Transferring system identities

A method of transferring a host identity between a first host system and a second host system, wherein a host identity is allocated to only one host system at a time, the method comprising:

• in a first phase:
• an administrator system designating itself as an intermediate destination for the host identity allocated to the first host system,
• the first host system, which includes a host identity repository, encoding the host identity to be transferred using a first parameter,
• the first host system transferring the encoded host identity to the administrator system and removing the host identity from its repository, and
• the administrator system decoding the host identity to be transferred using the first parameter, and buffering the host identity to be transferred;
• and
• in a second phase:
• the administrator system designating the second host system as a destination for the host identity to be transferred,
• the administrator system encoding the host identity to be transferred using a second parameter,
• the administrator system transferring the encoded host identity to the second host system and removing the host identity from its buffer, and
• the second host system, which also includes a host identity repository, decoding the host identity using the second parameter, and adding the host identity to its repository.

A computer system comprising:

• a first host system including a host identity repository, wherein a host identity is allocated to the first host system;
• and
• a second host system including a host identity repository;
• wherein the host identity is allocated to only one host system at a time;
• wherein an administrator system is operable to designate the second host system as the destination host system for the host identity;
• wherein, in response to the second host system being designated as a destination host system for the host identity that is allocated to the first host system, the first host system is configured to:
• encode the host identity to be transferred using a parameter,
• transfer the encoded host identity to the second host system, and
• remove the host identity from its repository;
• and
• wherein the second host system is operable, when presented with the encoded host identity, to decode the host identity using the parameter, and to add the host identity to its repository.

A computer system comprising:

• an administrator system;
• a first host system including a host identity repository, wherein a host identity is allocated to the first host system;
• and
• a second host system including a host identity repository;
• wherein the host identity is allocated to only one host system at a time;
• wherein the computer system is operable, in order to transfer the host identity from the first host system to the second host system, such that:
• in a first phase,
• the administrator system designates itself as an intermediate destination for the host identity to be transferred,
• the first host system encodes the host identity to be transferred using a first parameter,
• the first host system transfers the encoded host identity to the administrator system and removes the host identity from its repository, and
• the administrator system decodes the host identity to be transferred using the first parameter, and buffers the host identity to be transferred;
• and
• in a second phase,
• the administrator system designates the second host system as a destination for the host identity to be transferred,
• the administrator system encodes the host identity to be transferred using a second parameter,
• the administrator system transfers the encoded host identity to the second host system and removes the host identity from its buffer, and
• the second host system decodes the host identity using the second parameter, and adds the host identity to its repository.