The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Jan. 31, 2006
Filed:
Apr. 07, 2000
Vijay R. Basani, Nashua, NH (US);
Krishna Mangipudi, Nashua, NH (US);
Lynne M. Murach, Methuen, MA (US);
Leroy R. Karge, Leominster, MA (US);
Vitaly S. Revsin, Andover, MA (US);
Azer Bestavros, Wayland, MA (US);
Mark E. Crovella, Scituate, MA (US);
Domenic J. Larosa, Atkinson, NH (US);
Vijay R. Basani, Nashua, NH (US);
Krishna Mangipudi, Nashua, NH (US);
Lynne M. Murach, Methuen, MA (US);
Leroy R. Karge, Leominster, MA (US);
Vitaly S. Revsin, Andover, MA (US);
Azer Bestavros, Wayland, MA (US);
Mark E. Crovella, Scituate, MA (US);
Domenic J. LaRosa, Atkinson, NH (US);
Network Appliance Inc., Sunnyvale, CA (US);
Abstract
The present invention provides a system and apparatus for efficient and reliable, control and distribution of data files in large-scale distributed networks. The members of a group of servers in a multicast network elect a group leader whenever a new group leader is required, as when the prior group leader become unavailable, as detected by absence of a periodic heartbeat message published by the leader. The election is carried out by a system of voting by each candidate whereby each candidate has a priority calculated from its configuration, and the server with the highest priority is configured to claim the leadership faster than the other candidates. As part of the claim, each candidate multicasts its priority. Each candidate that receives a multicast claim for leadership from another candidate compares its own priority against the claimant and only votes for itself if its own priority is higher. After a preconfigured period of hearing no other claimants with higher priority, the candidate with the highest priority becomes the new leader.