Patent ID: 8683021

Claim:
A method for establishing a new cluster membership of computer system nodes sharing direct read/write access to storage devices via a storage area network and a cluster operating system, the method comprising: initiating operation of a node; transitioning the node into a nascent state; detecting by the node heartbeat signals from other nodes; transmitting by the node its heartbeat signal; determining that a sufficient number of heartbeat signals have been detected sufficient to form a viable cluster; determining that an established cluster exists in response to detecting sufficient nodes to form a viable cluster; receiving at the node a request for information from a node in a leader state; transitioning the node to a follower state in response to the request; transmitting by the node identification information in response to the request to the node in the leader state; receiving at the node a membership proposal and information pertaining to all nodes in the proposed membership from the node in the leader state; accepting membership by the node in the proposed membership in the cluster; transitioning the node to a stable state; and forming a viable cluster including all nodes in the membership proposal.