Virtual server cloud interfacing

• US 20030105810A1
• Filed: 04/17/2002
• Published: 06/05/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 11/30/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dell Products LP (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Surgient, Inc. (Quest Software, Inc.)
• Inventors: Hirschfeld, Robert A., McCrory, Dave D.
• Granted Patent: US 7,574,496 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/203
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/08 for authentication of entities cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/30 Profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols

Abstract

A server cloud manager (SCM) for controlling logical servers and physical resources that form a virtualized logical server cloud. The SCM includes multiple core components and one or more interface components. The core components serve as a shared foundation to collectively manage events, validate and authorize server cloud users and agents, enforce predetermined requirements and rules and store operation data. The one or more interface components enable communication with external entities and includes an SCM proxy manager that enables communication with one or more SCMs of other server clouds. A server cloud system including a first server cloud that includes a first server cloud manager (SCM) and a first logical server, and a second server cloud that includes a second SCM. The first and second SCMs are configured to cooperate to manage operation of the first logical server.

Claims

1. A server cloud manager (SCM) for controlling logical servers and physical resources that comprise a virtualized logical server cloud, comprising:

a plurality of core components that serve as a shared foundation to collectively manage events, validate and authorize server cloud users and agents, enforce predetermined requirements and rules and store operation data; and

at least one interface component for enabling communication with external entities, including an SCM proxy manager that enables communication with one or more SCMs of other server clouds.

2. The SCM of claim 1, wherein the core components comprise:

an event engine that controls and manages events to be performed by the SCM;

an authentication engine that validates users and agents of the server cloud and that issues security credentials to authorized users and agents;

a rules engine that validates and enforces predetermined requirements and rules to be followed by SCM operations; and

a database that stores information and includes data validation, data formatting and rules validation for the SCM and the server cloud.

3. The SCM of claim 2, wherein the events controlled and managed by the event engine include individual events and collections of events.

4. The SCM of claim 1, wherein the at least one interface component includes a user manager, and wherein the core components and the user manager collectively render graphical user interfaces and authorize users of the server cloud according to predetermined roles that define the rights and privileges for each user while accessing server cloud resources.

5. The SCM of claim 1, wherein the at least one interface component includes an agent manager that coordinates SCM events with agents within the server cloud that perform specified actions.

6. The SCM of claim 1, wherein the at least one interface component includes an administrator manager that renders a user interface, enables access and control by one or more administrators of the SCM, and coordinates with core components to authenticate administrative requests.

7. The SCM of claim 1, wherein the at least one interface component includes an advanced scripting manager that provides advanced scripting logic and interfaces to other management systems.

8. The SCM of claim 1, wherein the at least one interface component includes an SNMP manager that provides an interface between the SCM and an SNMP management application.

9. The SCM of claim 1, wherein the at least one interface component includes an image manager that optimizes use of disk resources and files throughout a predetermined domain of the SCM.

10. The SCM of claim 1, wherein the core components employ a URI mapping as a syntax handle that provides sufficient context information and that describes a management relationship between different components of the SCM.

11. The SCM of claim 10, wherein the URI mapping includes an identity aspect that determines an identity of an entity requesting an action to be performed.

12. The SCM of claim 10, wherein the URI mapping includes a rights aspect that incorporates predetermined roles assigned to an entity that defines the rights and privileges assigned to the entity.

13. The SCM of claim 10, wherein the URI mapping includes a presentation aspect that includes logical relationships that define how information is to be presented.

14. The SCM of claim 1, wherein the URI mapping includes an implementation aspect that determines which resources or equipment of a domain of the SCM are effected by actions and commands.

15. The SCM of claim 14, wherein the implementation aspect supports server abstraction.

16. The SCM of claim 14, wherein the implementation aspect supports scripting abstraction.

17. The SCM of claim 14, wherein the implementation function incorporates a proxy function for relaying actions and commands to another server cloud.

18. A server cloud system, comprising:

a first server cloud including a first server cloud manager (SCM) and a first logical server; and

a second server cloud including a second SCM;

the first and second SCMs configured to cooperate to manage operation of the first logical server.

19. The server cloud system of claim 18, wherein the first and second SCMs are configured to cooperate to move the first logical server from the first server cloud to the second server cloud.

20. The server cloud system of claim 18, further comprising:

the second server cloud including a second logical server; and

the first and second SCMs being configured to cooperate to ensure that only one of the first and second logical servers is active at any given time.

21. The server cloud system of claim 20, wherein the first logical server is activated during a first time period and is placed in standby during a second time period, and wherein the second logical server is activated during the second time period and placed in standby during the first time period.

22. The server cloud system of claim 18, wherein the first and second SCMs are configured to cooperate to replicate the first logical server to a second and unique logical server within the second server cloud.

23. The server cloud system of claim 18, wherein the first and second server clouds have a trust relationship and wherein the first and second SCMs are peers.

24. The server cloud system of claim 23, wherein the first logical server is within a subcloud of the first server cloud and wherein the second SCM has rights over the subcloud.

25. The server cloud system of claim 18, further comprising:

an intermediary that has a trust relationship with the first and second server clouds; and

wherein the first and second server clouds cooperate with each other through the intermediary.

26. The server cloud system of claim 25, wherein the first and second SCMs are configured to cooperate via the intermediary to move the first logical server from the first server cloud to the second server cloud.

27. The server cloud system of claim 25, further comprising:

the second server cloud including a second logical server; and

the first and second SCMs being configured to cooperate via the intermediary to ensure that only one of the first and second logical servers is active at any given time.

28. The server cloud system of claim 25, wherein the first and second SCMs are configured to cooperate via the intermediary to replicate the first logical server to a second and unique logical server within the second server cloud.

29. The server cloud system of claim 18, wherein the second SCM operates as a proxy for the first logical server so that the first logical server may appear to exist within the second server cloud while actually residing in the first server cloud.

30. The server cloud system of claim 18, further comprising:

the first server cloud including a second logical server; and

wherein the second SCM operates as a proxy for the first and second logical servers and wherein the first and second SCMs are configured to cooperate to ensure that only one of the first and second logical servers is active at any given time.

31. The server cloud system of claim 18, wherein the second server cloud is an exchange cloud that employs intercloud proxy and commercial terms to enable commercial transactions associated with resources within the first server cloud.

32. The server cloud system of claim 31, wherein the first and second server clouds establish a commercial relationship for the purpose of enabling the second server cloud to direct use and resell logical server resources in the first server cloud.

33. The server cloud system of claim 31, further comprising:

a third server cloud having an authorized user, the third server cloud having a commercial relationship with the exchange cloud; and

wherein the authorized user gains access to the first logical server active in the first server cloud via intercloud proxy via the exchange cloud.

34. The server cloud system of claim 31, further comprising:

a third server cloud having a commercial relationship with the exchange cloud; and

the exchange cloud transferring the first logical server from the first server cloud to the third server cloud for access by an end consumer.

35. The server cloud system of claim 34, wherein location of the first logical server is transparent to the end consumer.

36. The server cloud system of claim 34, wherein transfer of the first logical server is performed by the exchange cloud transparently to the end consumer.