System and method for transmitting data from a storage medium to a user-defined cluster of local and remote server blades

• US 20060167886A1
• Filed: 11/22/2004
• Published: 07/27/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 11/22/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Kantesaria, Rajiv N., Kern, Eric R.
• Application Number:
  US10/994,864
• Publication Number:
  US 20060167886A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 15/161 Computing infrastructure, e.g. computer clusters, blade chassis or hardware partitioning casings, cabinets, racks or drawers for data centers H05K5/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/4405 Initialisation of multiprocessor systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0813 characterised by the conditions triggering a change of settings

Abstract

A method is provided to allow for establishing one or more user-defined clusters including server blades in a local blade cabinet and in one or more remote blade cabinets connected to the local cabinet by a management network, and then to allow for the transmission of information read within a local drive unit only to the blade servers within one of the user-defined clusters.

Claims

1. A method for transmitting information to server blades within a plurality of interconnected blade cabinets, wherein the method comprises steps of:

a) accepting a user input from a user interface of a local blade cabinet among the plurality of interconnected blade cabinets, wherein the user input selects a first cluster of server blades within the interconnected blade cabinets;

b) storing information identifying server blades within the first cluster of server blades;

c) reading information from a computer readable medium within a first local drive device of the local blade cabinet; and

d) transmitting the information read in step c) to each server blade within the first cluster of server blades while preventing transmission of the information read in step c) to server blades within the plurality of interconnected blade cabinets and not within the first cluster of server blades.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein

the first cluster of server blades includes at least one server blade within the local blade cabinet and at least one server blade within a remote blade cabinet within the plurality of interconnected blade cabinets, and

the information is transmitted to at least one server blade within the local server through a local internal network within the local blade cabinet and to at least one server blade within the remote blade cabinet through a management network connecting the interconnected blade cabinets and through a remote internal network within the remote blade cabinet.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein

the method additionally includes, between steps a) and c), transmitting an indication of a hot-plug event to each of the server blades within the local blade cabinet and within the first cluster of server blades,

a USB host controller within each server blade within the local blade cabinet interprets the indication of a hot-plug event as an indication that a first mass storage device has been plugged into a USB network connected to the USB host controller, and

in step d), the information is transmitted as information available at the first mass storage device.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein, in step d), the information is transmitted to a virtual USB device emulated within a device part within the local blade cabinet connected to a USB host controller within each server blade within the local blade cabinet and within the first cluster of server blades.

5. The method of claim 1, additionally comprising steps of:

e) receiving information within the local blade cabinet transmitted from a remote blade cabinet through a management network interconnecting the blade cabinets; and

f) transmitting the information received in step e) to each server blade within the first cluster of server blades and within the local blade cabinet, while preventing the transmission of the information received in step e) to each server blade within the local blade cabinet and not within the first cluster of server blades.

6. The method of claim 1, additionally comprising steps of:

e) receiving a user input from the user interface of the local blade cabinet selecting a server blade to be deleted from the first cluster of server blades; and

f) deleting information identifying the server blade to be deleted from the information stored in step b).

7. The method of claim 6, wherein

the method additionally includes, between steps a) and c), transmitting an indication of a hot-plug event to each of the server blades within the local blade cabinet and within the first cluster of server blades,

a USB host controller within each server blade within the local blade cabinet interprets the indication of a hot-plug event as an indication that a first mass storage device has been plugged into a USB network connected to the USB host controller,

in step d), the information is transmitted as information available at the first mass storage device,

the method additionally includes, following step e), transmitting an unplug event to the server blade to be deleted, and

the USB host controller within each server blade within the local blade cabinet interprets the unplug indication as an indication that a first mass storage device has been unplugged from the USB network connected to the USB host controller.

8. The method of claim 1, additionally comprising steps of:

e) accepting a user input from the user interface selecting a second cluster of server blades within the interconnected blade cabinets;

f) storing information identifying server blades within the second cluster of server blades;

g) reading information from a computer readable medium within a second local drive device of the local blade cabinet; and

h) transmitting the information read in step g) to each server blade within the second cluster of server blades while preventing transmission of the information read in step g) to server blades within the plurality of interconnected blade cabinets and not within the first cluster of server blades.

9. The method of claim 1, additionally comprising steps of

e) accepting a user input from the user interface selecting a second cluster of server blades within the interconnected blade cabinets;

f) storing information identifying server blades within the second cluster of server blades;

g) accepting a user input from the user interface indicating that information is to be transmitted to server blades within the second cluster of server blades; and

h) in response to step g), transmitting information to each server blade within the second cluster of server blades while preventing transmission of the information read in step g) to server blades within the plurality of interconnected blade cabinets and not within the first cluster of server blades.

10. A system comprising:

a local blade cabinet including a local group of server blades, a first local management system having a local user interface, a first local drive device for reading computer readable information from a removable storage medium, and a local internal network connecting the first local management system to each server within the local group of server blades;

a remote cabinet including a remote group of server blades;

a management network connecting the first local management system with the remote cabinet; and

a microprocessor within the first local management system programmed to receive inputs from the local user interface selecting at least one of the server blades within the local and remote groups of server blades to be included in a first cluster, to store data identifying the at least one server blade selected to be within the first cluster, and to transmit information read through the first local drive device to the server blades in the first cluster while preventing transmission of information to server blades not in the first cluster, wherein the information read through the first drive is transmitted to server blades in the local group through the local internal network and to server blades in the remote group through the management network.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein

each server blade in the local group of server blades includes a USB host controller,

the microprocessor within the first local management system is programmed to transmit a hot-plug indication to each server blade within the local group of server blades selected to be within the first cluster,

the USB host controller within each server blade in the local group of server blades interprets the hot-plug indication as an indication that a first mass storage device has been plugged into a USB network connected to the USB host controller, and

the microprocessor within the first local management system is additionally programmed to transmit the information read through the first local drive device as information available at the first mass storage device.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein

the microprocessor in the first local management system is additionally programmed to receive an input from the local user interface selecting at least one of the server blades within the first cluster to be deleted from the first cluster, to modify stored data identifying the at least one of the server blades to be deleted as being within the first cluster, and to transmit an unplug indication to each of the server blades within the first cluster selected to be deleted from the first cluster, and

the USB host controller within a server blade in the local group of server blades interprets the unplug indication as an indication that the first mass storage device has been unplugged from the USB network connected to the USB host controller.

13. The system of claim 10, wherein

each server blade in the local group of server blades includes a USB host controller,

the first local management system additionally includes a virtual USB device emulated within a device part connected to each USB host controller, and

the microprocessor within the first local management system is programmed to transmit information read through the first drive to each device parts connected to a USB host controller within a server blade identified by the stored data as being within the first cluster.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the microprocessor in the first local management system is additionally programmed to receive an input from the local user interface selecting at least one of the server blades within the first cluster to be deleted from the first cluster, and to modify stored data identifying the at least one of the server blades to be deleted as being within the first cluster,

15. The system of claim 10, wherein the microprocessor in the first local management system is additionally programmed to receive an input from the local user interface selecting at least one of the server blades within the first cluster to be deleted from the first cluster, to modify stored data identifying the at least one of the server blades as being within the first cluster, and to prevent subsequent transmission of information read through the first drive to the at least one of the server blades.

16. The system of claim 10, wherein

the first local management system additionally has a second local drive device for reading computer readable information from a computer readable medium, and

the microprocessor within the first local management system is additionally programmed to receive inputs from the local user interface selecting at least one of the server blades within the local and remote groups of server blades to be included in a second cluster, to store data identifying the at least one server blade selected to be within the second cluster, and to transmit information read through the second local drive device to the server blades in the second cluster while preventing transmission of information to server blades not in the second cluster, wherein the information read through the second drive is transmitted to server blades in the local group through the local internal network and to server blades in the remote group through the management network.

17. The system of claim 10, wherein the first local management system is additionally programmed to:

receive inputs from the local user interface selecting at least one of the server blades within the local and remote groups of server blades to be included in a second cluster, to store data identifying the at least one server blade selected to be within the second cluster;

receive a cluster selection input from the local user interface indicating a cluster to which data is to be transmitted;

transmit information read through the first local drive device to the server blades in the first cluster in response to receiving the cluster selection input identifying the first cluster, and

transmit information read through the first local drive device to the server blades in the second cluster in response to receiving the cluster selection input identifying the second cluster.

18. The system of claim 10, additionally comprising:

a first remote management system having a remote user interface and a first remote drive device for reading computer readable information from a removable storage medium, wherein the remote group of server blades are connected to the management network through the first remote management system,

a remote internal network connecting the first remote management system to each computer within the remote group of server blades, and

a microprocessor within the first remote management system programmed to receive inputs from the remote user interface selecting at least one of the server blades within the local and remote groups of server blades to be included in the first cluster, to store data identifying the at least one of the server blades within the local and remote groups of server blades selected to be within the first cluster while preventing transmission of information to server blades not within the first cluster, wherein information read through the first local drive is transmitted to server blades in the remote group through the management network and the remote internal network.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein

each server blade in the local and remote groups of server blades includes a USB host controller,

the microprocessor within the first local management system is programmed to transmit a hot-plug indication to each server blade within the local group of server blade selected to be within the first cluster,

the microprocessor within the first remote management system is programmed to transmit a hot-plug indication to each server blade within the remote group of server blade selected to be within the first cluster,

the USB host controller within each server blade in the local and remote groups of server blades interprets the hot-plug indication as an indication that a first mass storage device has been plugged into a USB network connected to the USB host controller;

the microprocessor within the first local management system is additionally programmed to transmit the information read through the first local drive device as information available at the first mass storage device; and

the microprocessor within the first remote management system is additionally programmed to transmit the information read through the first local drive device as information available at the first mass storage device.

20. The system of claim 11, wherein

the microprocessor in the first local management system is additionally programmed to receive an input from the local user interface selecting at least one of the server blades within the first cluster to be deleted from the first cluster, to modify stored data identifying the at least one of the server blades to be deleted as being within the first cluster, and to transmit an unplug indication to each of the local server blades within the first cluster selected to be deleted from the first cluster,

the microprocessor in the first remote management system is additionally programmed to receive an input from management network selecting at least one of the server blades within the first cluster to be deleted from the first cluster, to modify stored data identifying the at least one of the server blades to be deleted as being within the first cluster, and to transmit an unplug indication to each of the remote server blades within the first cluster selected to be deleted from the first cluster;

and

each USB host controller within a server blade in the local and remote groups of server blades interprets the unplug indication as an indication that the first mass storage device has been unplugged from the USB network connected to the USB host controller.

21. The system of claim 10, wherein the local blade cabinet additionally includes:

a second local management system having a microprocessor programmed to receive inputs from the local user interface selecting at least one of the server blades within the local and remote groups of server blades to be included in a first cluster, to store data identifying the at least one server blade selected to be within the first cluster, and to transmit information read through the first local drive device to the server blades in the first cluster while preventing transmission of information to server blades not in the first cluster, wherein the information read through the first drive is transmitted to server blades in the local group through the local internal network and to server blades in the remote group through the management network, and

program means to transfer data stored within each of the local management systems to the other local management system, to determine when either of the local management systems fails, and to transfer operation of the local blade cabinet from the local management system that has failed to the other local management system.

22. A computer readable medium storing code for a program causing a management computer system within a blade cabinet to perform a method for transmitting information to server blades within a plurality of interconnected blade cabinets, wherein the method comprises steps of:

a) accepting a user input from a user interface of a local blade cabinet among the plurality of interconnected blade cabinets, wherein the user input selects a first cluster of server blades within the interconnected blade cabinets;

b) storing information identifying server blades within the first cluster of server blades;

c) reading information from a computer readable medium within a first local drive device of the local blade cabinet; and

d) transmitting the information read in step c) to each server blade within the first cluster of server blades while preventing transmission of the information read in step c) to server blades within the plurality of interconnected blade cabinets and not within the first cluster of server blades.

23. The computer readable medium of claim 22, wherein

the first cluster of server blades includes at least one server blade within the local blade cabinet and at least one server blade within a remote blade cabinet within the plurality of interconnected blade cabinets, and

the information is transmitted to at least one server blade within the local server through a local internal network within the local blade cabinet and to at least one server blade within the remote blade cabinet through a management network connecting the interconnected blade cabinets and through a remote internal network within the remote blade cabinet.

24. The computer readable medium of claim 22, wherein

the method additionally includes, between steps a) and c), transmitting an indication of a hot-plug event to each of the server blades within the local blade cabinet and within the first cluster of server blades,

a USB host controller within each server blade within the local blade cabinet interprets the hot-plug indication as an indication that a first mass storage device has been plugged into a USB network connected to the USB host controller, and

in step d), the information is transmitted as information available at the first mass storage device.

25. The computer readable medium of claim 22, wherein, in step d), the information is transmitted to a virtual USB device emulated within a device part within the local blade cabinet connected to a USB host controller within each server blade within the local blade cabinet and within the first cluster of server blades.

26. The computer readable medium of claim 22, wherein the method additionally comprises steps of:

e) receiving information within the local blade cabinet transmitted from a remote blade cabinet through a management network interconnecting the blade cabinets; and

f) transmitting the information received in step e) to each server blade within the first cluster of server blades and within the local blade cabinet, while preventing the transmission of the information received in step e) to each server blade within the local blade cabinet and not within the first cluster of server blades.

27. The computer readable medium of claim 22, wherein the method additionally comprises steps of:

e) receiving a user input from the user interface of the local blade cabinet selecting a server blade to be deleted from the first cluster of server blades; and

f) deleting information identifying the server blade to be deleted from the information stored in step b).

28. The computer readable medium of claim 27, wherein

the method additionally includes, between steps a) and c), transmitting an indication of a hot-plug event to each of the server blades within the local blade cabinet and within the first cluster of server blades,

a USB host controller within each server blade within the local blade cabinet interprets the hot-plug indication as an indication that a first mass storage device has been plugged into a USB network connected to the USB host controller,

in step d), the information is transmitted as information available at the first mass storage device,

the method additionally includes, following step e), transmitting an unplug event to the server blade to be deleted, and

the USB host controller within each server blade within the local blade cabinet interprets the unplug indication as an indication that a first mass storage device has been unplugged from the USB network connected to the USB host controller.

29. The computer readable medium of claim 22, wherein the method additionally comprises steps of:

e) accepting a user input from the user interface selecting a second cluster of server blades within the interconnected blade cabinets;

f) storing information identifying server blades within the second cluster of server blades;

g) reading information from a computer readable medium within a second local drive device of the local blade cabinet; and

h) transmitting the information read in step g) to each server blade within the second cluster of server blades while preventing transmission of the information read in step g) to server blades within the plurality of interconnected blade cabinets and not within the first cluster of server blades.

30. The computer readable medium of claim 22, wherein the method additionally comprises steps of

e) accepting a user input from the user interface selecting a second cluster of server blades within the interconnected blade cabinets;

f) storing information identifying server blades within the second cluster of server blades;

g) accepting a user input from the user interface indicating that information is to be transmitted to server blades within the second cluster of server blades; and

h) in response to step g), transmitting information to each server blade within the second cluster of server blades while preventing transmission of the information read in step g) to server blades within the plurality of interconnected blade cabinets and not within the first cluster of server blades.

31. A computer data signal embodied in a carrier wave comprising code for a program causing a management computer system within a blade cabinet to perform a method for transmitting information to server blades within a plurality of interconnected blade cabinets, wherein the method comprises steps of:

a) accepting a user input from a user interface of a local blade cabinet among the plurality of interconnected blade cabinets, wherein the user input selects a first cluster of server blades within the interconnected blade cabinets;

b) storing information identifying server blades within the first cluster of server blades;

c) reading information from a computer readable medium within a first local drive device of the local blade cabinet; and

d) transmitting the information read in step c) to each server blade within the first cluster of server blades while preventing transmission of the information read in step c) to server blades within the plurality of interconnected blade cabinets and not within the first cluster of server blades.

32. The computer data signal of claim 31, wherein

the first cluster of server blades includes at least one server blade within the local blade cabinet and at least one server blade within a remote blade cabinet within the plurality of interconnected blade cabinets, and

the information is transmitted to at least one server blade within the local server through a local internal network within the local blade cabinet and to at least one server blade within the remote blade cabinet through a management network connecting the interconnected blade cabinets and through a remote internal network within the remote blade cabinet.

33. The computer data signal of claim 31, wherein

the method additionally includes, between steps a) and c), transmitting an indication of a hot-plug event to each of the server blades within the local blade cabinet and within the first cluster of server blades,

a USB host controller within each server blade within the local blade cabinet interprets the hot-plug indication as an indication that a first mass storage device has been plugged into a USB network connected to the USB host controller, and

in step d), the information is transmitted as information available at the first mass storage device.

34. The computer data signal of claim 31, wherein, in step d), the information is transmitted to a virtual USB device emulated within a device part within the local blade cabinet connected to a USB host controller within each server blade within the local blade cabinet and within the first cluster of server blades.

35. The computer data signal of claim 31, wherein the method additionally comprises steps of:

e) receiving information within the local blade cabinet transmitted from a remote blade cabinet through a management network interconnecting the blade cabinets; and

f) transmitting the information received in step e) to each server blade within the first cluster of server blades and within the local blade cabinet, while preventing the transmission of the information received in step e) to each server blade within the local blade cabinet and not within the first cluster of server blades.

36. The computer data signal of claim 31, wherein the method additionally comprises steps of:

e) receiving a user input from the user interface of the local blade cabinet selecting a server blade to be deleted from the first cluster of server blades; and

f) deleting information identifying the server blade to be deleted from the information stored in step b).

37. The computer data signal of claim 36, wherein

the method additionally includes, between steps a) and c), transmitting an indication of a hot-plug event to each of the server blades within the local blade cabinet and within the first cluster of server blades,

a USB host controller within each server blade within the local blade cabinet interprets the hot-plug indication as an indication that a first mass storage device has been plugged into a USB network connected to the USB host controller,

in step d), the information is transmitted as information available at the first mass storage device,

the method additionally includes, following step e), transmitting an unplug event to the server blade to be deleted, and

the USB host controller within each server blade within the local blade cabinet interprets the unplug indication as an indication that a first mass storage device has been unplugged from the USB network connected to the USB host controller.

38. The computer data signal of claim 31, wherein the method additionally comprises steps of:

e) accepting a user input from the user interface selecting a second cluster of server blades within the interconnected blade cabinets;

f) storing information identifying server blades within the second cluster of server blades;

g) reading information from a computer readable medium within a second local drive device of the local blade cabinet; and

h) transmitting the information read in step g) to each server blade within the second cluster of server blades while preventing transmission of the information read in step g) to server blades within the plurality of interconnected blade cabinets and not within the first cluster of server blades.

39. The computer data signal of claim 31, wherein the method additionally comprises steps of

e) accepting a user input from the user interface selecting a second cluster of server blades within the interconnected blade cabinets;

f) storing information identifying server blades within the second cluster of server blades;

g) accepting a user input from the user interface indicating that information is to be transmitted to server blades within the second cluster of server blades; and

h) in response to step g), transmitting information to each server blade within the second cluster of server blades while preventing transmission of the information read in step g) to server blades within the plurality of interconnected blade cabinets and not within the first cluster of server blades.