Method and apparatus for providing a single system image in a clustered environment
AssigneeInternational Business Machines Corporation
InventorsYing Chen, Benjamin Clay Reed
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method of providing a single system image in a clustered environment. An internet protocol (IP) address is assigned as a cluster IP address. The cluster IP address is bound to a node in a cluster. A client request directed to the cluster IP address is received in the node. The node multicasts the request to all nodes in the cluster. A dynamically adjustable workload distribution function filters the request, wherein the function is configured to allow a single node to process the client request. A response to the request is obtained. A cluster media access control (MAC) address is inserted into the response and the response is sent from the single node to the client.
Claims42
A method of providing a single system image in a clustered environment comprising:
- assigning an internet protocol (IP) address as a cluster IP address;
- binding the cluster IP address to a node in a cluster;
- receiving a client request directed to the cluster IP address;
- multicasting the request to all nodes in the cluster;
- filtering the request based on a dynamically adjustable workload distribution function, wherein the function is configured to allow a single node to process the client request;
- obtaining a response to the request;
- inserting a cluster media access control (MAC) address into the response;
- sending the response from the single node to the client.
The method of 1 further comprising:
- (a) forming a virtual local area network (VLAN) comprising:
- (1) a master node wherein the master node is the node that is bound to the cluster IP address;
- (2) at least one network interface for each node in the cluster;
- and
- (b) wherein multicasting comprises packet forwarding and processing the client request from the master node to the other nodes in the VLAN.
An apparatus for providing a single system image in a clustered environment comprising:
- (a) a master node in a storage cluster, wherein a node in the storage cluster is designated as the master node by assigning an internet protocol (IP) address as a cluster IP address and binding the cluster IP address to the master node, wherein the master node is configured to:
- (1) receive a client request directed to the cluster IP address;
- (2) multicast the request to all nodes in the cluster;
- (b) at least one additional node in the storage cluster;
- (c) a dynamically adjustable workload distribution function installed on each node in the cluster, wherein the function is configured to filter the client request by allowing a single node to process the client request;
- wherein each node in the cluster is configured to:
- obtain a response to the request;
- insert a cluster media access control (MAC) address into the response;
- and
- send the response from the single node to the client.
An article of manufacture, embodying logic to perform a method of providing a single system image in a clustered environment, the method comprising:
- assigning an internet protocol (IP) address as a cluster IP address;
- binding the cluster IP address to a node in a cluster;
- receiving a client request directed to the cluster IP address;
- multicasting the request to all nodes in the cluster;
- filtering the request based on a dynamically adjustable workload distribution function, wherein the function is configured to allow a single node to process the client request;
- obtaining a response to the request;
- inserting a cluster media access control (MAC) address into the response;
- sending the response from the single node to the client.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.