Patent ID: 7051115
Filing Date: 2006-05-23
Classification: H04L

Abstract:
1. A method of providing a single system image in a clustered environment comprising: (a) assigning an internet protocol (IP) address as a cluster IP address; (b) binding the cluster IP address to a node in a cluster; (c) receiving a client request directed to the cluster IP address; (d) multicasting the request to all nodes in the cluster; (e) each node in the cluster filtering the request based on a dynamically adjustable workload distribution function on each node, wherein the function is configured to allow a single node to process the client request, and wherein the function distributes the workload by: (f) a single node in the cluster obtaining a response to the request; (g) the single node inserting a cluster media access control (MAC) address into the response; and (h) sending the response from the single node to the client.