Method and system for establishing a quorum for a geographically distributed cluster of computers
First Claim
1. A method that facilitates establishing a quorum for a cluster within a plurality of computers that are geographically distributed, the method comprising:
- detecting a change in membership of the cluster at a computer within the plurality of computers; and
upon detecting the change in membership, forming a potential new cluster by attempting to communicate with all other computers within the plurality of computers, accumulating votes for each computer successfully contacted, attempting to gain control of a quorum server located at a site separate from all computers within the plurality of computers, if successful, accumulating the quorum server'"'"'s votes, and if a total of accumulated votes includes a majority of available votes, forming a new cluster from the potential new cluster.
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Accused Products
Abstract
One embodiment of the present invention provides a system that facilitates establishing a quorum for a cluster of computers that are geographically distributed. The system operates by detecting a change in membership of the cluster. Upon detecting the change, the system forms a potential new cluster by attempting to communicate with all other computers within the cluster. The system accumulates votes for each computer successfully contacted. The system also attempts to gain control of a quorum server located at a site separate from all computers within the cluster. If successful at gaining control, the system accumulates the quorum server'"'"'s votes as well. If the total of accumulated votes is a majority of the available votes, the system forms a new cluster from the potential new cluster.
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Citations
27 Claims
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1. A method that facilitates establishing a quorum for a cluster within a plurality of computers that are geographically distributed, the method comprising:
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detecting a change in membership of the cluster at a computer within the plurality of computers; and
upon detecting the change in membership, forming a potential new cluster by attempting to communicate with all other computers within the plurality of computers, accumulating votes for each computer successfully contacted, attempting to gain control of a quorum server located at a site separate from all computers within the plurality of computers, if successful, accumulating the quorum server'"'"'s votes, and if a total of accumulated votes includes a majority of available votes, forming a new cluster from the potential new cluster. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. A method that facilitates establishing a quorum for a cluster within a plurality of computers that are geographically distributed, the method comprising:
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providing a quorum server at a site separate from a location of a computer within the plurality of computers;
assigning at least one vote to each computer within the plurality of computers;
assigning at least one vote to the quorum server;
attempting to establish communications between each pair of computers within the plurality of computers;
accumulating a count of votes for each computer communicated with at each computer;
attempting to establish control over the quorum server from each computer within the plurality of computers;
if control is established over the quorum server, accumulating the quorum server'"'"'s votes in the count of votes; and
establishing the quorum when a majority of available votes has been accumulated in the count of votes. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A computer-readable storage medium storing instructions that when executed by a computer cause the computer to perform a method that facilitates establishing a quorum for a cluster within a plurality of computers that are geographically distributed, the method comprising:
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detecting a change in membership of the cluster at a computer within the plurality of computers; and
upon detecting the change in membership, forming a potential new cluster by attempting to communicate with all other computers within the plurality of computers, accumulating votes for each computer successfully contacted, attempting to gain control of a quorum server located at a site separate from all computers within the plurality of computers, if successful, accumulating the quorum server'"'"'s votes, and if a total of accumulated votes includes a majority of available votes, forming a new cluster from the potential new cluster. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A computer-readable storage medium storing instructions that when executed by a computer cause the computer to perform a method that facilitates establishing a quorum for a cluster within a plurality of computers that are geographically distributed, the method comprising:
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providing a quorum server at a site separate from a location of a computer within the plurality of computers;
assigning at least one vote to each computer within the plurality of computers;
assigning at least one vote to the quorum server;
attempting to establish communications between each pair of computers within the plurality of computers;
accumulating a count of votes for each computer communicated with at each computer;
attempting to establish control over the quorum server from each computer within the plurality of computers;
if control is established over the quorum server, accumulating the quorum server'"'"'s votes in the count of votes; and
establishing the quorum when a majority of available votes has been accumulated in the count of votes. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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23. A system that facilitates establishing a quorum for a cluster within a plurality of computers that are geographically distributed, comprising:
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the plurality of computers;
a network coupling the plurality of computers;
a quorum server located at a site separate from any one computer of the plurality of computers; and
an independent communications link coupling each computer of the plurality of computers and the quorum server. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25, 26, 27)
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Specification