Method and system for a weak membership tie-break

1. A method for managing a two-node cluster comprising a first server node and a second server node, comprising:

sending, by the first server node comprising a first copy of a virtual storage pool, a first heartbeat;

sending, by the second server node comprising a second copy of the virtual storage pool, a second heartbeat;

determining, by the first server node and in response to not receiving the second heartbeat from the second server node, that the second server node is disconnected from the two-node cluster;

sending, by the first server node and in response to determining that the second server node is disconnected, a first echo request from to a first external system, wherein the first external system is specified on the first server node and the second server node of the two-node cluster;

sending, by the second server node and in response to not receiving the first heartbeat from the first server node, a second echo request to the first external system;

receiving, by the first server node, a first echo response for the first echo request from the first external system, wherein the first echo response indicates that the first server node is a winner and the second server node is a loser in a tie-break mechanism;

halting, by the second server node and in response to not receiving a second echo response from the first external system after sending the second echo request, cluster services offered by the second server node; and

providing, by the first server node and in response to receiving the first echo response, services of the two-node cluster independent of the second server node.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

determining, after the second server node halts cluster services and by the first server node, that the second server node is reconnected to the two-node cluster when a third heartbeat response is received from the second server node; and

rejoining, by the first server node, the second server node to reform the two-node cluster.

3. The method of claim 2 , further comprising:

determining that a split-brain scenario has occurred in the two-node cluster;

designating, on the first server node, the first copy of the virtual storage pool as a winning copy of the virtual storage pool and a winning copy of cluster configuration information, wherein the virtual storage pool is distributed across the two-node cluster;

discarding the second copy of the virtual storage pool and a losing copy of the cluster configuration information on the second server node; and

resynchronizing the second server node of the two-node cluster using the winning copy of the virtual storage pool and the winning copy of the cluster configuration information.

4. The method of claim 2 , further comprising:

receiving a fourth heartbeat response from the second server node through a public network,

wherein the third heartbeat response is transmitted through a private network.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the public network is associated with a user of the services of the two-node cluster.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

sending, by the first server node, a third echo request to a second external system, wherein the second external system is specified on the first server node and the second server node of the two-node cluster; and

receiving a third echo response for the third echo request from the second external system,

wherein providing the services of the two-node cluster independent of the second server node is further in response to receiving the third echo response.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first external system is not a member of the two-node cluster, and wherein the first external system is a router.

8. A two-node cluster, comprising:

a first server node comprising:

a first processor;

a first storage device storing a first copy of a virtual storage pool; and

a first memory comprising a first set of software instructions executing on the first processor and configured to:

send a first heartbeat;

send, in response to not receiving a second heartbeat, a first echo request to a first external system, wherein the first external system is specified on the first server node of the two-node cluster;

receive a first echo response for the first echo request from the first external system, wherein the first echo response indicates that the first server node is a winner in a tie-break mechanism; and

provide, in response to receiving the first echo response, services of the two-node cluster; and

a second server node, comprising:

a second processor;

a second storage device storing a second copy of the virtual storage pool; and

a second memory comprising a second set of software instructions executing on the second processor and configured to:

send the second heartbeat;

send, in response to not receiving the first heartbeat, a second echo request to the first external system, wherein the first external system is specified on the second server node; and

halt, in response to not receiving a second echo response from the first external system after sending the second echo request, cluster services offered by the second server node.

9. The two-node cluster of claim 8 , wherein the first set of software instructions are further for enabling the first processor to:

determine, after the second server node halts cluster services, that the second server node is reconnected to the two-node cluster when a third heartbeat response is received from the second server node; and

rejoin the first server node with the second server node to reform the two-node cluster.

10. The two-node cluster of claim 9 , wherein the first set of software instructions are further for enabling the first processor to:

determine that a split-brain scenario has occurred in the two-node cluster; and

designate, on the first server node, the first copy of the virtual storage pool as a winning copy of the virtual storage pool and a winning copy of cluster configuration information, wherein the virtual storage pool is distributed across the two-node cluster;

discard the second copy of the virtual storage pool and a losing copy of the cluster configuration information on the second server node; and

resynchronize the second server node of the two-node cluster using the winning copy of the virtual storage pool and the winning copy of the cluster configuration information.

11. The two-node cluster of claim 9 , wherein the first set of software instructions are further for enabling the first processor to:

receive a fourth heartbeat response from the second server node through a public network,

wherein the third heartbeat response is transmitted through a private network.

12. The two-node cluster of claim 11 , wherein the public network is associated with a user of the services of the two-node cluster.

13. The two-node cluster of claim 8 , wherein the first set of software instructions are further for enabling the first processor to:

send a second echo request to a second external system, wherein the second external system is specified on each server node of the two-node cluster; and

receive a second echo response for the second echo request from the second external system,

wherein providing the services of the two-node cluster independent of the second server node is further in response to receiving the second echo response.

14. The two-node cluster of claim 8 , wherein the first external system is not a member of the two-node cluster.

15. A non-transitory computer readable medium comprising software instructions for managing a two-node cluster comprising a first server node and a second server node, the software instructions executable on at least one processor and comprising functionality to:

send, by the first server node comprising a first copy of a virtual storage pool, a first heartbeat;

send, by the second server node comprising a second copy of the virtual storage pool, a second heartbeat;

determine, by the first server node and in response to not receiving the second heartbeat from the second server node, that the second server node is disconnected from the two-node cluster;

send, by the first server node and in response to determining that the second server node is disconnected, a first echo request to a first external system, wherein the first external system is specified on the first server node and the second server node of the two-node cluster;

send, by the second server node and in response to not receiving the first heartbeat from the first node, a second echo request to the first external system;

receive, by the first server node, a first echo response for the first echo request from the first external system, wherein the first echo response indicates that the first server node is a winner and the second server node is a loser in a tie-break mechanism;

halt, by the second server node and in response to not receiving a second echo response from the first external system after sending the second echo request, cluster services offered by the second server node; and

provide, by the first server node and in response to the first echo response, services of the two-node cluster independent of the second server node.

16. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 15 , the instructions further comprising functionality to:

determine, after the second server node halts cluster services and by the first server node, that the second server node is reconnected to the two-node cluster when a third heartbeat response is received from the second server node; and

rejoin, by the first server node, the second server node to reform the two-node cluster.

17. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 16 , the instructions further comprising functionality to:

determine that a split-brain scenario has occurred in the two-node cluster;

designate, on the first server node, the first copy of the virtual storage pool as a winning copy of the virtual storage pool and a winning copy of cluster configuration information, wherein the virtual storage pool is distributed across the two-node cluster;

discard the second copy of the virtual storage pool and a losing copy of the cluster configuration information on the second server node; and

resynchronize the second server node of the two-node cluster using the winning copy of the virtual storage pool and the winning copy of the cluster configuration information.

18. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 16 , the instructions further comprising functionality to:

receive a fourth heartbeat response from the second server node through a public network,

wherein the third heartbeat response is transmitted through a private network.

19. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 15 , the instructions further comprising functionality to:

send, by the first server node, a third echo request to a second external system,

wherein the second external system is specified on the first server node and the second server node of the two-node cluster; and

receive a second echo response for the second echo request from the second external system,

wherein providing the services of the two-node cluster independent of the second server node is further in response to receiving the second echo response.

20. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 15 , wherein the first external system is not a member of the two-node cluster, and wherein the first external system is a web server.