Method and system for high reliability cluster management

A method for managing a cluster of network devices, said network devices belonging to a management virtual network, said cluster including a command network device and at least one member network device, said command network device having a commander IP address and a commander MAC address, said method comprising:

• defining a standby group for said cluster, by assigning a virtual IP address and a virtual MAC address to said standby group;
• selecting a first network device for said standby group, said first network device being said command network device;
• selecting a second network device for said standby group, said second network device having an IP address and belonging to said management virtual network;
• defining a standby priority for each network device in said standby group;
• binding said standby group to said cluster, by replacing the commander IP address with said virtual IP address and replacing the commander MAC address with said virtual MAC address, the network device with a highest priority in said standby group becoming an active commander, the network device with a second highest priority in said standby group becoming a standby commander;
• controlling said cluster through said active commander using said virtual IP address;
• and
• switching control of said cluster from said active commander to said standby commander upon a failure of said active commander, said standby commander becoming a current active commander.

A method for creating a high reliability cluster management system for a cluster of network devices, a port of each network device belonging to a management virtual network, said method comprising:

• selecting a first network device having a MAC address,
• assigning a cluster IP address and a password to said first network device;
• configuring said first network device as command network device for said cluster;
• defining a cluster name and SNMP community strings for said cluster, said cluster IP address and said password being used for managing said cluster;
• selecting at least one candidate network device for said cluster, a port of said candidate network device belonging to said management virtual network;
• adding said at least one candidate network device as a member network device to said cluster;
• defining a member number and a CMP address for each member network device, said CMP address used for communication among said member network devices of said cluster;
• passing said cluster IP address, said password, and said SNMP strings to each member network device;
• defining a standby group by assigning a virtual IP address and a virtual MAC address to said standby group, said standby group including said first network device;
• selecting at least one second network device, said second network device having an IP address, a port of said second network device belonging to said management virtual network;
• adding said at least one second network device into said standby group;
• defining a standby priority for each network device in said standby group;
• binding said standby group to said cluster, by replacing said cluster IP address with said virtual IP address and replacing said virtual MAC address with said MAC address of said first network device, the network device with a highest priority in said standby group becoming an active commander, the network device with a second highest priority in said standby group becoming a standby commander;
• and
• periodically forwarding cluster configuration information from said active commander to said standby commander.

A system for managing a cluster of network devices, said network devices belonging to a management virtual network, said cluster including a command network device and at least one member network device, said command network device having a commander IP address and a commander MAC address, said system comprising:

• means for defining a standby group for said cluster, by assigning a virtual IP address and a virtual MAC address to said standby group;
• means for selecting a first network device for said standby group, said first network device being said command network device;
• means for selecting a second network device for said standby group, said second network device having an IP address and belonging to said management virtual network;
• means for defining a standby priority for each network device in said standby group;
• means for binding said standby group to said cluster, by replacing the commander IP address with said virtual IP address and replacing the commander MAC address with said virtual MAC address, said means for binding including means for making an active commander out of the network device having a highest priority in said standby group, and for making a standby commander out of the network device having a second highest priority in said standby group;
• means for controlling said cluster through said active commander using said virtual IP address;
• and
• means for witching control of said cluster from said active commander to said standby commander upon a failure of said active commander, so as to allow said standby commander to become a current active commander.

A management system for a cluster of network devices, said network devices belonging to a management virtual network, said system comprising:

• a cluster of network devices including a command network device and member network devices, said command network device having an IP address;
• a standby group defined by a virtual IP address and a virtual MAC address assigned thereto, said standby group having group member network devices including said command network device, each of group member network devices having a standby priority, a group member network device with a highest standby priority being an active commander, a group member network device with a second highest standby priority being a standby commander, said virtual IP address and said virtual MAC address belonging to said active commander;
• a network management station coupled with said cluster and said standby group, said virtual IP address being used for managing said cluster through said active commander;
• and
• a standby group controller for switching control of said cluster from said active commander to said standby commander upon a failure of said active commander, said standby commander becoming a current active commander.

An apparatus for providing high reliability to management of a cluster of network devices, said apparatus comprising:

• a memory, said memory including
• a location allocated to store an IP address and a MAC address assigned to said apparatus,
• a location allocated to store a virtual IP address and a virtual MAC address, said virtual IP address and said virtual MAC address assigned to and defining a standby group provided for said cluster, and
• a location allocated to store a standby priority assigned to said apparatus;
• a state machine having an active state and a standby state;
• a port allocated to belong to a management virtual network, capable of communicating with network devices of said cluster, and capable of exchanging data packets and messages with network devices of said standby group, said messages including hello messages, said hello messages including state and priority information;
• an event determiner for determining an event based on receipt of said hello messages and said state and priority information of received hello messages;
• a state controller for changing the state of said state machine in response to a specific event determined by said event determiner;
• a commander activator responsive to state transition of said state machine, said commander activator replacing said IP address assigned to said apparatus with said virtual IP address to be used as a source IP address of said apparatus, and replacing said MAC address assigned to said apparatus with said virtual MAC address to be used as a source MAC address of said apparatus;
• and
• a database module capable of maintaining and transmitting cluster configuration information of said cluster when said state machine is in said active state, and capable of receiving and storing cluster configuration information when said state machine is in said standby state.

A program storage device readable by a machine, tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by the machine to perform a method for providing high reliability to management of a cluster of network devices, said network devices belonging to a management virtual network, said cluster including a command network device and at least one member network device, said command network device having a commander IP address and a commander MAC address, said cluster being managed through said command network device using said commander IP address, said command network device communicating with said member network device using said commander MAC address, said method comprising:

• defining a standby group by assigning a virtual IP address and a virtual MAC address to said standby group;
• selecting a first network device for said standby group, said first network device being said command network device;
• selecting a second network device for said standby group, said second network device having an IP address and belonging to said management virtual network;
• defining a standby priority for each network device in said standby group;
• and
• binding said standby group to said cluster, by replacing said commander IP address with said virtual IP address and replacing said commander MAC address with said virtual MAC address, the network device with a highest priority in said standby group becoming an active commander, the network device with a second highest priority in said standby group becoming a standby commander.

A program storage device readable by a machine, tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by the machine to perform a method for managing a cluster of network devices, said network devices belonging to a management virtual network, said cluster including a command network device and at least one member network device, said command network device having a commander IP address and a commander MAC address, said method comprising:

• defining a standby group for said cluster, by assigning a virtual IP address and a virtual MAC address to said standby group;
• selecting a first network device for said standby group, said first network device being said command network device;
• selecting a second network device for said standby group, said second network device having an IP address and belonging to said management virtual network;
• defining a standby priority for each network device in said standby group;
• binding said standby group to said cluster, by replacing the commander IP address with said virtual IP address and replacing the commander MAC address with said virtual MAC address, the network device with a highest priority in said standby group becoming an active commander, the network device with a second highest priority in said standby group becoming a standby commander;
• controlling said cluster through said active commander using said virtual IP address;
• and
• switching control of said cluster from said active commander to said standby commander upon a failure of said active commander, said standby commander becoming a current active commander.

A program storage device readable by a machine, tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by the machine to perform a method for creating a high reliability cluster management system for a cluster of network devices, a port of each network device belonging to a management virtual network, said method comprising:

• selecting a first network device having a MAC address,
• assigning a cluster IP address and a password to said first network device;
• configuring said first network device as command network device for said cluster;
• defining a cluster name and SNMP community strings for said cluster, said cluster IP address and said password being used for managing said cluster;
• discovering candidate network devices for said cluster, a port of said candidate network devices belonging to said management virtual network;
• adding at least one candidate network device as a member network device to said cluster;
• defining a member number and a CMP address for each member network device, said CMP address used for communication among said member network devices of said cluster;
• passing said cluster IP address, said password, and said SNMP strings to each member network device;
• defining a standby group by assigning a virtual IP address and a virtual MAC address to said standby group, said standby group including said first network device;
• selecting at least one second network device, said second network device having an IP address, a port of said second network device belonging to said management virtual network;
• adding said at least one second network device into said standby group;
• defining a standby priority for each network device in said standby group;
• binding said standby group to said cluster, by replacing said cluster IP address with said virtual IP address and replacing said virtual MAC address with said MAC address of said first network device, the network device with a highest priority in said standby group becoming an active commander, the network device with a second highest priority in said standby group becoming a standby commander;
• and
• periodically forwarding cluster configuration information from said active commander to said standby commander.