Multi-server automated redundant service configuration

• US 20070198664A1
• Filed: 02/22/2006
• Published: 08/23/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 02/22/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Kramer, Michael, Mazur, Leszek, Watson, Eric, Sangubhatla, Murali, Vajjiravel, Murali, Satkunanathan, Lingan, Farhangi, Alireza
• Granted Patent: US 7,596,615 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/220
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/202 where processing functionality is redundant redundant communication control functionality G06F11/2005, redundant storage control functionality G06F11/2089
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0806 for initial configuration or provisioning, e.g. plug-and-play
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0846 based on copy from other elements
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/5014 using dynamic host configuration protocol [DHCP] or bootstrap protocol [BOOTP]

Abstract

Automated redundant configuration of a computer service can be accomplished in a variety of ways. An installation answer can be received and used to automatically determine configuration settings for a computer service to operate redundantly across multiple computer servers. The configuration settings can then be used to configure the multiple computer servers. A user can be asked an installation question, and based on the answer different configuration settings can be determined for configuring a first and second server of a plurality of computer servers. The first and second server can be configured with the corresponding configuration settings. In addition, an installation knowledge base can be consulted, based on an installation answer, when automatically determining configuration settings.

Claims

1. A computer implemented method for automated redundant configuration of a computer service, the method comprising:

receiving an installation answer regarding configuring the computer service;

via the installation answer, automatically determining configuration settings for the computer service to operate redundantly across a plurality of computer servers; and

via the configuration settings, configuring the plurality of computer servers to provide the computer service.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein receiving the installation answer comprises:

displaying a user interface on a server of the plurality of computer servers; and

receiving the installation answer from a user via the user interface.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein receiving the installation answer comprises receiving the installation answer from an automated discovery process run by a server of the plurality of computer servers.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein automatically determining configuration settings for the computer service to operate redundantly across a plurality of computer servers comprises:

dividing a responsibility to provide the computer service between a first server of the plurality of computer servers and a second server of the plurality of computer servers, wherein the first server is capable of providing the service if the second server stops responding, and wherein the second server is capable of providing the service if the first server stops responding.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein the responsibility is to provide data backup services.

6. The method of claim 4 wherein the responsibility is to provide networking services.

7. The method of claim 4 wherein the responsibility is to provide directory services.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein automatically determining configuration settings comprises consulting an installation knowledge base based on the installation answer.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the installation answer comprises an IP address range, and wherein the service is a DHCP service.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein the automatically determining configuration settings comprises splitting the IP address range, and wherein configuring the plurality of computer servers to provide the computer service comprises assigning, based on the split, part of the IP address range to a first server of the plurality of computer servers and assigning a different part of the IP address range to a second server of the plurality of computer servers.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein configuring plurality of computer servers to provide the computer service comprises configuring a first server of the plurality of servers as a primary server for the service and configuring a second server of the plurality of servers as a secondary server for the service.

12. A computer implemented method for automated redundant configuration of a plurality of computer servers to provide a computer service, the method comprising:

asking a user configuring the plurality of computer servers an installation question;

receiving an installation answer in response to the installation question;

based on the installation answer, determining a first configuration setting for configuring a first server of a plurality of computer servers to provide the computer service;

configuring the first server with the first configuration setting;

based on the installation answer, determining a second configuration setting for configuring a second server of the plurality of computer servers to provide the computer service; and

configuring the second server with the second configuration setting.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein determining the first configuration setting comprises consulting an installation knowledge base, and wherein determining the second configuration setting comprises consulting the installation knowledge base.

14. The method of claim 12 wherein the first configuration setting is different from the second configuration setting.

15. The method of claim 12 further comprising:

splitting a resource managed by the computer service into a first part and a second part;

wherein configuring the first server with the first configuration setting comprises assigning the first part of the resource to be provided by the first server, and wherein configuring the second server with the second configuration setting comprises assigning the second part of the resource to be provided by the second server.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein the resource managed by the computer service is a network address space, and wherein splitting the resource into the first part and the second part comprises splitting the network address space into two mutually exclusive network address spaces.

17. The method of claim 12 wherein the first server is a primary server, wherein the second server is a secondary server, and wherein the service can be provided by the secondary server if the primary server is inoperable.

18. One or more computer readable media having encoded thereon one or more computer instructions for performing the computer implemented method comprising:

receiving an installation answer regarding configuring a computer service;

based on the installation answer, consulting an installation knowledge base;

based on the consultation, automatically determining configuration settings for the computer service to operate redundantly across a plurality of computer servers; and

using the configuration settings, configuring the plurality of computer servers to provide the computer service.

19. The method of claim 18 wherein receiving the installation answer comprises receiving the installation answer via a remotely accessible service running on a computer server.

20. The method of claim 18 wherein the one or more computer readable media are one or more computer server installation images.