Cluster membership monitor

• US 7,039,694 B2
• Filed: 05/02/2001
• Issued: 05/02/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 05/02/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Oracle America, Inc. (Oracle Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Sun Microsystems Incorporated (Oracle Corporation)
• Inventors: Kampe, Mark A., Penkler, David, Ramer, Rebecca A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Burgess, Glenton B.
• Assistant Examiner(s): BARQADLE, YASIN M
• Application Number:
  US09/847,044
• Publication Number:
  US 20020042693A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,826 Days
• Field of Search: 709217-226, 709/208, 709211-213, 714 1- 4, 714 11- 13
• US Class Current: 709/222
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0618 based on the physical or logical position
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/085 Retrieval of network configuration; Tracking network configuration history
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0856 by backing up or archiving configuration information
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0893 Assignment of logical groups to network elements
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/00 Arrangements for monitoring or testing data switching networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0817 by checking functioning
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/12 Network monitoring probes
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/104 Peer-to-peer [P2P] networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1044 Group management mechanisms management of multicast group membership H04L12/185; reconfiguring of node membership in a computing system to eliminate errors G06F11/1425
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1046 Joining mechanisms
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1048 Departure or maintenance mechanisms
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1051 Group master selection mechanisms
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1093 Some peer nodes performing special functions

Abstract

The present invention provides a system and method within a high availability network for monitoring and managing cluster membership. The cluster membership monitor provides the ability to maintain a list of current cluster members, monitor status of each peer node on the cluster, stay apprised of each nodes viability, elect a master node for the cluster when necessary, and coordinate reformation as members join and leave the cluster.

Claims

1. A method for joining a cluster with a cluster membership monitor within a clustered computer network, comprising the steps of:

starting a local cluster membership monitor entity on a node when it boots;

with the local cluster membership monitor entity, establishing contact with peer cluster membership monitor entities on peer nodes of the cluster;

when the peer nodes are found, performing a consensus protocol with the booting node and the found peer nodes;

when the consensus protocol performing results in a consensus being achieved, determining whether one of the found peer nodes is a master node of the cluster;

if the master node is determined, joining the cluster with the booting node; and

using the local cluster membership monitor entity on the booting node to obtain configuration data from a master cluster membership monitor entity located on the master node and configuring the booting node based on the obtained configuration data.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of logging in a local system log of the master node a cluster joining event indicating addition of the booting node as one of the peer nodes of the cluster.

3. A system for monitoring cluster membership within a clustered computer network, comprising

a plurality of peer nodes communicatively linked within the clustered computer network and each locally running a cluster membership monitor and having a master node priority value;

wherein a one of the peer nodes having the highest of the master node priority values is elected as a master node;

wherein the one of the peer nodes elected as the master node further stores a cluster configuration defining a set of the peer nodes which are members of a cluster and defining configuration data for the member peer nodes;

wherein the master node periodically transmits a heartbeat to each of the member peer nodes and viable ones of the member peer nodes respond to provide an indication of viability; and

wherein the locally running cluster membership monitor on a booting one of the plurality of peer nodes obtains at least a portion of the configuration data from the master node and configures the booting one of the plurality of peer nodes based on the obtained configuration data.