Maintaining the single token
Each node must monitor the ring
Election protocol is started if token is not seen for more than one round-trip time
The algorithm proceeds as follows [Le Lann] :
- Node sends elect(ID) message around the ring
- When a node receives the elect(ID) of another node, it forwards it unless its own ID is larger, in which case it sends elect(own ID)
- When a node receives elect(ID) with its own ID it becomes the leader and generates the token
- This works because every other node has seen the leader's ID and determined that it is larger than its own