Failover system and method for cluster environment

• US 7,281,154 B2
• Filed: 07/25/2005
• Issued: 10/09/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 08/09/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Dell Products LP (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Dell Products LP (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Inventors: Hsieh, Jenwei, Mashayekhi, Victor, Rooholamini, Mohamad Reza
• Primary Examiner(s): Bonzo; Bryce P
• Application Number:
  US11/188,327
• Publication Number:
  US 20050268155A1
• Time in Patent Office: 806 Days
• Field of Search: 714/4, 718/105
• US Class Current: 714/4.11
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/2028 eliminating a faulty processor or activating a spare
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/2035 without idle spare hardware
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/2046 where the redundant components share persistent storage G06F11/2043 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/40 for recovering from a failure of a protocol instance or entity, e.g. service redundancy protocols, protocol state redundancy or protocol service redirection management of faults, events, alarms or notifications in data switching networks H04L41/06

Abstract

A failover method and system is provided for a computer system having at least three nodes operating as a cluster. One method includes the steps of detecting failure of one node, determining the weight of at least two surviving nodes, and assigning a failover node based on the determined weights of the surviving nodes. Another method includes the steps detecting failure of one node and determining the time of failure, and assigning a failover node based in part on the determined time of failure. This method may also include the steps of determining a time period during which nodes in the cluster are heavily utilized, and assigning a failover node that is not heavily utilized during that time period.

Claims

1. A failover method for a computer system having at least three nodes operating as a cluster, said method comprising the steps of:

following failure of one of said at least three nodes, determining the order in which surviving nodes joined said cluster;

assigning a failover node according to the order in which said surviving nodes joined said cluster; and

failing over all applications running on said failed node to said failover node.

2. The failover method according to claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

determining a first surviving node to join the cluster, and

assigning said first joined surviving node as said failover node.

3. The failover method according to claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

determining a first surviving node to join the cluster, and

assigning said last joined surviving node as said failover node.