Synchronization and Customization of a Clone Computer

• US 20080244028A1
• Filed: 03/28/2008
• Published: 10/02/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 03/29/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Vmware LLC (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: VMware, Inc. (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Inventors: Zheng, Yufeng, Raghuram, Sirish, Le, Bich Cau, Feng, Ji
• Granted Patent: US 7,941,470 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/208
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1471 involving logging of persistent data for recovery
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0607 by facilitating the process of upgrading existing storage systems, e.g. for improving compatibility between host and storage device
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/065 Replication mechanisms
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0674 Disk device
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/63 Image based installation; Cloning; Build to order

Abstract

A computer implemented method for maintaining synchronization between a master computer disk and a clone disk that includes cloning the clone disk from the master computer disk, the clone disk having a customization portion; and customizing the customization portion with information relevant to a clone computer that uses the clone disk.

Claims

1. A computer implemented method for maintaining synchronization between a master computer disk and a clone disk that comprises:

cloning the clone disk from said master computer disk, the clone disk having a customization portion; and

customizing the customization portion with information relevant to a clone computer that uses the clone disk.

2. The computer implemented method as recited in claim 1 further comprising:

tracking changes to said master computing disk; and

utilizing an anchor to identify a version suitable for use in maintaining synchronization.

3. The computer implemented method as recited in claim 2 further comprising:

the anchor being a fixed anchor wherein the steps of cloning and customizing take place after receiving administrator input.

4. The computer implemented method as recited in claim 2 further comprising:

the anchor being a floating anchor wherein the steps of cloning and customizing take place automatically.

5. The computer implemented method as recited in claim 1 wherein the information include one or more of:

host name, IP address(es), security identifiers, authentication domain membership, software license keys, and user selected preferences.

6. The computer implemented method as recited in claim 1 wherein customizing comprises:

modifying configuration files of the clone computer stored on the clone disk when the clone computer is offline.

7. The computer implemented method as recited in claim 1 wherein customizing comprises:

when the clone computer is powered on, waiting for software from the clone disk to load; and

sending customization information to the software loaded from the clone disk; and

the clone computer modifying its configuration files.

8. The computer implemented method as recited in claim 1 further comprising:

performing said synchronizing of the clone disk with respect to said master computing disk when said slave disk is offline;

providing a go offline command to a slave software program running on a slave computer loaded from said slave disk after a pre-determined time period has passed since synchronization was available and said slave disk has not been offline; and

providing a power down command to said slave computer coupled with said slave disk if said slave software program does not respond to said go-offline command in a pre-determined period of time.

9. A master/slave synchronization maintainer comprising:

a template receiver for receiving a master computer disk template;

a clone generator coupled with said template receiver, said clone generator for cloning at least one slave disk from said master computer disk;

a clone customizer coupled with said clone generator, said clone customizer for providing at least one customization portion of said at least one slave disk clone; and

a clone synchronizer coupled with said clone customizer, said clone synchronizer for synchronizing said slave disk to said master computing disk while maintaining said at least one customization portion of said slave disk such that said slave disk remains a clone with respect to said master computer disk while also retaining said at least one customization portion which is distinct from said master computing disk.

10. The master/slave synchronization maintainer as recited in claim 9 further comprising:

a version tracker for tracking changes to said master computing disk; and

an anchor for synchronizing said slave disk to said master computing disk when said changes to said master computing disk are recognized by said version tracker, wherein said anchor performs said synchronizing without requiring an agent.

11. The master/slave synchronization maintainer as recited in claim 10 wherein said anchor is a fixed anchor, said fixed anchor performing said synchronizing between said master and said slave when explicitly directed.

12. The master/slave synchronization maintainer as recited in claim 10 wherein said anchor is a floating anchor, said floating anchor automatically performing said synchronizing between said master and said slave without requiring explicit direction.

13. The master/slave synchronization maintainer as recited in claim 9 wherein said customization portion includes customizable properties selected from the group consisting of:

host name, IP address(es), security identifiers, authentication domain membership, software license keys, and user selected preferences.

14. The master/slave synchronization maintainer as recited in claim 9 wherein a snapshot function is utilized by said clone generator to clone at least one slave disk from said master computer disk.

15. The master/slave synchronization maintainer as recited in claim 9 wherein said synchronizing of said slave disk with respect to said master computing disk provides a go-offline command to a slave software program running on a slave computer loaded from said slave disk after a pre-determined time period has passed since synchronization was available and said slave disk has been offline, and wherein a power down command is provided to said slave computer coupled with said slave disk if said slave software program does not respond to said go-offline command in a pre-determined period of time.

16. A computer-usable medium having computer-readable program code embodied therein for causing a method for maintaining synchronization between a master computer disk and a customized slave disk, said method comprising:

receiving a master computer disk;

utilizing a snapshot function to clone at least one slave disk from said master computer disk;

providing at least one customization portion to said at least one slave disk clone;

tracking changes to said master computing disk;

providing an anchor for synchronizing said slave disk to said master computing disk when said changes to said master computing disk are recognized without requiring an agent; and

synchronizing said slave disk to said master computing disk while maintaining said at least one customization portion of said slave disk such that said slave disk remains a clone with respect to said master computer disk while also retaining said at least one customization portion which is distinct from said master computing disk.

17. The computer-usable medium having computer-readable program code embodied therein as recited in claim 16 wherein said anchor is selected from the group of anchors including a fixed anchor for performing said synchronizing between said master and said slave when explicitly directed and a floating anchor for automatically performing said synchronizing between said master and said slave without requiring explicit direction.

18. The computer-usable medium having computer-readable program code embodied therein as recited in claim 16 wherein said customization portion includes customizable properties selected from the group consisting of:

host name, IP address(es), security identifiers, authentication domain membership, software license keys, and user selected preferences.

19. The computer-usable medium having computer-readable program code embodied therein as recited in claim 16 further comprising:

utilizing a snapshot function to clone a plurality master computer disks; and

generating a plurality of slave disks from each of said plurality of master computer disk;

assigning each of said plurality of slave disks to a group based on which master computer disk each of said plurality of slave disks is assigned.

20. The computer-usable medium having computer-readable program code embodied therein as recited in claim 16 further comprising:

performing said synchronizing of said slave disk with respect to said master computing disk when said slave disk is offline, said synchronizing further comprising;

providing a go offline command to a slave software program on a slave computer loaded from said slave disk after a pre-determined time period has passed since synchronization was available and said slave disk has not been offline; and

providing a power down command to said slave computer coupled with said slave disk if said slave software program does not respond to said go-offline command in a pre-determined period of time.