Sun Microsystems, Inc.

Tandem Computers Incorporated

Ramin Modiri

Hossein Moiin

Ronald Widyono

Srinivasa D Murthy

Alan L Rowe

Cluster membership in a distributed computer system is determined by determining with which other nodes each node is in communication and distributing that connectivity information through the nodes of the system. Accordingly, each node can determine an optimized new cluster based upon the connectivity information. Specifically, each node has information regarding with which nodes the node is in communication and similar information for each other node of the system. Therefore, each node has complete information regarding interconnectivity of all nodes which are directly or indirectly connected. Each node applies optimization criteria to such connectivity information to determine an optimal new cluster. Data represent the optimal new cluster is broadcast by each node. In addition, the optimal new cluster determined by the various nodes are collected by each node. Thus, each node has data representing the proposed new cluster which is perceived by each respective node to be optimal. Each node uses such data to elect a new cluster from the various proposed new clusters. For example, the new cluster represented by more proposed new clusters than any other is elected as the new cluster. Since each node receives the same proposed new clusters from the potential member nodes of the new cluster, the new cluster membership is reached unanimously. In addition, since each node has more complete information regarding the potential member nodes of the new cluster, the resulting new cluster consistently has a relatively optimal configuration.

Determining cluster membership in a distributed computer system

A distributed computer system and method for determining cluster membership in a distributed computer system. A plurality of computers configurable as cluster nodes are coupled through one or more public and/or private communications networks. Cluster management software running on the plurality of computers is configured to group various ones of the computers into a cluster. Weighting values are assigned to each node, such as by relative processing power. Each fully connected subset of nodes are grouped into a possible cluster configuration. The weighting value of each subset is calculated. The membership in the cluster is chosen based on the subset with the optimum weighting value among all the possible cluster configurations. The maximum weighting value may be adjusted if the maximum weighting value is greater than or equal to the sum of all other weighting values for all other nodes in the current cluster configuration. The maximum weighting factor may be adjusted to a value below the sum of all other weighting values for all other nodes in the current cluster configuration.

System and method for determining cluster membership in a heterogeneous distributed system

An apparatus and method, using an inter-processor lock to coordinate signal delivery to a process group whose member processes are distributed across multiple processors. The apparatus and method insure that each process group member process receives the same signals in the same order and that no signal is duplicated. The apparatus and method also insure that a partially completed signal delivery is completed even in the face of failure of the signalling processor.

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Ramin Modiri