Cluster Token Registry for Business Continuity
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Solution Overview
Problem
Business Continuity Clustering (BCC) systems lack managerial functions for individual resources, leading to potential service interruptions when a primary cluster fails, as they rely solely on local decisions based on a 'quorum' concept without ensuring that resources are properly authorized and maintained across geographically dispersed clusters.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a Cluster Token Registry (CTR) process across interconnected nodes, where each node maintains a cluster-wide flag or 'quorum token' that expires if not refreshed periodically, ensuring that services depend on a valid token and preventing unintended resource ownership, using a virtual synchrony protocol for consistent decision-making across the cluster.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If BCC systems rely solely on local decisions based on a 'quorum' concept, then device complexity is reduced, but reliability deteriorates due to potential service interruptions when a primary cluster fails
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a Cluster Token Registry (CTR) as an intermediary service that manages cluster-wide tokens and coordinates failover decisions across geographically dispersed clusters. The CTR receives failure notifications, validates prerequisites, and grants takeover tokens to secondary clusters, thereby maintaining reliability while keeping individual node complexity manageable through centralized coordination.
2Productivity
If entire cluster operations are moved to secondary clusters without resource-level authorization, then productivity is maintained during failover, but reliability worsens due to unintended resource ownership
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments cluster resources into individual manageable units, each with its own prerequisites for takeover. Instead of treating the entire cluster as a single entity, the system evaluates and authorizes takeover on a per-resource basis through the CTR, which checks specific prerequisites for each resource before granting tokens. This ensures that only resources meeting their authorization criteria are transferred, preventing unintended resource ownership while maintaining service availability.
3Ease of operation
If cluster tokens are granted without periodic verification, then ease of operation is improved, but reliability deteriorates due to token expiration and unauthorized workload assumption
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements periodic verification through a heartbeat mechanism where the CTR sends periodic requests to verify token validity. Secondary clusters must respond to these heartbeats to maintain their tokens, and the CTR can revoke tokens if prerequisites are no longer met. This periodic action ensures continuous authorization validation while automating the verification process to maintain ease of operation.
Data Source
AI summary
Method and system for implementing a cluster token registry (“CTR”) process in a cluster comprising a plurality of interconnected nodes each having a CTR associated therewith are described. In one embodiment, the method comprises, responsive to a client signing in at one of the nodes, the client registering a cluster-wide token with the CTR of the node, thereby casting a vote in connection with the token; determining whether prerequisites for granting the token have been met; and, responsive to a determination that the prerequisites have been met, granting the token. The method further comprises periodically determining whether the vote in connection with the token vote has been refreshed by the client and, responsive to a determination that the vote in connection with the token has not been refreshed by the client, de-registering the client.