Abstract: A method and system are provided for conducting a cluster software version upgrade in a fault tolerant and highly available manner. There are two phases to the upgrade. The first phase is an upgrade of the software binaries of each individual member of the cluster, while remaining cluster members remain online. Completion of the first phase is a pre-requisite to entry into the second phase. Upon completion of the first phase, a coordinated cluster transition is performed during which the cluster coordination component performs any required upgrade to its own protocols and data structures and drives all other software components through the component specific upgrade. After all software components complete their upgrades and any required data conversion, the cluster software upgrade is complete. A shared version control record is provided to manage transition of the cluster members through the cluster software component upgrade.

Abstract: There is provided, in a computer processing system, an apparatus for managing object data. The apparatus includes a changed objects manager for creating and managing a changed objects list that at least identifies the objects that have changed based on time of change. The changed objects list is associated with a plurality of time buckets. Each of the plurality of time buckets is associated with a respective date and time period and with object change records for objects having a timestamp falling within the respective date and time period. Each of the object change records is associated with a unique object identifier and the timestamp for a corresponding one of the objects. The timestamp specifies a date and a time corresponding to a latest one of a creation time or a most recent update time for the corresponding one of the objects.

Abstract: A method and system for efficiently determining compatibility between a server node and a shared resource. The system includes a version control record that organizes metadata relating to the cluster and to data within the shared resource into a searchable format. A server node joining the cluster accesses the version control record at a known location (102). Prior to joining the cluster, the server node will use the version control record to determine compatibility with the disk header version (104), compatibility with the control record version (110), and compatibility with each data item in the version control record (112). In addition, the system may be used as a control mechanism for upgrades to system resources for existing cluster members.