Highly-available distributed cluster configuration database

A method of storing and maintaining a consistent database in a cluster with multiple nodes comprising:

• storing a first copy of said database on a first node;
• storing a second copy of said database on a second node;
• wherein updates to said database are made to both said first copy and said second copy of said database, and a two-phase protocol ensures that said first copy and said second copy of said database are updated prior to confirming said update;
• and
• wherein said database includes an initialization database and a dynamic database, wherein said initialization database may be accessed before the database is valid.

A multi-node computer cluster comprising:

• a first node including a first storage device and a first cluster database server;
• a second node including a second storage device and a second cluster database server;
• and
• a communication interface coupled to said first node and said second node;
• wherein said first cluster database server and said second cluster database server store a local copy of a cluster database;
• wherein updates to said local copy of said cluster database stored in said first storage device are also made to said local copy of said cluster database stored in said second storage device, and a two-phase protocol ensures that first and second local copies of said databases are updated prior to confirming said update;
• wherein when said multi-node computer cluster is restarted said local copy of said cluster database stored in said first storage device is compared to said local copy of said cluster database stored in second storage device and a most up-to-date copy of said cluster database is stored to said first and second nodes;
• wherein each of said local copies of said cluster database includes a consistency record that stores a data value capable of verifying the integrity of said copy of said local copy of said cluster database;
• wherein said consistency record includes a checksum of said local copy of said cluster database, the length of said local copy of said cluster database, and a time stamp;
• wherein said comparing of said local copies of said cluster database comprises verifying the integrity of each local copy using said consistency record and comparing valid consistency records to determine said most up-to-date copy;
• and
• wherein said cluster database is only updated when a quorum majority of nodes of said multi-node computer cluster are active.

A multi-node computer cluster comprising:

• a first node including a first storage device and a first cluster database server;
• a second node including a second storage device and a second cluster database server;
• and
• a communication interface coupled to said first node and said second node;
• wherein said first cluster database server and said second cluster database server store a local copy of a cluster database;
• wherein updates to said local copy of said cluster database stored in said first storage device are also made to said local copy of said cluster database stored in said second storage device, and a two-phase protocol ensures that first and second local copies of said databases are updated prior to confirming said update;
• wherein when said multi-node computer cluster is restarted said local copy of said cluster database stored in said first storage device is compared to said local copy of said cluster database stored in second storage device and a most up-to-date copy of said cluster database is stored to said first and second nodes;
• wherein queries to said cluster database by said first node are made to said local copy of said cluster database stored in said first storage device;
• wherein said two-phase protocol freezes said first and second nodes, updates said local copies of said cluster database, verifies the integrity of each local copy of said cluster database, and unfreezes said first and second nodes;
• and
• wherein steps of said two-phase commit protocol are run on all active nodes in a step-wise manner when a node joins or leaves said multi-node computer cluster.

A multi-node computer cluster comprising:

• a first node including a first storage device and a first cluster database server;
• a second node including a second storage device and a second cluster database server;
• and
• a communication interface coupled to said first node and said second node;
• wherein said first cluster database server and said second cluster database server store a local copy of a cluster database;
• wherein updates to said local copy of said cluster database stored in said first storage device are also made to said local copy of said cluster database stored in said second storage device, and a two-phase protocol ensures that first and second local copies of said databases are updated prior to confirming said update;
• wherein when said multi-node computer cluster is restarted said local copy of said cluster database stored in said first storage device is compared to said local copy of said cluster database stored in second storage device and a most up-to-date copy of said cluster database is stored to said first and second nodes;
• wherein queries to said cluster database by said first node are made to said local copy of said cluster database stored in said first storage device;
• wherein said two-phase protocol freezes said first and second nodes, updates said local copies of said cluster database, verifies the integrity of each local copy of said cluster database, and unfreezes said first and second nodes;
• wherein said first and second nodes store a shadow copy of said cluster database prior to updating said local copy of said cluster database;
• wherein said first and second nodes rollback said shadow copies if the integrity of said local copies of said cluster database are not verified;
• wherein said first and second nodes rollback said shadow copies if said updating of said local copy of said cluster database is unsuccessful;
• wherein when a third node joins said cluster, said first node copies said local copy of said cluster database to said third node;
• and
• wherein a cluster database server of either said first, second or third nodes can be designated as a master database server.

A method of storing and maintaining a consistent database in a cluster with multiple nodes comprising:

• storing a first copy of said database on a first node;
• storing a second copy of said database on a second node;
• wherein updates to said database are made to both said first copy and said second copy of said database, and a two-phase protocol ensures that said first copy and said second copy of said database are updated prior to confirming said update;
• wherein each of said copies of said database include a consistency record that stores a data value capable of verifying the integrity of said local copy of said cluster database;
• wherein said consistency record includes a checksum of said local copy of said cluster database, the length of said local copy of said cluster database, and a time stamp;
• wherein said comparing of said copies of said database comprises verifying the integrity of each copy using said consistency record and comparing valid consistency records to determine said most up-to-date copy;
• and
• wherein said database is only updated when a majority of nodes of said cluster are active.

A method of storing and maintaining a consistent database in a cluster with multiple nodes comprising:

• storing a first copy of said database on a first node;
• storing a second copy of said database on a second node;
• wherein updates to said database are made to both said first copy and said second copy of said database, and a two-phase protocol ensures that said first copy and said second copy of said database are updated prior to confirming said update;
• wherein when said cluster is restarted, said first copy of said database is compared to said second copy of said database and a most up-to-date copy of said database is stored to said first and second nodes;
• wherein queries to said database by said first node are made to said first copy of said database;
• wherein said two-phase protocol freezes said first and second cluster, updates said first and second copies of said databases, verifies the integrity of each copy of said cluster database, and unfreezes said first and second nodes;
• and
• wherein steps of said two-phase commit protocol are run on all active nodes in a step-wise manner when a node joins or leaves said cluster.

A method of storing and maintaining a consistent database in a cluster with multiple nodes comprising:

• storing a first copy of said database on a first node;
• storing a second copy of said database on a second node;
• wherein updates to said database are made to both said first copy and said second copy of said database, and a two-phase protocol ensures that said first copy and said second copy of said database are updated prior to confirming said update;
• wherein when said cluster is restarted, said first copy of said database is compared to said second copy of said database and a most up-to-date copy of said database is stored to said first and second nodes;
• wherein queries to said database by said first node are made to said first copy of said database;
• wherein said two-phase protocol freezes said first and second cluster, updates said first and second copies of said databases, verifies the integrity of each copy of said cluster database, and unfreezes said first and second nodes;
• wherein said first and second nodes store a shadow copy of said database prior to updating said database;
• wherein said first and second nodes rollback said shadow copies if the integrity of said copies of said database are not verified;
• wherein when a third node joins said cluster, said first copy of said database to said third node;
• and
• wherein either said first, second or third nodes can be designated as a master server.