Data Grid Cluster Death Detection via Network Ring Topology
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Solution Overview
Problem
Modern computing systems face challenges in detecting server failures or unresponsiveness in data grid clusters, which can lead to increased response times, false positives, and instability due to the exponential growth of user access and transactions, necessitating efficient death detection mechanisms.
Innovation Solution
A system and method utilizing a network ring, such as a TCP ring, and an IP monitor for fast process-level and machine-level death detection, along with a packet timeout approach, to quickly identify and notify cluster members of failed nodes, differentiate between actual failures and temporary unresponsiveness, and minimize false positives.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional failure detection methods are used in data grid clusters, then system complexity is reduced, but detection speed and reliability deteriorate leading to increased response times and false positives
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements preliminary action by establishing a network ring topology where each node pre-configures monitoring capabilities for its neighbors before failures occur. This proactive setup enables immediate detection when a node fails, eliminating the need for reactive polling or complex distributed consensus algorithms during failure events.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary mechanism where each node in the network ring acts as a monitor for its adjacent nodes. This intermediary monitoring relationship allows nodes to detect failures through local observations rather than requiring centralized coordination or complex inter-node communication protocols, significantly reducing detection time and false positives.
2Measurement precision
If comprehensive monitoring of all cluster nodes is implemented, then detection accuracy improves, but system complexity and overhead increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies segmentation by dividing the monitoring task into discrete segments where each node monitors only its immediate neighbors in the network ring. This segmentation reduces the complexity from O(n²) node-to-node monitoring to O(n) linear monitoring relationships, while maintaining comprehensive coverage through the ring topology that connects all nodes.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements universality by designing the network ring structure where each node simultaneously serves as a monitored entity and a monitoring entity. This multi-functional design eliminates the need for separate monitoring infrastructure, as every node contributes to both being monitored and monitoring others, reducing overall system complexity while improving detection accuracy.
3Productivity
If rapid failure detection is implemented to improve response time, then cluster availability improves, but false positive detection increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements feedback mechanisms where nodes continuously exchange presence signals through the network ring. When a node fails, the absence of its signals provides immediate feedback to adjacent nodes. This continuous feedback loop enables rapid detection while the ring topology ensures that feedback is validated through multiple paths, reducing false positives by requiring consistent absence signals before declaring a node dead.
Data Source
AI summary
A system and method is described for use with a data grid cluster to support death detection. A network ring is formed by connecting a plurality of process nodes in the data grid, wherein each node in the network ring watches another node. A death of a first process node in the network ring can be detected by a second process node, when the second process node notices that its connection to the first process node has closed. The first process node then informs other process cluster nodes in the network ring that the first node is dead. In accordance with an embodiment, machine level death detection can also be supported in the data grid cluster by using an Internet Protocol (IP) monitor.