStep1(TaskStatus status)
{
//Process your work
status.Progress += 10;
}

void PerfromStep2(TaskStatus status)
{
//Process your work
status.Progress += 20;
}

Then Say We have also a method which returns a task status, like this

[WebMethod(EnableSession=true]
TaskStatus GetTaskStatus()
{
return (TaskStatus) Session["status"]
}

In the Client Side say you start the by calling the ProcessLongRunningTask Method. Then you use the window.setInterval to poll the Task Status at predefined interval by calling the GetTaskStatus() method.

I hope i have explained the idea.