Nutanix, Inc.
SELECTING A WITNESS SERVICE WHEN IMPLEMENTING A RECOVERY PLAN

Abstract:

Methods, systems, and computer program products for selection of a witness during virtualization system recovery after a disaster event. A recovery plan is configured to identify a witness that is then used to elect a leader to implement the recovery. Various system, and/or network, and/or component failures and/or various loss of function of components of the virtualization system can trigger initiation of the recovery plan. Based on the particular recovery plan that is invoked upon a determination of a network outage, or component failure or loss of function of a component of the virtualization system, a particular witness corresponding to a subset of entities of the particular recovery plan is selected. The witness is used to elect the leader, and the leader initiates actions of the recovery plan. The implementation of the recovery plan includes consideration of the health of components that would potentially be involved in the recovery actions.