Patent ID: 6145094
Filing Date: 2000-11-07
Classification: G06F

Abstract:
A method for providing highly available operation locks, the method operating in a distributed system including a primary server having a client and a secondary server for a shared resource, the method comprising:receiving, at the secondary server, a message from the primary server indicating that a first operation from the client on the primary server has acquired exclusive access to the shared resource;updating a replicated mutual exclusion variable, at the secondary server, to indicate that the first operation has exclusive access to the shared resource;receiving, at the secondary server, notification that the primary server has failed;configuring the secondary server to act as a new primary server;receiving, at the new primary server, an operation retry request from the client; andif the operation retry request is for the first operation, acquiring exclusive access to the shared resource by updating the replicated mutual exclusion variable, and completing the first operation.