Method for detecting and resolving a partition condition in a cluster

A method for detecting and resolving a partition condition in a cluster of computers in a networked environment, the method comprising:

• creating a scratch pad area accessible by the cluster of computers;
• dividing the scratch pad into a plurality of slots, each slot associated with one of a plurality of nodes within the cluster of computers;
• recording in the plurality of slots, a generation number and a list of known nodes by each one of the plurality of nodes, wherein an identifier is written in the list for each node that is known to a writing node and wherein the generation number and the list of known nodes is recorded when a change of membership occurs in the cluster of computers;
• comparing each slot of the plurality of slots to ensure the generation number and the list of known nodes matches in each slot of the plurality of slots;
• resolving the partition condition by creating a list of surviving nodes and re-allocating appropriate resources to each of the surviving nodes;
• and
• ordering a first node not on the list of surviving nodes to halt execution by writing, by a second node on the list of surviving nodes, a termination message into the slot associated with the first node.