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.