Method and system for consistent cluster operational data in a server cluster using a quorum of replicas
US6401120B1 · kind B1 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Mar 26, 1999 |
| Grant date | Jun 4, 2002 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Mar 26, 2019 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG06F11/1662
- WIPO fieldComputer technology
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A method and system for increasing the availability of a server cluster while reducing its cost by requiring at a minimum only one node and a quorum replica set of storage devices (replica members) to form and continue operating as a cluster. A plurality of replica members maintain the cluster operational data and are independent from any given node. A cluster may be formed and continue to operate as long as one server node possesses a quorum (majority) of the replica members. This ensures that a new or surviving cluster has a least one replica member that belonged to the immediately prior cluster and is thus correct with respect to the cluster operational data. Update sequence numbers and/or timestamps are used to determine the most updated replica member from among those in the quorum for reconciling the other replica members.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.