Abstract: A computer-implemented method may comprise processing agreements received over a computer network at a first replicated state machine deployed on processes belonging to a first membership in an order defined by a first globally ordered set of agreements associated with the first membership; receiving an agreement to change membership that is configured to cause the first replicated state machine to be deployed on processes belonging to a second membership that is associated with a second globally ordered set of agreements; and processing the agreement to change membership at a point within the first globally ordered set of agreements.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method of deploying a membership of nodes in a distributed computing system may comprise selecting nodes to be part of a membership of nodes; creating a membership task identifying a membership creator node as the node that is creating the membership and comprising a membership target identifying at least one node of the distributed computing system that is to become a member of the membership; and creating a beacon configured to send a create membership message to each identified node, the create membership message comprising at least an identity of the membership task and an identification of the membership. Upon receiving a response from a node in the membership target, the node from which the response was received may be removed from the beacon. The membership may be deployed when a response has been received from each of the nodes identified in the membership target.

Abstract: A messaging model and node induction methods and corresponding devices and systems are disclosed herein that are effective to enable an inductor node to induct an inductee node into a distributed computing system and to enable the inducted node to carry out predetermined tasks.