Self-Electing Service System for Network Failover
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current network management requires manual configuration of services on each computing device, leading to burdensome administration and issues with service duplication or failure, as there is no mechanism for automatic failover or self-election of service providers among peer devices.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a self-electing service system where managed devices negotiate based on preconfigured election rules to determine which device should provide a service, using multicast messages and cryptographic signatures for security, allowing automatic failover and eliminating service duplication.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If manual configuration of services on each computing device is used, then service provisioning can be controlled, but administrative burden increases and service availability decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements self-electing services where computing devices automatically negotiate and elect service providers without manual administrator intervention. Devices use preconfigured election rules to autonomously determine which device should provide a service, eliminating the need for administrators to manually configure each device while ensuring service availability through automatic failover capabilities.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses preconfigured election rules that are established beforehand on all computing devices. These rules contain the logic and criteria needed for devices to autonomously make service provider decisions, allowing the system to be prepared in advance for automatic service election and failover scenarios without requiring real-time administrator input.
2Reliability
If services are configured on multiple devices, then service availability improves, but service duplication occurs causing resource waste
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a feedback mechanism where computing devices broadcast their service provider status to other devices on the network. Through this feedback loop, devices can detect which device is currently elected as the service provider and adjust their behavior accordingly, automatically stopping service provisioning if another device is already providing the service, thus preventing duplication while maintaining availability.
Solution Approach 2:
Devices autonomously monitor network conditions and automatically adjust their service provisioning status based on election results. When a device is elected as the service provider, it automatically begins providing the service; when another device takes over, it automatically stops provisioning, eliminating the need for manual management and preventing resource waste from duplication.
3Reliability
If automatic failover is implemented, then service reliability improves, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system pre-configures election rules on all devices that contain the logic for determining service provider eligibility and the process for electing new providers. This preliminary setup includes predefined criteria and algorithms that devices execute automatically, enabling failover capability without requiring complex real-time decision-making or manual intervention during failure scenarios.
Solution Approach 2:
The failover mechanism operates autonomously through self-electing services where devices automatically detect service provider failures and initiate re-election processes using preconfigured rules. The system handles the entire failover sequence automatically - detecting the failure, selecting a new provider based on election criteria, and transitioning service provisioning - without adding significant complexity to individual devices or requiring administrator involvement.
Data Source
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AI summary
A method for a self-electing service by a managed device is described. The method includes configuring the managed device with a service. The service is configured on at least one additional managed device in a network segment. The method also includes determining whether the managed device is selected to provide the service by negotiating with the at least one additional managed device in the network segment based on preconfigured election rules.