System and method for managing a change to a cluster configuration

• US 20050289228A1
• Filed: 06/25/2004
• Published: 12/29/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 06/25/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Nokia, Inc. (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nokia, Inc. (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Srikanth, Koneru, Karlekar, Kripakaran
• Application Number:
  US10/877,892
• Publication Number:
  US 20050289228A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/220
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0866 Checking the configuration
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0886 Fully automatic configuration

Abstract

An apparatus and method are directed to managing a configuration of a cluster of members. The invention employs an atomic cluster configuration approach that includes applying a change to the configuration uniformly across the members in the cluster. Each member within the cluster is initialized to a transaction mode. If all members are in the transaction mode, a change is provided to each member, which evaluates the received change. If the change is determined to be unacceptable for any of the members, the change is determined to be globally unacceptable, and is rejected for all the members in the cluster.

Claims

1. A method for managing a configuration change to a cluster, comprising:

receiving the configuration change;

sending the configuration change to each member of the cluster;

determining if the configuration change is unacceptable by any member of the cluster, and if it is determined that the configuration change is unacceptable by any member of the cluster, directing each cluster member to disregard the configuration change; and

if each member of the cluster indicates that the configuration change is acceptable, directing each member of the cluster to apply the configuration change.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein sending the configuration change further comprises:

determining if each member of the cluster is in a transaction mode, and if each member is in the transaction mode, sending the configuration change.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising, sending the configuration change further comprises sending a request for each member of the cluster to transition to a transaction mode.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one member of the cluster is a mobile device.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the configuration change further comprises at least one of an address change, a host configuration change, an software change, a firmware change a patch, and a time change.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein each member of the cluster indicates that the configuration change is acceptable further comprises, each member of the cluster sending a message.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the message employs a network protocol.

8. An apparatus for managing a configuration change to a cluster over a network, comprising:

a transceiver for receiving and sending information to a member of the cluster; and

a change manager that is configured to perform actions, including;

determining if each member of the cluster is in transaction mode, and if each member of the cluster is in transaction mode,

sending the configuration change to each member of the cluster,

determining if the configuration change is unacceptable by at least one member of the cluster, and if it is determined that the configuration change is unacceptable by at least one member of the cluster, directing each cluster member to disregard the configuration change, and

if each member of the cluster indicates that the configuration change is acceptable, directing each member of the cluster to commit to the configuration change.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the apparatus is further configured to communicate with at least one other member of the cluster employing a secure encrypted protocol.

10. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the apparatus is further configured to operate as a mobile device.

11. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein determining if each member of the cluster is in transaction mode further comprises receiving a message from each member of the cluster.

12. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the cluster is configured to provide at least one network management service.

13. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein at least one other member of the cluster is configured to perform a lock operation.

14. A modulated data signal for managing a configuration change to a cluster over a network, the modulated data signal comprising the actions of:

receiving at a cluster manager the configuration change;

sending the configuration change to each member of the cluster;

enabling the cluster manager to determine whether the configuration change is unacceptable by any member of the cluster, and if it is determined that the configuration change is unacceptable by any member of the cluster, sending a message indicating that each cluster member is to disregard the configuration change; and

enabling the cluster manager to determine whether the configuration change is acceptable to each member of the cluster, and if it is determined that the configuration change is acceptable to each member of the cluster, directing each member of the cluster to commit to the configuration change.

15. The modulated data signal of claim 14, wherein enabling the cluster manager to determine whether the configuration change is acceptable further comprises receiving a message from each member of the cluster.

16. The modulated data signal of claim 14, wherein enabling the cluster manager to determine whether the configuration change is unacceptable further comprises receiving a message from less than each member of the cluster.

17. The modulated data signal of claim 14, wherein at least one of at least one member of the cluster and the cluster manager and is configured to operate as a mobile device.

18. The modulated data signal of claim 14, wherein at least one member of the cluster is configured to perform at least one of a lock, and a transaction operation.

19. The modulated data signal of claim 14, wherein the configuration change further comprises at least one of an address change, a host configuration change, a version change, a patch, and a time change.

20. An apparatus for managing a configuration change to a cluster over a network, comprising:

a means for sending the configuration change to each member of the cluster;

a means for receiving indication of acceptance of the configuration change from each member of the cluster, and if it indication of acceptance is unreceived for at least one member of the cluster, employing a means for directing each cluster member to disregard the configuration change; and

a means for determining if each member of the cluster indicates that the configuration change is acceptable, and if it is determined that the configuration change is acceptable, employing a means for directing each member of the cluster to commit to the configuration change.