Methods and systems for automatically and securely joining an association

1. A method for joining an association, comprising:

receiving, by a first cluster, an association access credential and a unique address of an association manager;

generating, based on the association access credential, an association access request;

sending, to the unique address, the association access request;

receiving, in response to the sending, association information comprising: a first authenticated credential and a first association cluster list that indicates the second cluster; and

initiating, based on the association information, a connection to a second cluster in the association, wherein initiating the connection comprises:

performing a first lookup in the first association cluster list;

identifying, based on the first lookup, the second cluster and a second cluster address; and

sending, to the second cluster address, a first inquiry request that comprises the first authenticated credential;

after initiating the connection:

receiving, from the second cluster, a second association cluster list that indicates a third cluster in the association; and

generating, based on the first association cluster list and the second association cluster list, an updated association cluster list;

after generating the updated association cluster list:

performing a second lookup in the updated association cluster list;

identifying, based on the second lookup, the third cluster and a third cluster address; and

sending, to the third cluster address, a second inquiry request.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the method further comprises:

after initiating the connection:

receiving, from the second cluster, an inquiry request;

making a determination that the inquiry request comprises a second authenticated credential; and

sending, based on the determination, the first association cluster list to the second cluster.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the association information is generated by the association manager.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein generating the association information, by the association manager, comprises:

receiving, from the first cluster, the association access request;

making a determination that the association access request is valid;

generating, based on the determination, the first authenticated credential; and

sending, to the first cluster, the association information.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein generating the updated association cluster list comprises:

making a determination that the third cluster is not indicated in the first association cluster list; and

adding, based on the determination, an indication of the third cluster and a third cluster address to the first association cluster list.

6. A non-transitory computer readable medium comprising instructions which, when executed by a computer processor, configuring the computer processor to perform a method for joining an association, the method comprising:

receiving, by a first cluster, an association access credential and a unique address of an association manager;

generating, based on the association access credential, an association access request;

sending, to the unique address, the association access request;

receiving, in response to the sending, association information comprising: a first authenticated credential and a first association cluster list that indicates the second cluster; and

initiating, based on the association information, a connection to a second cluster in the association, wherein initiating the connection comprises:

performing a first lookup in the first association cluster list;

identifying, based on the first lookup, the second cluster and a second cluster address; and

sending, to the second cluster address, a first inquiry request that comprises the first authenticated credential;

after initiating the connection:

receiving, from the second cluster, a second association cluster list that indicates a third cluster in the association; and

generating, based on the first association cluster list and the second association cluster list, an updated association cluster list;

after generating the updated association cluster list:

performing a second lookup in the updated association cluster list;

identifying, based on the second lookup, the third cluster and a third cluster address; and

sending, to the third cluster address, a second inquiry request.

7. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 6 , wherein the method further comprises:

after initiating the connection:

receiving, from the second cluster, an inquiry request;

making a determination that the inquiry request comprises a second authenticated credential; and

sending, based on the determination, the first association cluster list to the second cluster.

8. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 6 , wherein the association information is generated by the association manager.

9. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 8 , wherein generating the association information, by the association manager, comprises:

receiving, from the first cluster, the association access request;

making a determination that the association access request is valid;

generating, based on the determination, the first authenticated credential; and

sending, to the first cluster, the association information.

10. A first cluster, comprising:

memory;

persistent storage; and

a processor, wherein the processor is configured to:

receive, by the first cluster, an association access credential and a unique address of an association manager;

generate, based on the association access credential, an association access request;

send, to the unique address, the association access request;

receive, in response to the sending, association information comprising: a first authenticated credential and a first association cluster list that indicates the second cluster; and

initiate, based on the association information, a connection to a second cluster in the association, wherein initiating the connection comprises:

performing a first lookup in the first association cluster list;

identifying, based on the first lookup, the second cluster and a second cluster address; and

sending, to the second cluster address, a first inquiry request that comprises the first authenticated credential;

after initiating the connection:

receive, from the second cluster, a second association cluster list that indicates a third cluster in the association; and

generate, based on the first association cluster list and the second association cluster list, an updated association cluster list;

after generating the updated association cluster list:

perform a second lookup in the updated association cluster list;

identify, based on the second lookup, the third cluster and a third cluster address; and

send, to the third cluster address, a second inquiry request.

11. The first cluster of claim 10 , wherein the processor is further configured to:

after initiating the connection:

receive, from the second cluster, an inquiry request;

make a determination that the inquiry request comprises a second authenticated credential; and

send, based on the determination, the first association cluster list to the second cluster.

12. The first cluster of claim 10 , wherein the association information is generated by the association manager.

13. The first cluster of claim 12 , wherein generating the association information, by the association manager, comprises:

receiving, from the first cluster, the association access request;

making a determination that the association access request is valid;

generating, based on the determination, the first authenticated credential; and

sending, to the first cluster, the association information.