Compatibility enforcement in clustered computing systems

• US 20070255813A1
• Filed: 04/26/2006
• Published: 11/01/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 04/26/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Valtrus Innovations Limited (f/k/a Dolya Holdco 9 Limited) (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Voigt, Douglas, Hoover, David, Krueger, Marjorie, Reed, Bernard
• Granted Patent: US 8,370,416 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/223
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2209/505 Clust
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/5061 Partitioning or combining of resources

Abstract

In one embodiment a method of creating a clustered computing system, comprises storing license information for a computing cluster in a memory module associated with a computing node, wherein the licensing information includes a bundle-type parameter that identifies a characteristic of the cluster and one or more node license parameters that identifies a characteristic of a computing node, initializing the computing cluster in a first computing node, adding one or more available computing nodes to the computing cluster; and activating the computing cluster when the computing cluster includes a number of nodes that complies with the bundle-type parameter.

Claims

1. A method of creating a clustered computing system, comprising:

storing license information for a computing cluster in a memory module associated with a computing node, wherein the licensing information includes a bundle-type parameter that identifies characteristics of the cluster and one or more node license parameters that identifies a characteristic of a computing node;

initializing the computing cluster in a first computing node;

adding one or more available computing nodes to the computing cluster; and

activating the computing cluster when the computing cluster includes a number of nodes that complies with the bundle-type parameter.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein storing license information for a computing cluster in a memory module associated with a computing node comprises retrieving licensing information from an external licensing server.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the bundle-type parameter identifies at least one of a minimum or maximum node count threshold for the computing cluster.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the node license parameters identify one or more bundle-types compatible with the computing node.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein adding one or more available computing nodes to the computing cluster comprises assigning a computing node a new node license when the computing node license is incompatible with the brand-type associated with the computing cluster.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising initiating a license check while the computing system is operating, wherein the license check evaluates at least one of:

a license status of the computing node;

a node count in the computing cluster; and

a brand-type associated with the computing node.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the license check comprises implementing an error routine that inhibits operation of the computing node when an incompatibility between the computing node and the computing cluster is detected.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising adding a computing node to the activated computing cluster.

9. A computing system comprising at least two computing nodes, wherein at least one of the compute nodes comprises:

a cluster module to manage compatibility operations associated with a computing cluster;

a node module to manage compatibility operations associated with the at least two compute nodes; and

a management module to manage compatibility operations with one or more external servers.

10. The computing system of claim 9, wherein the cluster module comprises a create cluster module to aggregate the at least two compute nodes into a clustered computing system.

11. The computing system of claim 10, wherein the cluster module maintains a right to use license comprising licensing information for a computing cluster and a node license pool comprising licensing information for nodes in the computing cluster.

12. The computing system of claim 10, further comprising an add node module to add a computing node to the clustered computing system.

13. The computing system of claim 10, wherein the management module provides a license key to and receives licensing information from an external licensing server.

14. A computer program product comprising logic instructions stored on a computer-readable medium which, when executed by a computer processor, configure the processor to:

store license information for a computing cluster in a memory module associated with a computing node, wherein the licensing information includes a bundle-type parameter that identifies a characteristic of the cluster and one or more node license parameters that identifies a characteristic of a computing node;

initialize the computing cluster in a first computing node;

add one or more available computing nodes to the computing cluster; and

activate the computing cluster when the computing cluster includes a number of nodes that complies with the bundle-type parameter.

15. The computer program product of claim 14, further comprising logic instructions which, when executed by the processor, configure the processor to retrieve licensing information from an external licensing server.

16. The computer program product of claim 14, further comprising logic instructions which, when executed by the processor, configure the processor to assign a computing node a new node license when the computing node license is incompatible with the brand-type associated with the computing cluster.

17. The computer program product of claim 14, further comprising logic instructions which, when executed by the processor, configure the processor to initiate a license check while the computing system is operating, wherein the license check evaluates at least one of:

a license status of the computing node;

a node count in the computing cluster; and

a brand-type associated with the computing node.

18. The computer program product of claim 14, further comprising logic instructions which, when executed by the processor, configure the processor to implement an error routine that inhibits operation of the computing node when an incompatibility between the computing node and the computing cluster is detected.