A platform for and method of computer processing to support processor failover
are disclosed. A plurality of computer processors are connected to an internal
communication network. A virtual local area communication network over the internal
network is defined and established. Each computer processor in the virtual local
area communication network has a corresponding virtual MAC address and the virtual
local area network provides communication among a set of computer processors but
excludes the processors from the plurality not in the defined set. A virtual storage
space is defined and established with a defined correspondence to the address space
of the storage network. In response to a failure by a computer processor, a computer
processor from the plurality is allocated to replace the failed processor. The
MAC address of the failed processor is assigned to the processor that replaces
the failed processor. The virtual storage space and defined correspondence of the
failed processor is assigned to the processor that replaces the failed processor.
The virtual local area network is reestablished to include the processor that replaces
the failed processor and to exclude the failed processor.