Patent ID: 7287186

Claim:
A shared-nothing virtual cluster, comprising: a plurality of virtual servers located on a corresponding plurality of physical servers linked together via a network; said plurality of virtual servers collectively forming an active/passive (A/P) cluster including an active virtual server and at least one passive virtual server; a plurality of virtual drives, each located on a corresponding one of said plurality of physical servers; said active virtual server handling a cluster load and executing a first operating system (OS) that operates said plurality of virtual drives in a data redundant configuration that collectively stores a data set for said cluster; each passive virtual server coupled to a sufficient number of said plurality of virtual drives with redundant information to recover said data set for said cluster; and an interlinik operatively configured to detect failure of said active virtual server and to initiate promotion of one of said one or more passive virtual servers to active status to resume handling said cluster load after failover.