Patent ID: 6173413
Filing Date: 2001-01-09
Classification: G06F,Y10S

Abstract:
A distributed computing system comprising:a first node, a second node, a storage device and a communication link coupled to said first node and said second node, wherein said first node and said second node access a storage device;a database for storing data, wherein the data comprises permission data associated with the storage device;wherein the first node comprises a first instance of the database, and wherein when the first node opens the storage device, the first node creates a first device file for the storage device using the permission data stored within the first instance of the database;wherein the second node comprises a second instance of the database, and wherein when the second node opens the storage device, the second node creates a second device file for the storage device using the permission data stored within the second instance of the database; andwherein the database provides coherent data to the first and second nodes in the presence of a node failure such that the first and second nodes receive consistent permission data in the presence of a node failure.