Single-point management system for devices in a cluster

• US 20040267910A1
• Filed: 06/24/2003
• Published: 12/30/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 06/24/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Check Point Software Technologies Incorporated (Check Point Software Technologies Limited)
• Original Assignee: Nokia, Inc. (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Matai, Ajay, Treppa, Basil, Mittal, Ajay, Koneru, Srikanth, Xu, Laura
• Application Number:
  US10/603,925
• Publication Number:
  US 20040267910A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/220
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0213 Standardised network management protocols, e.g. simple network management protocol [SNMP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0803 Configuration setting
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0853 by actively collecting configuration information or by backing up configuration information
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0863 by rolling back to previous configuration versions
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/22 comprising specially adapted graphical user interfaces [GUI]

Abstract

The present invention provides cluster management from a single application. A user may perform management tasks on all of the devices within the cluster using a GUI or a CLI. The system automatically discovers the members of the cluster and acquires a configuration lock on the devices preventing other users from performing conflicting operations. If a problem occurs during a configuration, the devices may be rolled back to a previous working configuration. A message format is provided to help ensure message integrity beyond the security provided by a secure transport. An aggregator aggregates configuration information and motored data and allows the information to be presented according to a user'"'"'s requirements.

Claims

1. A system for cluster management that allows the configuration and monitoring of a cluster from a single-point, comprising:

a network interface configured to communicate with nodes in the cluster;

a memory configured to store information relating to cluster management;

a configuration subsystem coupled to a remote management broker, wherein the remote management broker is configured to distribute information between the nodes in the cluster;

a processor configured to perform actions, including;

accessing the cluster from the single-point;

obtaining information relating to devices within the cluster;

presenting the information to a user; and

determining network management (NM) operations to perform to the cluster; and

performing the determined NM operations.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein presenting the information to the user, further comprises a command line interface configured to access the cluster.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein presenting the information to the user, further comprises a graphical user interface configured to access the cluster.

4. The system of claim 1, further comprising an aggregator configured to aggregate data relating to the devices within the cluster.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the RMB further comprises:

a secure transport configured to transport messages;

an RMB server coupled to the secure transport; and

an RMB client coupled to the secure transport.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the RMB is further configured to collect attributes from the Configuration Subsystem.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the messages include a header which is configured to authenticate the messages.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the header includes a message authentication code that acts as a shared secret within the cluster and a magic field that identifies the message as a remote management broker message.

9. A method for providing cluster management that allows the configuration and monitoring of a cluster from a single-point, comprising:

accessing the cluster from the single-point;

obtaining attributes relating to devices within the cluster;

receiving input from a user relating to the attributes;

determining network management (NM) operations to perform on the cluster based on the received input; and

performing the determined NM operations on the cluster.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising applying a configuration lock that is intended to prevent other applications from performing NM operations on the devices within the cluster.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the single-point is selected from a command line interface and a graphical user interface.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising distributing information between the nodes in the cluster using a remote management broker.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein performing the determined NM operations on the cluster further comprise distributing the NM operations to each of the devices.

14. The method of claim 12, further comprising determining if the operations on the cluster were performed correctly, and if not, rolling back to a successful configuration.

15. The method of claim 12, further comprising utilizing a header which is configured to authenticate the messages.

16. The method of claim 9, further comprising releasing the configuration lock after the NM operations are performed.

17. The method of claim 9, further comprising aggregating data relating to the devices within the cluster on a single device within the cluster.

18. A computer readable medium for cluster management, comprising:

obtaining attributes relating to devices within a cluster from a single-point;

receiving input relating to the attributes;

determining network management (NM) operations to perform on the cluster based on the received input;

distributing the NM operations to the devices within the cluster; and

applying the NM operations.

19. The computer readable medium of claim 18, further comprising applying a configuration lock that is intended to prevent other applications from performing NM operations on the devices within the cluster during a predetermined time.

20. The computer readable medium of claim 18, wherein receiving the input further comprises utilizing a command line interface and a graphical user interface.

21. The computer readable medium of claim. 18, further comprising determining if the operations on the cluster were applied correctly, and if not, rolling back to a successful configuration.

22. The computer readable medium of claim 18, further comprising providing a header which is configured to help in authenticating the messages.

23. The computer readable medium of claim 18, further comprising aggregating data relating to the devices within the cluster on a single device within the cluster.

24. An apparatus for cluster management, comprising:

means for obtaining attributes relating to devices within a cluster from a single-point;

means for receiving input relating to the attributes;

means for determining network management (NM) operations to perform on the cluster based on the received input;

means for distributing the NM operations to the devices within the cluster; and

means for applying the NM operations to the devices within the cluster.

25. The apparatus of claim 24, further comprising means for applying a configuration lock that is intended to prevent other applications from performing NM operations on the devices within the cluster during a predetermined time.

26. The apparatus of claim 24, further comprising means for determining if the operations on the cluster were applied correctly, and if not, rolling back to a successful configuration.