Partner discovery in control clusters using shared VLAN
First Claim
1. A method for partner discovery in a control cluster using a shared virtual local area network (VLAN), the method comprising:
- determining, at a first virtual device executing in a data processing system, whether a partner list associated with the first virtual device includes a threshold number of partner virtual devices, the first virtual device participating in the control cluster, and a partner virtual device in the partner list of the first virtual device operates as a redundant backup of the first virtual device, the first virtual device and the partner virtual device forming a control channel in the control cluster, the control cluster including the first virtual device and each partner virtual device from the partner list of the first virtual device, and wherein any virtual device in the control cluster can operate as a control adapter in the control cluster;
unicasting over the VLAN, responsive to the partner list not being empty, to each partner virtual device identified in the partner list, a first Live packet, wherein the first Live packet identifies each partner virtual device already in the partner list of the first virtual device;
receiving over the VLAN, responsive to the partner list not being empty, a unicast of a second Live packet from a second virtual device to the first virtual device, the second virtual device being identified in the partner list; and
broadcasting over the VLAN, a Hello packet, to cause the Hello packet to reach a third virtual device, wherein the Hello packet is configured to discover a new partner virtual device to add to the partner list, discovering the new partner enlarging the control cluster.
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Abstract
At a first virtual device executing in a data processing system, a determination is made whether a partner list associated with the first virtual device includes a threshold number of partner virtual devices, the first virtual device participating in the control cluster. A first Live packet is unicast over the VLAN to each partner virtual device identified in the partner list. A unicast of a second Live packet from a second virtual device to the first virtual device is received over the VLAN, the second virtual device being identified in the partner list. A Hello packet is broadcast over the VLAN to cause the Hello packet to reach a third virtual device, wherein the Hello packet is configured to discover a new partner virtual device to add to the partner list, discovering the new partner enlarging the control cluster.
7 Citations
15 Claims
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1. A method for partner discovery in a control cluster using a shared virtual local area network (VLAN), the method comprising:
determining, at a first virtual device executing in a data processing system, whether a partner list associated with the first virtual device includes a threshold number of partner virtual devices, the first virtual device participating in the control cluster, and a partner virtual device in the partner list of the first virtual device operates as a redundant backup of the first virtual device, the first virtual device and the partner virtual device forming a control channel in the control cluster, the control cluster including the first virtual device and each partner virtual device from the partner list of the first virtual device, and wherein any virtual device in the control cluster can operate as a control adapter in the control cluster; unicasting over the VLAN, responsive to the partner list not being empty, to each partner virtual device identified in the partner list, a first Live packet, wherein the first Live packet identifies each partner virtual device already in the partner list of the first virtual device; receiving over the VLAN, responsive to the partner list not being empty, a unicast of a second Live packet from a second virtual device to the first virtual device, the second virtual device being identified in the partner list; and broadcasting over the VLAN, a Hello packet, to cause the Hello packet to reach a third virtual device, wherein the Hello packet is configured to discover a new partner virtual device to add to the partner list, discovering the new partner enlarging the control cluster. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
Specification