DISTRIBUTED PLATFORM MANAGEMENT FOR HIGH AVAILABILITY SYSTEMS

• US 20080155303A1
• Filed: 12/21/2006
• Published: 06/26/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 12/21/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Original Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Inventors: Toeroe, Maria
• Granted Patent: US 7,716,517 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 714/2
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1482 by means of middleware or OS functionality
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2201/815 Virtual

Abstract

A distributed model for availability management (AM) functions is described. Core AM functionality is provided by at a global level, while supplemental AM functionality is provided at a local (e.g., cluster) level. Extension entities can be provided to supplement provided AM functions.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a hardware platform for supporting a service; and

an availability management (AM) software entity which supports availability of said service, said AM software entity being distributed to include;

a first global availability management core (AMC_g) portion, at a first hierarchical level, having a first set of AM functions associated therewith;

a first plurality of local AMC (AMC_l) portions, at a second hierarchical level, having a second set of AM functions associated therewith; and

a first plurality of AMC components, at a third hierarchical level, which are supplied with said first and second sets of AM functions to support availability of said service.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a first AM extension portion having a third set of one or more AM functions associated therewith, wherein said first AM extension portion is a plug-in software entity which supplements said first set of AM functions supplied by said AMC_g portion.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein said first plurality of AMC components, provided at said third hierarchical level, are each managed by a respective one of said plurality of local AMC portions and provide redundancy for said first AM extension portion.

4. The system of claim 2, wherein said first AM extension portion is located at said first hierarchical level and said third set of AM functions is mutually exclusive of said first and second sets of AM functions.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein said first set of AM functions includes at least one of:

(a) a function for monitoring a health of entities managed by said global AMC portion, (b) a function for notifying dependent entities of a status of entities upon which they are dependent, (c) a function for managing lifecycles of said entities, (d) a function for assigning service roles;

(e) a function for role assumption;

(f) a function for communicating with said first AM extension portion, and (g) a function for restarting one or more of said global AMC portion and said first AM extension portion.

6. The system of claim 2, wherein said third set of functions includes:

at least one of;

(a) a function for enabling lifecycle control of said first AM extension portion by said system global AMC portion, (b) a function for communicating with said global AMC portion, (c) a function for operating in accordance with one of a plurality of service roles, and (d) a function for providing an application program interface (API) associated with said first AM extension portion'"'"'s function.

7. The system of claim 2, wherein said third set of AM functions associated with said first AM extension portion provides for a redundancy model which is not supported by said first set of AM functions.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein said first global availability management core (AMC_g) portion, said first plurality of local AMC (AMC_l) portions and said first plurality of AMC components are all associated with a first virtual cluster, said system further comprising a second virtual cluster having:

a second global availability management core (AMC_g) portion, at said first hierarchical level, having a fourth set of AM functions associated therewith;

a second plurality of local AMC (AMC_l) portions, at said second hierarchical level, having a fifth set of AM functions associated therewith; and

a second plurality of AMC components, provided at said third hierarchical level, which are supplied with said fourth and fifth sets of AM functions to support availability of said service.

9. The system of claim 8, further comprising:

a second AM extension portion having a sixth set of one or more AM functions associated therewith; and

wherein said second plurality of AMC components, provided at said third hierarchical level, are each managed by a respective one of said second plurality of local AMC components, to redundantly provide said second AM extension portion.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein said sixth set of AM functions associated with said second AM extension portion provides for a role arbitration function which is not supported by said fourth set of AM functions.

11. The system of claim 8, further comprising:

a system-level AMC_g disposed at a hierarchical level above said first hierarchical level for communicating with, and coordinating availability management between, said first and second virtual clusters.

12. A system comprising:

a hardware platform for supporting a service; and

an availability management (AM) software entity which supports availability of said service, said AM software entity including;

a first global availability management core (AMC_g) portion having a first set of AM functions associated therewith; and

a first AM extension portion having a second set of one or more AM functions associated therewith, wherein said first AM extension portion is a plug-in software entity which supplements said first set of AM functions supplied by said AMC_g portion.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein said first AMC_g and said first AM extension portion are disposed at a first hierarchical level and further comprising:

a first plurality of local AMC (AMC_l) portions, at a second hierarchical level, having a third set of AM functions associated therewith; and

a first plurality of AMC components, at a third hierarchical level, which are supplied with said first and third sets of AM functions to support availability of said service.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein said first plurality of AMC components, provided at said third hierarchical level, are each managed by a respective one of said plurality of local AMC portions and provide redundancy for said first AM extension portion.

15. The system of claim 13, wherein said second set of AM functions is mutually exclusive of said first and third sets of AM functions.

16. The system of claim 12, wherein said first set of AM functions includes at least one of:

(a) a function for monitoring a health of entities managed by said global AMC portion, (b) a function for notifying dependent entities of a status of entities upon which they are dependent, (c) a function for managing lifecycles of said entities, (d) a function for assigning service roles;

(e) a function for role assumption;

(f) a function for communicating with said first AM extension portion, and (g) a function for restarting one or more of said global AMC portion and said first AM extension portion.

17. The system of claim 12, wherein said second set of functions includes:

at least one of;

(a) a function for enabling lifecycle control of said first AM extension portion by said system global AMC portion, (b) a function for communicating with said global AMC portion, (c) a function for operating in accordance with one of a plurality of service roles, and (d) a function for providing an application program interface (API) associated with said first AM extension portion'"'"'s function.

18. The system of claim 12, wherein said second set of AM functions associated with said first AM extension portion provides for a redundancy model which is not supported by said first set of AM functions.

19. The system of claim 13, wherein said first global availability management core (AMC_g) portion, said first plurality of local AMC (AMC_l) portions and said first plurality of AMC components are all associated with a first virtual cluster, said system further comprising a second virtual cluster having:

a second global availability management core (AMC_g) portion, at said first hierarchical level, having a fourth set of AM functions associated therewith;

a second plurality of local AMC (AMC_l) portions, at said second hierarchical level, having a fifth set of AM functions associated therewith; and

a second plurality of AMC components, provided at said third hierarchical level, which are supplied with said fourth and fifth sets of AM functions to support availability of said service.

20. The system of claim 19, further comprising:

a second AM extension portion having a sixth set of one or more AM functions associated therewith; and

wherein said second plurality of AMC components, provided at said third hierarchical level, are each managed by a respective one of said second plurality of local AMC portions, to redundantly provide said second AM extension portion.

21. The system of claim 20, wherein said sixth set of AM functions associated with said second AM extension portion provides for a role arbitration function which is not supported by said fourth set of AM functions.

22. The system of claim 19, further comprising:

a system-level AMC_g disposed at a hierarchical level above said first hierarchical level for communicating with, and coordinating availability management between, said first and second virtual clusters.

23. A method comprising the steps of:

providing, by a hardware platform, a service; and

distributing an availability management (AM) software entity which supports availability of said service, said AM software entity being distributed to include;

a first global availability management core (AMC_g) portion, at a first hierarchical level, having a first set of AM functions associated therewith;

a first plurality of local AMC (AMC_l) portions, at a second hierarchical level, having a second set of AM functions associated therewith; and

a first plurality of AMC components, at a third hierarchical level, which are supplied with said first and second sets of AM functions to support availability of said service.

24. The method of claim 23, further comprising the step of:

providing a first AM extension portion having a third set of one or more AM functions associated therewith, wherein said first AM extension portion is a plug-in software entity which supplements said first set of AM functions supplied by said AMC_g portion.

25. The method of claim 23, wherein said first plurality of AMC components, provided at said third hierarchical level, are each managed by a respective one of said plurality of local AMC portions and provide redundancy for said first AM extension portion.

26. The method of claim 24, wherein said first AM extension portion is located at said first hierarchical level and said third set of AM functions is mutually exclusive of said first and second sets of AM functions.

27. The method of claim 23, wherein said first set of AM functions includes at least one of:

(a) a function for monitoring a health of entities managed by said global AMC portion, (b) a function for notifying dependent entities of a status of entities upon which they are dependent, (c) a function for managing lifecycles of said entities, (d) a function for assigning service roles;

(e) a function for role assumption;

(f) a function for communicating with said first AM extension portion, and (g) a function for restarting one or more of said global AMC portion and said first AM extension portion.

28. The method of claim 24, wherein said third set of functions includes:

at least one of;

(a) a function for enabling lifecycle control of said first AM extension portion by said system global AMC portion, (b) a function for communicating with said global AMC portion, (c) a function for operating in accordance with one of a plurality of service roles, and (d) a function for providing an application program interface (API) associated with said first AM extension portion'"'"'s function.

29. The method of claim 24, wherein said third set of AM functions associated with said first AM extension portion provides for a redundancy model which is not supported by said first set of AM functions.

30. The method of claim 23, wherein said first global availability management core (AMC_g) portion, said first plurality of local AMC (AMC_l) portions and said first plurality of AMC components are all associated with a first virtual cluster, said method further comprising the step of providing a second virtual cluster having:

a second global availability management core (AMC_g) portion, at said first hierarchical level, having a fourth set of AM functions associated therewith;

a second plurality of local AMC (AMC_l) portions, at said second hierarchical level, having a fifth set of AM functions associated therewith; and

a second plurality of AMC components, provided at said third hierarchical level, which are supplied with said fourth and fifth sets of AM functions to support availability of said service.

31. The method of claim 30, further comprising the step of:

providing a second AM extension portion having a sixth set of one or more AM functions associated therewith; and

wherein said second plurality of AMC components, provided at said third hierarchical level, are each managed by a respective one of said second plurality of local AMC portions, to redundantly provide said second AM extension portion.

32. The method of claim 31, wherein said sixth set of AM functions associated with said second AM extension portion provides for a role arbitration function which is not supported by said fourth set of AM functions.

33. The method of claim 30, further comprising the step of:

providing a system-level AMC_g disposed at a hierarchical level above said first hierarchical level for communicating with, and coordinating availability management between, said first and second virtual clusters.

34. A method comprising the steps of:

providing, by a hardware platform, a service; and

supporting availability of said service by an availability management (AM) software entity, said AM software entity including;

a first global availability management core (AMC_g) portion having a first set of AM functions associated therewith; and

a first AM extension portion having a second set of one or more AM functions associated therewith, wherein said first AM extension portion is a plug-in software entity which supplements said first set of AM functions supplied by said AMC_g portion.

35. The method of claim 34, wherein said first AMC_g and said first AM extension portion are disposed at a first hierarchical level and further comprising the steps of:

providing a first plurality of local AMC (AMC_l) portions, at a second hierarchical level, having a third set of AM functions associated therewith; and

providing a first plurality of AMC components, at a third hierarchical level, which are supplied with said first and second sets of AM functions to support availability of said service.

36. The method of claim 35, wherein said first plurality of AMC components, provided at said third hierarchical level, are each managed by a respective one of said plurality of local AMC portions and provide redundancy for said first AM extension portion.

37. The method of claim 35, wherein said second set of AM functions is mutually exclusive of said first and third sets of AM functions.

38. The method of claim 34, wherein said first set of AM functions includes at least one of:

(a) a function for monitoring a health of entities managed by said global AMC portion, (b) a function for notifying dependent entities of a status of entities upon which they are dependent, (c) a function for managing lifecycles of said entities, (d) a function for assigning service roles;

(e) a function for role assumption;

(f) a function for communicating with said first AM extension portion, and (g) a function for restarting one or more of said global AMC portion and said first AM extension portion.

39. The method of claim 34, wherein said second set of functions includes:

at least one of;

(a) a function for enabling lifecycle control of said first AM extension portion by said system global AMC portion, (b) a function for communicating with said global AMC portion, (c) a function for operating in accordance with one of a plurality of service roles, and (d) a function for providing an application program interface (API) associated with said first AM extension portion'"'"'s function.

40. The method of claim 34, wherein said second set of AM functions associated with said first AM extension portion provides for a redundancy model which is not supported by said first set of AM functions.

41. The method of claim 35, wherein said first global availability management core (AMC_g) portion, said first plurality of local AMC (AMC_l) portions and said first plurality of AMC components are all associated with a first virtual cluster, said method further comprising the step of providing a second virtual cluster having:

a second global availability management core (AMC_g) portion, at said first hierarchical level, having a fourth set of AM functions associated therewith;

a second plurality of local AMC (AMC_l) portions, at said second hierarchical level, having a fifth set of AM functions associated therewith; and

a second plurality of AMC components, provided at said third hierarchical level, which are supplied with said fourth and fifth sets of AM functions to support availability of said service.

42. The method of claim 41, further comprising the step of:

providing a second AM extension portion having a sixth set of one or more AM functions associated therewith; and

wherein said second plurality of AMC components, provided at said third hierarchical level, are each managed by a respective one of said second plurality of local AMC portions, to redundantly provide said second AM extension portion.

43. The method of claim 42, wherein said sixth set of AM functions associated with said second AM extension portion provides for a role arbitration function which is not supported by said fourth set of AM functions.

44. The method of claim 41, further comprising the step of:

providing a system-level AMC_g disposed at a hierarchical level above said first hierarchical level for communicating with, and coordinating availability management between, said first and second virtual clusters.