METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR ACCESSING SHARED RESOURCES WITH ASYMMETRIC SAFETY IN A MULTIPROCESSING SYSTEM

摘要

In a multiprocessing system, access to a shared resource is arbitrated among multiple computing nodes. The shared resources has a membership view resulting from a predetermined membership protocol performed by the shared resource and the computing nodes. Preferably, this membership protocol includes a termination condition guaranteeing asymmetric safety among all members of the multiprocessing system. The shared resource arbitrates access to itself by fencing computing nodes outside shared resource's membership view. In one embodiment, the shared resource may comprise a data storage facility, such as a disk drive. Illustratively, computation of the shared resource's membership view may employ a procedure where each computing node subscribes to the resource during prescribed membership intervals.