I/O fencing, provided by the kernel-based fencing module (vxfen), performs identically on node failures and communications failures. When the fencing module on a node is informed of a change in cluster membership by the GAB module, it immediately begins the fencing operation. The node tries to eject the key for departed nodes from the coordinator disks using the preempt and abort command. When the node successfully ejects the departed nodes from the coordinator disks, it also ejects the departed nodes from the data disks. In a split-brain scenario, both sides of the split would race for control of the coordinator disks. The side winning the majority of the coordinator disks wins the race and fences the loser. The loser then panics and restarts the system.