Updating software images associated with a distributed computing system

• US 20060174238A1
• Filed: 01/28/2005
• Published: 08/03/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 01/28/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: CA, Inc. (d/b/a CA Technologies) (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: CA, Inc. (d/b/a CA Technologies) (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Inventors: Henseler, David A., Cahir, Margaret, Gilbertson, Jeanne C.
• Granted Patent: US 8,387,037 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 717/168
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/63 Image based installation; Cloning; Build to order

Abstract

In general, the invention is directed to updating images running on computing nodes within a distributed computing system. For example, a distributed computing system comprises a plurality of application nodes, a software image repository and a control node interconnected via a network. The image repository stores a master software image and a plurality of software image instances generated from the master software image. The control node automatically updates each of the software image instances using an updated version of the master software image.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

storing a master software image for a type of computing function to be deployed within a distributed computing system;

generating a plurality of software image instances from the master software image for deployment within the distributed computing system;

applying a software update to the master software image to generate an updated master software image; and

updating each of the software image instances using the updated master software image.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising deploying a subset of the updated image instances on application nodes within the distributed computing system.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein applying a software update comprises:

copying the master software image associated with the set of image instances; and

applying the software update to the copy of the master software image to generate the updated master software image.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein updating each of the software image instances comprises:

selecting one of the image instances;

creating a copy of the selected image instance;

computing a first set of differences S₁ that specifies any differences between the master software image and the updated master software image; and

applying the first set of differences S₁ to the copy of the selected image instance.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein updating each of the software image instances further comprises:

computing a second set of differences S₂ that specifies any differences between the master software image and the copy of the selected image instance; and

computing an intersection of the first set of differences S₁ with the second set of differences S₂.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the first set of differences S₁ and the second set of differences S₂ specify modified files.

7. The method of claim 5, further comprising reconciling the first set of differences S₁ with the second set of differences S₂ when the intersection is not an empty set.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein reconciling the first set of differences S₁ with the second set of differences S₂ further comprises presenting an interface to allow a system administrator to reconcile one or more modified files specified by the intersection.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the user interface allows the system administrator to elect to use the modified files from the updated image instance, elect to use the modified files from the updated master software image or elect to rollback the updated image instances to the selected image instances prior to application of the software update.

10. The method of claim 4, wherein computing a first set of differences S₁ that specifies any differences between the master software image and the updated master software image comprises performing a file-by-file bit comparison to identify files that have been changed due to the software update.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving input from a system administrator; and

applying the software update in response to the input.

12. A distributed computing system comprising:

a plurality of application nodes interconnected via a network;

an image repository storing a master software image and a plurality of software image instances generated from the master software image; and

a control node coupled to the communication network, wherein the control node automatically updates each of the software image instances using an updated version of the master software image.

13. The distributed computing system of claim 12, wherein the updated version of the master software image is generated by application of a software update to the master software image.

14. The distributed computing system of claim 12, wherein the control node deploys a subset of the software image instances on the application nodes within the distributed computing network.

15. The distributed computing system of claim 12, wherein the control node updates each of the software image instances by:

selecting one of the image instances

creating a copy of the selected image instance;

computing a first set of differences S₁ that specifies any differences between the master software image and the updated version of the master software image;

applying the first set of differences S₁ to the copy of the selected image instance;

computing a second set of differences S₂ that specifies any differences between the master software image and the copy of the selected image instance; and

computing an intersection of the first set of differences S₁ with the second set of differences S₂; and

reconciling the first set of differences S₁ with the second set of differences S₂.

16. The distributed computing system of claim 15, wherein control node computes the first set of differences S₁ and the second set of differences S₂ by detecting modified files.

17. The distributed computing system of claim 15, wherein the control node presents an interface to allow a system administrator to:

elect to use the modified files from the selected image instance,

elect to use the modified files from the updated master software image, or

elect to rollback the updated image instances to the selected image instances prior to application of the software update.

18. A computer-readable medium comprising instructions that cause a programmable process to:

access an image repository and select one of a plurality of software image instances generated from a master software image;

select one of the image instances;

create a copy of the selected image instance;

compute a first set of differences S₁ that specifies any differences between the master software image and an updated version of master software image; and

apply the first set of differences S₁ to the copy of the selected image instance.

19. The computer-readable medium of claim 18, wherein the instructions further cause the programmable process to:

compute a second set of differences S₂ that specifies any differences between the master software image and the copy of the selected image instance; and

compute an intersection of the first set of differences S₁ with the second set of differences S₂; and

reconcile the first set of differences S₁ with the second set of differences S₂.