Patent ID: 6625750
Filing Date: 2003-09-23
Classification: G06F,H04L

Abstract:
A method of operating at least two controller server computers for controlling a file server including data storage and a plurality of stream server computers linking the data storage to a data network for transfer of data streams between the data storage and the data network, said method comprising:one of the controller server computers becoming active for controlling the stream server computers and the other of the controller server computers being inactive for controlling the stream server computers, the inactive controller server computer responding automatically to a failure of the active controller server computer by becoming active in controlling the stream server computers; wherein each controller server computer sets a respective flag for indicating whether or not said each controller server computer is active or inactive in controlling the stream server computers, and upon booting, said each controller server computer reads the flag of the other controller server computer, and if the flag of the other controller server computer indicates that the other controller server computer is active in controlling the stream server computers, then said each controller server computer becomes inactive in controlling the steam server computers, and if the flag of the other controller server computer indicates that the other controller server computer is inactive in controlling the stream server computers, then said each controller server computer assumes active or inactive status based on a predetermined arbitration method.