Witness node and cluster system

Abstract

The embodiment of the invention provides a witness node and a cluster system. The cluster system is provided with the witness node. The witness node comprises a shell, a mainboard, a functional element, a power supply unit and a backboard interface, wherein the functional element, the power supply unit and the backboard interface are installed on the mainboard. The shell comprises a bottom plate, a front plate extending perpendicular to the bottom plate and two opposite side walls. The mainboard is installed on the bottom plate of the shell and located between the two opposite side walls. The power supply unit is configured to receive a first input power supply provided by local power supply equipment as a main power supply of the witness node and receive a second input power supply provided by remote power supply equipment through power over Ethernet connection as a redundant power supply of the witness node, the first input power supply is fixed to the local power supply equipment, and the second input power supply is fixed to the remote power supply equipment. And the second input power supply is fixed on the remote power supply equipment. The housing has a form factor that enables the witness node to be received and to be hot-swapped to a driver slot of a host.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present application relates to computing devices and computing systems, and in particular to witness nodes and cluster systems having witness nodes. Background Art

[0002] One of the key challenges facing cluster systems with two host nodes is the risk of a "split-brain" state. This can occur when communication between the two host nodes is interrupted, leading to data inconsistencies or conflicts. To prevent this, cluster systems employ a third node (also known as a "witness node") as an arbitrator. This node determines which of the two host nodes should continue normal system operations if communication between the two host nodes is interrupted. The witness node detects and determines when communication between the host nodes is interrupted, and coordinates the states of the two host nodes to prevent them from operating independently at the same time, thus preventing the occurrence of a "split-brain" state. Current systems use a full-featured host as the witness node, which requires additional physical servers, resulting in higher system costs and space requirements. In applications with limited financial and physical resources or limited available space, such as small businesses or startups looking to reduce the initial operating costs associated with a required computing system, using a system with a full-featured host as the witness node can be challenging. Summary of the Invention

[0003] According to one aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides a witness node. The witness node according to the embodiment of the present application includes a housing, a mainboard, and functional components mounted on the mainboard, a power supply unit, and a backplane interface, wherein the housing includes a bottom plate, a front plate extending perpendicular to the bottom plate, and two opposite side walls, and the mainboard is mounted on the bottom plate and located between the two opposite side walls; the power supply unit is configured to receive a first input power provided by a local power supply device as the main power supply for the witness node, and to receive a second input power provided by a remote power supply device via an Ethernet power supply connection as a redundant power supply for the witness node, wherein the first input power is fixed to the local power supply device, and the second input power is fixed to the remote power supply device; wherein the housing has a form factor that enables the witness node to be received and hot-swapped to a drive slot of a host.

[0004] According to an optional embodiment, the witness node also includes a latch member pivotally mounted to the housing. The latch member includes a body, a pivot hole formed in the body, a handle extending radially from the pivot hole, and a locking tongue fixed to the body. The latch member is pivotable relative to the housing between a latched position and an unlocked position. In the latched position, the locking tongue extends from the housing through the outer surface of one of the two opposing side walls, so that when the witness node is received in the drive slot of the host, the locking tongue forms a first interference with the drive slot to prevent the witness node from detaching from the drive. In the unlocked position, the locking tongue withdraws from the housing to remove the first interference, thereby allowing the witness node to be withdrawn from the drive slot.

[0005] According to an optional embodiment, the witness node further includes a slider slidably coupled to the front panel, wherein the slider is displaceable relative to the housing between a clamping position and a release position, wherein in the clamping position, the slider forms a second interference with the handle, thereby preventing the latch from moving from the latch position to the latch unlocking position; in the release position, the slider releases the second interference from the handle to allow the latch to pivot from the latch position toward the unlocking position.

[0006] According to an optional embodiment, the witness node also includes a slot made in the front plate and one of the two opposite side walls, and a first elastic member, which is attached to the body. When the latch is in the latch position, the first elastic member is elastically deformed and biased against one of the two opposite side walls; when the slider is in the release position, the first elastic member is allowed to return to its original shape to pop the handle outward from the front plate through the slot.

[0007] According to an optional solution, the witness node further includes a second elastic member, one end of which is fixed to the shell, and the other end of the second elastic member biases the slider toward the clamping position.

[0008] According to an optional embodiment, the handle further comprises a prying portion. When the handle is pivoted in the unlocking direction beyond the unlocking position, the prying portion abuts against a front edge of a side wall of a drive slot receiving the witness node, such that further pivoting of the handle in the unlocking direction displaces the witness node from a docked position with a backplane connector in the drive slot to an undocked position.

[0009] According to another aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides a cluster system. The cluster system according to an embodiment of the present application includes a first host node, a second host node communicatively connected to the first host node, a witness node installed on the first host node and communicatively connected to the first host node and the second host node, and a redundant power supply device installed on the second host node and electrically connected to the witness node via Ethernet. The first host node and the second host node are configured to back up data with each other. The witness node includes a housing and a mainboard for interconnecting functional elements, a power supply unit, and a backplane interface. The housing includes a base plate, a front plate extending perpendicular to the base plate, and two opposing side walls. The power supply unit receives a first input power provided by a local power supply device associated with the first host node as the main power supply for the witness node, and receives a second input power provided by a redundant power supply device associated with the second host node as the redundant power supply for the witness node. The witness node has a form factor that enables it to be received and hot-swapped to a drive slot.

[0010] According to an optional solution, when the first host node is inactive, the witness node uses the redundant power supply to respond to a voting request to establish a minimum number of nodes for the cluster system to provide system operation.

[0011] According to one optional embodiment, the Ethernet power supply connection includes a power supply having an Ethernet input port connected to the redundant power supply device and a USB-C output port connected to the witness node, thereby transmitting power provided by the redundant power supply device to the witness node. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0012] The following provides a detailed description of the embodiments of the present application with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0013] Figure 1 is an architectural block diagram of a cluster system according to an embodiment of the present application;

[0014] Figure 2 is a three-dimensional schematic diagram of a witness node according to one embodiment of the present application;

[0015] Figure 3 yes Figure 2 A top view of

[0016] Figure 4 yes Figure 2 A three-dimensional schematic diagram of a witness node installed in a host node chassis is shown;

[0017] Figure 5 yes Figure 2 A partially cutaway perspective view and a partially enlarged view of the housing of the witness node, showing a latch and a retainer mounted on the housing;

[0018] Figure 6 yes Figure 5 An exploded perspective view of the housing, latch, and holder of the witness node;

[0019] Figure 7 yes Figure 2 a perspective view of a latch member of the witness node shown;

[0020] Figure 8 yes Figure 3 A partial cross-sectional view and a partial enlarged view of the latch member are shown in the latched position and the slider of the clamping member is in the clamping position;

[0021] Figure 9 yes Figure 3 A partial cross-sectional view and a partial enlarged view of the latch member are shown in the latched position and the slider of the holding member is in the released position;

[0022] Figure 10 yes Figure 3 A partial cross-sectional view and a partial enlarged view of the latch member, showing that the latch member is in an intermediate position between the latch position and the unlock position, and the slider of the clamping member is in the clamping position;

[0023] Figure 11 yes Figure 3 A partial cross-sectional view and a partial enlarged view of FIG, showing the latch in the unlocked position and the witness node in the docking position with the backplane connector;

[0024] Figure 12 yes Figure 3 A partial cross-sectional view and a partial enlarged view of the , showing the pried-out position of the latch after it is in the unlocked position, and the witness node is in the undocked position with the backplane connector. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0025] Embodiments of the present application provide a witness node and a cluster system having a witness node, such as a cluster system with two host nodes, also known as a dual-node cluster system. A dual-node cluster system includes two communicatively connected nodes, also known as host nodes. The two interconnected host nodes jointly provide data processing, resource management, and service functions for the cluster system. A host node can be a computing device in the cluster system, such as a server, that provides overall system functionality for the cluster system. The two host nodes share the same workload and back up each other's data. If one host node fails, the other, functioning host node can take over the system with minimal system downtime, thereby ensuring normal operation and fault tolerance of all applications in the system. The witness node is communicatively connected to the two host nodes in the cluster and serves as the system's arbiter. If communication between the two host nodes is interrupted, the witness node determines which of the two host nodes should continue normal system operations. Furthermore, if a host node is powered off or in standby mode, the witness node can determine whether the other host node, which forms a quorum with the witness node, will be used to maintain normal system operation. Through the above settings, the witness node maintains at least one host node to undertake the system operation task, thereby preventing data inconsistency and maintaining system integrity.

[0026] The embodiment of the present application provides a witness node solution with a compact form factor and low cost. The witness node according to the embodiment of the present application can be received and hot-plugged into a standard peripheral device slot of a host node server, such as a drive slot, thereby eliminating the need to add additional racks and additional physical servers to the system, thereby reducing the environmental requirements and system resources required for traditional witness nodes. The witness node according to the embodiment of the present application also has a main power supply and a redundant power supply as a backup power supply, so that when responding to a voting request, the main power supply or the redundant power supply is used for power supply, thereby providing a minimum number of nodes for system operation for the cluster system to maintain normal operation of the system.

[0027] like Figure 1As shown, a cluster system 10 according to one embodiment of the present application includes a first host node 200, a second host node 300, a witness node 100, and a redundant power supply device (e.g., a remote power supply device) 400. The witness node 100 has an external dimension that conforms to a compact form factor, such as a 2.5-inch form factor. The first host node 200 and the second host node 300 are connected to a local area network via a network switch 20, such as an Ethernet switch, so that a Gigabit Ethernet connection is provided between the first host node 200 and the second host node 300. The first host node 200 and the second host node 300 can be servers with a single chassis height, a double chassis height, or other chassis heights. A virtual storage area network (vSAN) or a similar solution can be deployed to aggregate the local storage of the first host node 200 and the second host node 300 into a single, shared storage that can be accessed by the first host node 200 and the second host node 300. The above configuration provides data mirroring across the first host node 200 and the second host node 300 to ensure data redundancy and fault tolerance. By employing a RAID 1 (Redundant Array of Independent Disks 1) configuration, at least two copies of each data block are generated, thereby providing data replication and high availability. This configuration enables the cluster system 10 to continue providing data support even if a host fails. The cluster system according to this embodiment is particularly advantageous for applications requiring a smaller system footprint, and can reduce computing and storage costs, such as in retail stores, branch offices, manufacturing plants, and sorting warehouses.

[0028] The witness node 100 can be physically installed on the first host node 200 and communicate with the first host node 200 and the second host node 300 via a network switch 20 connected to the first host node 200 and the second host node 300. The cluster system 10 provides a network that enables the witness node 100 to maintain stable communication with the first host node 200 and the second host node 300. The witness node 100 performs arbitration or decision-making functions. When one of the first host node 200 and the second host node 300 is inactive due to failure or other reasons, the witness node 100 responds to a voting request to establish the minimum number of nodes in the cluster system that can perform a preset function, such as the minimum number of nodes consisting of the first host node 200 and the witness node 100, or the minimum number of nodes consisting of the second host node 300 and the witness node 100. The witness node 100 has a form factor that enables it to be received and hot-swapped into a standard drive slot of the first host node 200. Therefore, the witness node 100 according to an embodiment of the present application can be easily installed in an existing standard peripheral device slot of the same form factor in the first host node 200, such as a drive slot, without the need to add special or additional accommodation space, connection interface or application facilities for the witness node 100 in the cluster system 10.

[0029] Specifically, for example, the witness node 100 has a shape and size that is consistent with a 2.5-inch form factor of a common hard disk drive, and a thickness of, for example, 15 mm or 7 mm. According to a specific example, the witness node 100 has a rectangular parallelepiped shape with a length of 118 mm, a width of 69 mm, and a thickness of 15 mm or 7 mm.

[0030] A redundant power supply (i.e., a remote power supply) 400 may be provided on the second host node 300 to remotely provide backup power to the witness node 100 via a Power-over-Ethernet (PoE) cable and connection 40, such as a standard Gigabyte Ethernet connection. Providing backup power to the witness node 100 remotely via Ethernet allows for flexibility in the location of the witness node 100 and can be used to power devices such as cameras, VoIP phones, and wireless access points without requiring a separate power supply.

[0031] The Power over Ethernet connection includes a power injector 60, which includes an RJ45 port and a USB-C port. The RJ45 port is connected to the redundant power supply device 400 using a Power over Ethernet cable, where the Power over Ethernet cable transmits power from the redundant power supply device 400. The power injector 60 converts the received power to the required output voltage (e.g., 5 volts) and current (e.g., 3 amps or 5 amps), and then supplies power to the witness node 100 via the USB-C port. The redundant power supply device 400 can also have a form factor that conforms to a compact 2.5-inch form factor and a thickness of 15 mm or 7 mm, so that the redundant power supply device 400 can be received and hot-swapped into an available standard hard drive slot of the second host node 300.

[0032] The redundant power supply allows the witness node 100 to still receive power when the first host node 200 is inactive, thereby establishing a minimum number of nodes for the cluster system 10. The redundant power supply also allows the witness node 100 to remain in operation when the first host node 200 fails. The compact form factor and hot-swappable features of the witness node 100 and the redundant power supply device 400 also contribute to the overall efficiency and maintainability of the cluster system. The witness node 100 and the redundant power supply device 400 can be replaced and upgraded with less downtime, thereby improving system operating efficiency and minimizing system interruption.

[0033] like Figure 2 and Figure 3 As shown, the witness node 100 according to one embodiment of the present application includes a housing 110, a mainboard 120 mounted on the housing 110, and functional components, a power supply unit 123, and a backplane interface 124 mounted on the mainboard 120. The housing 110 includes a bottom plate 111, a front plate 112 extending vertically from the bottom plate 111, and two oppositely disposed side walls, which are respectively referred to as shown in FIG. Figure 2 The first side wall 115a on the right and the second side wall 115b on the left are collectively referred to as side walls 115. The witness node 100 also includes a latch 130 and a holder 140 mounted on the housing 110. The housing 110 provides an installation space for the motherboard 120 and various components of the witness node 100. The motherboard 120 is mounted on the base plate 111 and is located between two opposite side walls 115a and 115b. The front panel 112 is provided with one or more interfaces, including, for example, USB-C connectors 125a, 125b, a micro-USB connector 125c, and an RJ45 Ethernet connector 125d. The front panel 112 can also be installed with a power switch 126 to facilitate the startup and shutdown of the witness node 100 at the front end.

[0034] The functional elements installed on the mainboard 120 include components used to witness the operation of the node 100 and provide preset functions, collectively referred to as functional elements in this document, including but not limited to components such as a central processing unit (CPU) 121, a chipset unit 122, a boot driver 127, and a connector unit 129.

[0035] Some functional components can be mounted on the motherboard 120 using surface mount technology. The backplane interface 124 is provided at the rear end of the motherboard 120 and supports the U3 or U2 specification interface standard. The motherboard 120 and the functional components, power supply unit and backplane interface mounted thereon are arranged and configured to be adapted to the housing 110 conforming to a 2.5-inch form factor. In addition, other functional components, such as resistors and capacitors, can also be 0201 model (0.6 mm x 0.3 mm) or smaller in size, so as to adapt to the compact overall shape and size of the witness node 100 conforming to a 2.5-inch form factor. Therefore, the witness node 100 according to an embodiment of the present application has, on the one hand, the functionality and operability of a traditional large form factor witness node, and on the other hand can provide optimized performance and effective and easy integration with the existing server environment.

[0036] The central processing unit 121 performs primary data processing tasks. The fundamental function of the witness node 100 is to make decisions and check the proper functioning of connected host nodes. Therefore, the witness node only needs to be equipped with a processor capable of performing arbitration, such as an x86 or ARM processor, to perform its functions. The processor may include a power management integrated circuit (PMIC) and a voltage rectifier. The PMIC regulates voltage and current and manages power distribution, while the voltage rectifier ensures that functional components receive a stable, predetermined voltage level for proper operation. The central processing unit 121 may comprise a system-on-chip (SoC) with an embedded double data rate (DDR) memory configuration, thereby reducing the need for a dual in-line memory module (DIMM) connector on the motherboard 120. This feature enables the witness node according to embodiments of the present application to conform to a compact form factor and U3 or U2 interface standards, achieving efficient space utilization and low system power consumption.

[0037] Chipset unit 122 may include an embedded controller, a trusted platform module (TPM), a serial peripheral interface (SPI) flash read-only memory (FROM), and a SPI switch. These components constitute an integrated system that performs management system functions, provides secure storage and operation, and provides smooth communication between components. The embedded controller plays a central role in coordinating tasks, connecting firmware, and passing through the trusted platform module (TPM) and SPI switch. As the brain of the cluster system, the controller communicates with the central processing unit (CPU) and other peripherals to ensure normal system operation. The SPI flash read-only memory is a non-volatile memory that stores system firmware, and the trusted platform module is a hardware-based security component that enhances system security by protecting sensitive data and verifying system integrity.

[0038] The boot drive unit 127 may be a solid-state drive that provides storage for the operating system and basic system files. The boot drive unit 127 may be in an M2 form factor and conform to the 2230 standard size for direct connection to the motherboard via a 2 mm wide, 30 mm long M2 slot. The connector unit 129 is connected to the USB connector and RJ45 connectors 125a, 125b, 125c, 125d mounted on the front panel 112, and the power connector of the backplane interface 124 mounted on the rear end of the motherboard 120. The witness node 100 uses a USB-C connector 125b instead of a VGA or HDMI connector as a display interface, thereby reducing the space occupied by the connector required for the device.

[0039] Figure 4 The witness node 100 is shown installed in the server chassis of the first host node 200. The dimensions of the witness node 100 are the same as those of a standard 2.5-inch hard disk drive. Figure 4 As shown, the server chassis 155 of the first host node 200 may include a plurality of standard slots of a 2.5-inch form factor, such as slots 90, 92, 94, and 96. Slot 90 may be used to install functional components of the first host node 200, such as the host unit 290. The witness node 100 may be integrated into the first host node 200 by directly inserting it into a 2.5-inch hard drive mounting slot of the server chassis of the first host node 200, such as by inserting it into an empty slot 96, without requiring additional installation space or making modifications to the existing server, thereby simplifying the setup, reducing the overall cost of the cluster infrastructure, and improving the ease of maintenance. The hot-swappable feature of the witness node 100 may further provide for quick installation, removal, and replacement of the witness node 100, thereby minimizing system downtime. Optionally, the witness node 100 may also be provided with monitoring and management tools to enable the witness node 100 to operate continuously and to promptly notify the administrator when a situation occurs.

[0040] The power supply unit 123 of the witness node 100 is configured to receive power from two power supplies. The power of the first power supply 150 is provided by the local Power supply equipment A power connector, such as backplane interface 124, serves as the primary power source for the witness node. A first power supply 150 can provide, for example, 12 volts, 2.08 amps, and a maximum power of 25 watts, and is associated with the first host node 200 where the witness node 100 resides. A second power supply 160 provides power to the witness node 100 via a redundant power supply (i.e., remote power supply) 400 via a Power over Ethernet connection 40 and a USB-C connector, such as USB-C connector 125a, serving as a redundant power source for the witness node 100. The second power supply 160 can provide, for example, 5 volts, 3 amps (maximum power of 15 watts) or 5 volts, 5 amps (maximum power of 25 watts), and is associated with the second host node 300 where the redundant power supply 400 resides. The first power supply 150 and the second power supply 160 are configured to provide power to the witness node 100, enabling the witness node 100 to respond to voting requests to establish a minimum number of nodes for the cluster system when either the first host node 200 or the second host node 300 is inactive. If the first host node 200 fails, the main power supply for the witness node 100, i.e., the first power supply 150, will be cut off. The system will then send a notification of the failure of the first host node 200 to the witness node 100, and the second power supply 160 will continue to supply power to the witness node 100. Similarly, if the second host node 300 fails, the redundant power supply for the witness node 100, i.e., the second power supply 160, will be cut off. The system will then send a notification of the failure of the second host node 300 to the witness node 100, and the first power supply 150 will continue to supply power to the witness node.

[0041] like Figure 5 、 Figure 6 and Figure 7 As shown, the latch 130 includes a latch body 134, a pivot hole 137 formed in the latch body 134, a handle 135 extending radially from the pivot hole 137, a lock tongue 131, and a first elastic member 133 attached to the body 134. The body 134, pivot hole 137, handle 135, and lock tongue 131 can be integrally stamped from sheet metal, for example. The latch 130 is pivotally connected to the top plate 117 of the housing 110 via a first fastener 138 and is positioned between the bottom plate 111 and the top plate 117. The latch 130 pivots relative to the housing 110 between a latched position and an unlocked position about a pivot 137a extending through the pivot hole 137. A narrow, elongated slot 113 is formed in the front plate 112 and the first side wall 115a. The handle 135 is disposed within the slot 113.

[0042] The retaining member 140 includes a slider 141, a second elastic member 143, a spacer 145, and a second fastener 147. The front panel 112 is formed with an elongated through-hole 113. The second fastener 147 passes through the spacer 145 and the through-hole 113 to slidably secure the slider 141 to the exterior of the front panel 112 relative to the housing 110. One end of the second elastic member 143 is fixed to the housing 100, and the other end abuts the spacer 145, thereby biasing the slider 141 toward the retaining position 140a.

[0043] Figures 8 to 12 Show Figure 2 The diagram shows the relative displacement positions of the latch 130 and the clamp 140 of the witness node 100 relative to the shell 110. Figure 8 The latch 130 is shown in a latched position 130a, and the catch 140 is shown in a caught position 140a. Figure 9 The latch 130 is shown in a latched position 130a and the catch 140 is moved to a released position 140b. Figure 10 The latch 130 is shown in an intermediate position 130b during pivotal transition from the latched position 130a to the unlocked position 130c, and the catch 140 is shown returned to the catch position 140a.

[0044] like Figure 8 As shown, when the latch 130 is in latched position 130a, the locking tongue 131 extends through the first side wall 115a of the housing 110 and is positioned at a first locking tongue position 131a outside the first side wall 115a. When the witness node 100 is installed in a memory (or drive) slot of a host node, the locking tongue 131 in this first locking tongue position 131a interferes with a sidewall stop 516 formed on the memory slot side wall 515 adjacent to the housing 110 along the direction 104 of removal of the witness node 100. In other words, the locking tongue 131 and the sidewall stop 516 form a first interference. When the locking tongue 131 and the sidewall stop 516 are in the first interfering position, the housing 110 is locked to the memory slot, maintaining the witness node 100 in its pre-set installation position in the memory slot, i.e., maintaining the witness node 100 in its pre-set physical and electrical connection with the host node.

[0045] When the latch 130 is in the latch position 130a, the first elastic member 133 is elastically deformed and biased against the inner surface of the first side wall 115a. The first elastic member 133 is elastically deformed under the pushing action of the latch 130 to store elastic potential energy. That is, the first elastic member 133 is in the latch position 130a. Figure 8The initial state 133a is shown. Simultaneously, the second elastic member 143, under its elastic force, biases the slider 141 of the clamping member 140 to the clamping position 140a. In the clamping position 140a, the slider 141 and the handle stop 136 of the latch member 130 interfere with each other along the tangential direction 135t in which the handle 135 pivots about the pivot axis 137a. In other words, the slider 141 and the handle stop 136 form a second interference. Under this second interference between the slider 141 and the handle stop 136, the slider 141 maintains the handle 135 in the latched position 130a. Because the lock tongue 131 is integrally fixed or manufactured with the handle 135, when the handle 135 is locked in the latched position 130a by the slider 141 in the clamping position 140a, the lock tongue 131 is simultaneously locked in the first lock tongue position 131a.

[0046] When the witness node 100 needs to be removed from the memory slot of the host node, for example, when the witness node 100 needs to be maintained or replaced, Figure 9 and Figure 10 As shown, an external force can overcome the elastic force of the second elastic member 143, displacing the slider 141 in the release direction 141r to the release position 140b, thereby releasing the second interference between the slider 141 and the handle stop 136. The elastic potential energy in the first elastic member 133 is then released, causing the first elastic member 133 to return to its original shape and eject the handle 135 outward from the housing 110 through the elongated through-hole 113 to the intermediate position 130b. When the external force is released, the slider 141, under the elastic force of the second elastic member 143, returns to the retaining position 140a.

[0047] like Figure 11 As shown, the portion of handle 135 that has emerged from housing 110 can assist in further pivoting handle 135 relative to housing 110 along unlocking direction 135r to unlocked position 130c. Simultaneously, locking tongue 131 is further pivoted from intermediate locking tongue position 131b to second position 131c. In second position 131c, locking tongue 131 is retracted to the inner side of first sidewall 115a, thereby eliminating the first interference with sidewall stop 516 of memory slot sidewall 515. This results in locking tongue 131 in second position 131c, i.e., unlocked position 130c of latch 130, allowing witness node 100 to be removed from the memory slot.

[0048] According to an alternative solution, Figure 12 As shown, refer to Figure 7 and Figure 11, the handle 135 may also have a prying portion 139. The position of the prying portion 139 is set so that when the handle 135 pivots along the unlocking direction 135r and exceeds the unlocking position 130c (i.e., the 130d position), the prying portion 139 abuts against the front edge 519 of the memory slot side wall 515. Since the latch 130 is already in the unlocking position, the first interference that prevents the witness node 100 from being removed from the memory slot has been released, and further pivoting of the handle 135 along the unlocking direction 135r will cause the handle 135 to become a force lever with the front edge 519 as the fulcrum, and through the connection of the first fastener 138 to the housing 110, the witness node 100 is moved from the docking position 100a ( Figure 11 ), displaced along the withdrawal direction 104 to the undocking position 100b. The latch 130 having the prying portion 139 configured as described above can assist in undocking the witness node 100 from the backplane connector. For backplane connectors with high friction in the docking connection, the latch 130 having the prying portion 139 configured as described above facilitates smooth and efficient undocking of the witness node 100 from the backplane connector.

[0049] The present application has been presented above for purposes of illustration and description, but is not intended to be exhaustive or limiting. Many modifications and variations will be apparent and readily understood by those skilled in the art. The exemplary embodiments have been chosen and described in order to explain the principles and practical applications and to enable those skilled in the art to understand the various embodiments of the present application.

[0050] Therefore, although illustrative example embodiments are described herein with reference to the accompanying drawings, it should be understood that the description is not restrictive and that those skilled in the art may conceive of various alternatives and / or modifications based on the described technical solutions without departing from the scope of the present disclosure.

Claims

1. A witness node, comprising: a housing comprising a bottom plate, a front plate extending perpendicularly to the bottom plate, and two opposite side walls; a main board mounted on the bottom plate and located between the two opposite side walls, and a functional element, a power supply unit, and a backplane interface mounted on and electrically connected to the mainboard, the power supply unit being configured to receive a first input power provided by a local power supply device as a primary power supply for the witness node, and to receive a second input power provided by a remote power supply device via a Power over Ethernet connection as a redundant power supply for the witness node, wherein the first input power supply is fixed to the local power supply device, and the second input power supply is fixed to the remote power supply device; The housing has a form factor that enables the witness node to be received and hot-swapped to a drive slot of a host node.

2. The witness node according to claim 1, further comprising: a latch member comprising a body, a pivot hole formed in the body, a handle extending radially from the pivot hole, and a locking tongue fixed to the body; The latch member is pivotally mounted to the housing, and the latch member is pivotable relative to the housing between a latched position and an unlocked position; In the latched position, the locking tongue extends from the housing through an outer surface of one of the two opposite side walls, so that when the witness node is received in the drive slot of the host, the locking tongue forms a first interference with the drive slot to prevent the witness node from being removed from the drive; In the unlocked position, the locking tongue retracts the housing to remove the first interference, thereby allowing the witness node to be withdrawn from the drive slot.

3. The witness node according to claim 2, further comprising: a slider slidably coupled to the front plate; The slider is displaceable relative to the housing between a clamping position and a releasing position, wherein in the clamping position, the slider forms a second interference with the handle, thereby preventing the latch from displacing from the latch position to the latch unlocking position; in the releasing position, the slider releases the second interference from the handle to allow the latch to pivot from the latch position toward the unlocking position.

4. The witness node according to claim 3 further includes a slot made in the front plate and one of the two opposite side walls, and a first elastic member, wherein the first elastic member is attached to the body, and when the latch member is in the latch position, the first elastic member is elastically deformed and biased against the one of the two opposite side walls; when the slider is in the release position, the first elastic member is allowed to return to its original shape to partially pop out the handle from the front plate through the slot.

5. The witness node according to claim 3 further includes a second elastic member, one end of which is fixed to the shell, and the other end of the second elastic member biases the slider toward the clamping position.

6. A witness node according to claim 2, wherein the handle further includes a prying portion, and when the handle is pivoted in the unlocking direction beyond the unlocking position, the prying portion abuts against the front edge of the side wall of the drive slot receiving the witness node, so that further pivoting of the handle in the unlocking direction displaces the witness node from the docking position with the backplane connector in the drive slot to the undocking position.

7. A witness node according to claim 1, wherein the housing has a 2.5-inch form factor and a thickness of 15 mm or 7 mm, and the functional elements include integrated circuits, resistors and capacitors that are surface-mounted on the motherboard.

8. The witness node of claim 1 , wherein the functional element comprises a central processing unit having a system-on-chip processor having embedded double data rate memory, thereby reducing the use of a dual in-line memory module connector on the motherboard.

9. The witness node according to claim 1, wherein the functional element includes a chipset unit, which integrates an embedded controller, a trust platform module and a serial peripheral interface flash memory to form a tightly integrated system and manage the preset functions of the witness node.

10. The witness node according to claim 1, wherein the backplane interface is configured to be adapted to be mated with a backplane connector compliant with the U.3 standard.

11. A cluster system comprising: First host node; a second host node, which is in communication with the first host node, wherein the first host node and the second host node are configured to back up data to each other; a witness node, the witness node being installed on the first host node and being in communication with the first host node and the second host node; and a redundant power supply device, the redundant power supply device being installed on the second host node and electrically connected to the witness node via Ethernet; The witness nodes include: Housing, the housing comprising a bottom plate, a front plate extending perpendicular to the bottom plate and two opposite side walls; a motherboard for interconnecting functional elements, a power supply unit, and a backplane interface, wherein the power supply unit receives a first input power provided by a local power supply device associated with the first host node as a primary power supply for the witness node, and receives a second input power provided by a redundant power supply device associated with the second host node as a redundant power supply for the witness node, Wherein the witness node has a form factor enabling it to be received and hot-swapped into a drive slot.

12. The cluster system according to claim 11, wherein when the first host node is inactive, the witness node utilizes the redundant power supply to respond to a voting request to establish a minimum number of nodes for the cluster system to provide system operation.

13. A cluster system according to claim 11, wherein the Ethernet power supply connection includes a power supply having an Ethernet input port connected to the redundant power supply device and a USB-C output port connected to the witness node, thereby transmitting the power provided by the redundant power supply device to the witness node.

14. The cluster system according to claim 11, wherein the witness node further comprises: a latch member comprising a body, a pivot hole formed in the body, a handle extending radially from the pivot hole, and a locking tongue fixed to the body; The latch member is pivotally mounted to the housing, and the latch member is pivotable relative to the housing between a latched position and an unlocked position; In the latched position, the locking tongue extends from the housing through an outer surface of one of the two opposite side walls, so that when the witness node is received in the drive slot of the host, the locking tongue forms a first interference with the drive slot to prevent the witness node from being removed from the drive; In the unlocked position, the locking tongue retracts the housing to remove the first interference, thereby allowing the witness node to be withdrawn from the drive slot.

15. The cluster system according to claim 14, wherein the witness node further comprises: a slider slidably coupled to the front plate; The slider is displaceable relative to the housing between a clamping position and a releasing position, wherein in the clamping position, the slider forms a second interference with the handle, thereby preventing the latch from displacing from the latch position to the latch unlocking position; in the releasing position, the slider releases the second interference from the handle to allow the latch to pivot from the latch position toward the unlocking position.

16. A cluster system according to claim 15, wherein the witness node further includes a slot made in the front panel and one of the two opposite side walls, and a first elastic member, wherein the first elastic member is attached to the body, and when the latch member is in the latch position, the first elastic member is elastically deformed and biased against one of the two opposite side walls; when the slider is in the release position, the first elastic member is allowed to return to its original shape to partially pop out the handle from the front panel through the slot.

17. The cluster system according to claim 15, wherein the witness node further comprises a second elastic member, one end of the second elastic member is fixed to the shell, and the other end of the second elastic member biases the slider toward the clamping position.

18. The cluster system according to claim 14, wherein the handle of the witness node further includes a prying portion, wherein when the handle is pivoted in the unlocking direction beyond the unlocking position, the prying portion presses against the front edge of the side wall of the drive slot receiving the witness node, so that further pivoting of the handle in the unlocking direction displaces the witness node from the docking position with the backplane connector in the drive slot to an undocked position.

19. The cluster system according to claim 11, wherein the witness node has a 2.5-inch form factor and a thickness of 15 mm or 7 mm, and the functional elements include integrated circuits, resistors and capacitors having surface mount mounting on the motherboard.

20. The cluster system of claim 11, wherein the functional elements include a central processing unit having a system-on-chip processor with embedded double data rate memory, thereby reducing the use of dual in-line memory module connectors on the motherboard.

21. The cluster system according to claim 11, wherein the functional element includes a chipset unit, which integrates an embedded controller, a trust platform module and a serial peripheral interface flash memory to form a tightly integrated system and manage the preset functions of the witness node.

22. The cluster system according to claim 11, wherein the backplane interface is configured to be adapted for connection with a backplane connector conforming to the U.3 standard.

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