Method and apparatus for encoding and mapping of virtual addresses for clusters

A system for identifying resources in clusters over a network, comprising:

• a peer cluster manager operable to perform actions comprising:
• receiving a string based name of a device;
• generating an identifier using a secure hash algorithm based on the string based name;
• associating the device with the cluster;
• and
• broadcasting an advertisement associated with the identifier;
• the cluster of devices comprising:
• a master device operable to manage the cluster;
• a first device operable to perform actions comprising:
• generating an advertisement associated with the identifier;
• providing the advertisement to the P2P manager for broadcasting;
• and
• a second device operable to perform actions comprising:
• receiving a network packet addressed to the first device by another identifier;
• and
• routing the network packet to the at least one address specified in the advertisement.

A network device for identifying a resource in a cluster over a network, comprising:

• a Group Management Service (GMS) for communicating data within at least one cluster over the network;
• and
• a peer cluster manager in communication with the GMS, the manager operable to perform actions comprising:
• determining the cluster with at least one master node;
• receiving a string based name for a peer in a peer-to-peer (P2P) network;
• associating the peer with at least part of the resource in the cluster;
• receiving an advertisement from a P2P manager based on the string based name;
• and
• providing to the GMS the advertisement to broadcast to a node in the determined cluster, wherein the advertisement is useable in identifying at least one address associated with the cluster;
• and
• The P2P manager in communication with the peer cluster manager, the P2P manager operable to perform actions comprising:
• generating a unique identifier for a peer in a P2P network using a secure hash algorithm;
• and
• generating another advertisement associated with the unique identifier.