Methods and systems for modifying nodes in a cluster environment

• US 20060037016A1
• Filed: 07/28/2004
• Published: 02/16/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 07/28/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Oracle International Corporation (Oracle Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Oracle International Corporation (Oracle Corporation)
• Inventors: Paliwal, Bharat, Saha, Debashis, Jayaraman, Rajiv
• Granted Patent: US 7,937,455 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 717/178
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2209/505 Clust
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/61 Installation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/5061 Partitioning or combining of resources

Abstract

Various embodiments of the invention provide solutions to allow more efficient management of clustered environments. Merely by way of example, some embodiments provide a framework for the relatively automated management of clusters, including the addition, deletion and/or modification of cluster nodes. In certain embodiments, this framework may be incorporated within a software application that can assist in the configuration of clusters. Other embodiments provide methods of managing clusters and/or their nodes, including, inter alia, methods of establishing and/or implementing such frameworks. Still other embodiments provide systems, including clustered systems, that provide relatively automated cluster management capabilities.

Claims

1. A clustered computer system, comprising:

a first node computer comprising a first processor and a first computer readable medium, the first computer readable medium having a first set of software comprising;

an operating system executable by the first processor;

a clusterware program executable by the first processor to allow the first node computer to operate as part of a cluster environment; and

an application program executable by the first processor to provide application services as part of the cluster environment;

a second node computer in communication with the first node computer, the second node computer comprising a second processor and a second computer readable medium having a second set of software; and

a control computer in communication with the second node computer, the control computer comprising a third processor and a third computer readable medium, the third computer readable medium comprising instructions executable by the third processor to;

configure the second set of software to allow the second node computer to operate as part of the cluster environment.

2. A clustered computer system as recited in claim 1, wherein the third computer readable medium comprises further instructions executable by the third processor to configure the second set of software to allow the second node computer to provide application services as part of the cluster environment.

3. A clustered computer system as recited in claim 2, wherein the application services comprise services selected from a group consisting of database services, Internet services, World Wide Web services, and enterprise application services.

4. A clustered computer system as recited in claim 1, wherein configuring the second set of software to allow the second node computer to operate as part of the cluster environment comprises:

installing an operating system on the second node computer; and

configuring the operating system on the second node computer.

5. A clustered computer system as recited in claim 1, wherein configuring the second set of software to allow the second node computer to operate as part of the cluster environment comprises:

installing a clusterware program on the second node computer; and

configuring the clusterware program on the second node computer.

6. A clustered computer system as recited in claim 1, wherein configuring the second set of software to allow the second node computer to operate as part of the cluster environment comprises:

installing an application program on the second node computer; and

configuring the application program on the second node computer.

7. A clustered computer system as recited in claim 1, wherein configuring the second set of software to allow the second node computer to operate as part of the cluster environment comprises:

validating at least one system parameter on the second node computer to determine whether the second node computer is capable of serving as a node in the clustered environment.

8. A clustered computer system as recited in claim 7, wherein:

the third computer readable medium comprises a prerequisite checker; and

;

validating at least one system parameter comprises executing the prerequisite checker to validate the at least one system parameter.

9. A clustered computer system as recited in claim 1, wherein configuring the second set of software to allow the second node computer to operate as part of the cluster environment comprises:

interrogating the first node computer to determine a configuration of the first set of software.

10. A clustered computer system as recited in claim 1, wherein configuring the second set of software to allow the second node computer to operate as part of the cluster environment comprises:

allowing an administrator to input parameters specific to the second node computer.

11. A clustered computer system as recited in claim 1, wherein configuring the second set of software to allow the second node computer to operate as part of the cluster environment comprises:

updating the second set of software with parameters specific to the second node computer.

12. A clustered computer system as recited in claim 1, wherein the third computer readable medium comprises further instructions executable by the third processor to configure the first node computer to recognize the second node computer as a member of the cluster environment.

13. A clustered computer system as recited in claim 1, wherein the control computer is the first node computer.

14. A clustered computer system as recited in claim 1, wherein the control computer is the second node computer.

15. A clustered computer system, comprising:

a first node computer comprising a first processor and a first computer readable medium, the first computer readable medium having a first set of software comprising;

an operating system executable by the first processor;

a clusterware program executable by the first processor to allow the first node computer to operate as part of a cluster environment; and

an application program executable by the first processor to provide application services as part of the cluster environment;

a second node computer in communication with the first node computer, the second node computer comprising a second processor and a second computer readable medium having a second set of software; and

a control computer in communication with the second node computer, the control computer comprising a third processor and a third computer readable medium, the third computer readable medium comprising instructions executable by the third processor to;

determine an existing configuration of a first node computer in a cluster environment;

receive information specific to the second node computer;

prepare a model configuration for the second node computer;

configure the second node computer according the model configuration; and

add the second node computer to the cluster environment.

16. A method of configuring a node in a cluster computing environment, the method comprising:

determining, with a control computer, an existing configuration of a first node computer in a cluster environment;

receiving information specific to a second node computer to be configured;

preparing, with the control computer, a model configuration for the second node computer;

configuring, with the control computer, the second node computer according the model configuration; and

adding the second node computer to the cluster environment.

17. A method of configuring a node in a cluster computing environment as recited in claim 16, wherein determining an existing configuration of a first node computer in a cluster environment comprises interrogating the first node computer.

18. A method of configuring a node in a cluster computing environment as recited in claim 16, wherein configuring the second node computer comprises installing a set of software on the second node computer.

19. A method of configuring a node in a cluster computing environment as recited in claim 18, wherein configuring the second node computer comprises configuring the set of software on the second node computer to allow the second node computer to serve as a member of the cluster environment.

20. A method of configuring a node in a cluster computing environment as recited in claim 18, wherein the set of software comprises an operating system.

21. A method of configuring a node in a cluster computing environment as recited in claim 18, wherein the set of software comprises a clusterware program.

22. A method of configuring a node in a cluster computing environment as recited in claim 18, wherein the set of software comprises an application program.

23. A method of configuring a node in a cluster computing environment as recited in claim 22, wherein configuring the second node computer comprises configuring the application program to be cluster-enabled.

24. A method of configuring a node in a cluster computing environment as recited in claim 18, wherein determining an existing configuration of a first node computer comprises identifying a first set of software installed on the first node computer, and wherein installing a set of software on the second node computer comprises installing a second set of software on the second node computer, the second set of software corresponding to the first set of software.

25. A method of configuring a node in a cluster computing environment as recited in claim 24, wherein installing a second set of software on the second node computer comprises updating at least one parameter on the second node computer with information specific to the second node computer.

26. A method of configuring a node in a cluster computing environment as recited in claim 16, wherein the first node computer comprises a cluster inventory, and wherein adding the second node computer to the cluster environment comprises updating the cluster inventory to account for the second node computer.

27. A method of configuring a node in a cluster computing environment as recited in claim 16, the method further comprising:

validating the second node computer to ensure that the second node computer is capable of serving as a member of the cluster environment.

28. A method of configuring a node in a cluster computing environment as recited in claim 27, wherein validating the second node computer comprises using a prerequisite checker to validate the second node computer.

29. A method of configuring a node in a cluster computing environment as recited in claim 27, wherein validating the second node computer comprises:

reading an input file having a plurality of validation test identifiers identifying validation tests to validate a system environment for an application;

executing at least a portion of the validation tests; and

outputting the results of the validation tests.

30. A computer program product comprising code executable by a machine to:

determine an existing configuration of a first node computer in a cluster environment;

receive information specific to a second node computer to be configured;

prepare a model configuration for the second node computer;

configure the second node computer according the model configuration; and

add the second node computer to the cluster environment.

31. A computer program product as recited in claim 30, wherein the computer program product is configured to be executed on the first node computer.

32. A computer program product as recited in claim 30, wherein the computer program product is configured to be executed on the second node computer.

33. A computer program product as recited in claim 31, wherein the computer program product is configured to be bootable by the second node computer.

34. A computer program product as recited in claim 30, wherein the computer program product is configured to be executed on a control computer separate from the first and second node computers.

35. A computer program product as recited in claim 30, wherein the computer program product incorporates a prerequisite checker.

36. A system comprising:

means for determining, with a control computer, an existing configuration of a first node computer in a cluster environment;

means for receiving information specific to a second node computer to be configured;

means for preparing, with the control computer, a model configuration for the second node computer;

means for configuring, with the control computer, the second node computer according the model configuration; and

means for adding the second node computer to the cluster environment.