Patent ID: 8671151

Claim:
A computer-implemented method for maintaining an item-to-node mapping among multiple nodes in a multi-node system, comprising the computer-implemented steps of: maintaining, at a first node, first data indicating state information for each master node in a plurality of master nodes; wherein the state information in the first data indicates, for each master node in said plurality of master nodes, the first node's understanding of whether said each master node is an active node; determining, at the first node, a first item-to-node mapping based on said first data; receiving, at the first node from a second node, second data indicating state information for each master node in said plurality of master nodes; wherein the state information in the second data indicates, for each master node in said plurality of master nodes, the second node's understanding of whether said each master node is an active node; wherein the first data indicates that a particular node, other than the first node, is an active master node; wherein the second data indicates that said particular node is not an active master node; in response to receiving the second data, the first node updating the first data to generate updated first data that indicates that said particular node is no longer an active master node; and after updating said first data, the first node determining a second item-to-node mapping based on said updated first data; wherein the method is performed by one or more computing devices.