Identification of active server cluster controller
US6675199B1 · kind B1 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Jul 6, 2000 |
| Grant date | Jan 6, 2004 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jun 14, 2022 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH04L69/40
- WIPO fieldDigital communication
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A failover algorithm implemented in software, without any failover-specific hardware, that allows servers in a cluster to determine whether a primary or secondary controller is active without requiring communication between the primary and secondary controllers. A server cluster includes several servers coupled to two servers, which are designated as a primary controller and a secondary controller. While the server cluster is operational, either the primary controller or the secondary controller will be actively controlling the cluster. Software running on the servers of the cluster, on the primary controller, and on the secondary controller, cooperates to ensure that each server will properly identify which controller is active at any particular time, including, but not limited to, upon starting up the server cluster, upon adding one or more servers to a cluster that is already operation, and upon failure of an active controller, a server, or a link between an active controller and a server. The failover algorithm includes the following steps performed by each of a group of servers in the cluster for identifying which controller is active: making the server's own assessment of the…
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.