Managing Computer Resources In A Distributed Computing System

• US 20080313331A1
• Filed: 06/12/2007
• Published: 12/18/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 06/12/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Boykin, James R., Lindquist, David B., Griffin, Patricia D., Giammaria, Alberto, Orr, Robert L.
• Granted Patent: US 8,266,287 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/226
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2209/508 Monitor
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/50 Allocation of resources, e.g. of the central processing unit [CPU]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/5072 Grid computing

Abstract

Methods, apparatus, and products for managing computer resources in a distributed computing system are disclosed that include registering, in a configuration management database by a discovery module in response to a modification of a resource in a resource container, the resource in association with a configuration management database identifier, the resource characterized by a resource type and a resource identification, the resource container including a manageability endpoint characterized by a manageability endpoint reference; and managing the resource by a management module in dependence upon a resource management policy and the manageability endpoint reference, the resource management policy including management actions for the resource.

Claims

1. A method of managing computer resources in a distributed computing system, the method comprising:

registering, in a configuration management database by a discovery module in response to a modification of a resource in a resource container, the resource in association with a configuration management database identifier, the resource characterized by a resource type and a resource identification, the resource container comprising a manageability endpoint characterized by a manageability endpoint reference; and

managing the resource by a management module in dependence upon a resource management policy and the manageability endpoint reference, the resource management policy comprising management actions for the resource.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein registering the resource in a configuration management database further comprises:

receiving, by the discovery module from the manageability endpoint, a resource modification notification, the resource modification notification comprising the resource identification, the resource type, and the manageability endpoint reference;

retrieving, by the discovery module from the manageability endpoint in dependence upon the resource modification notification, information describing configuration and manageability properties of the resource; and

populating, by the discovery module, the configuration management database with the manageability endpoint reference and the information describing configuration and manageability properties.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein registering the resource in a configuration management database further comprises:

receiving, by the discovery module from the manageability endpoint, a resource modification notification, the resource modification notification comprising the resource identification, the resource type, and the manageability endpoint reference; and

determining, by the discovery module in dependence upon a resource registration policy and the resource type, whether to register the resource, the resource registration policy comprising an indication of interest in the resource.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein the resource registration policy further comprises an indication of interest in registering additional resources related to a resource, and the method further comprises:

determining, by the discovery module in dependence upon the resource registration policy, whether to register additional resources related to the resource.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the modification of the resource is characterized by a modification type, and the method further comprises:

sending, by the discovery module to a policy engine, a resource registration notification, the resource registration notification comprising the modification type, the configuration management database identifier, and the resource type; and

identifying, by the policy engine in dependence upon the modification type and the resource type, the resource management policy.

6. The method of claim 5 further comprising:

receiving, by the management module from the policy engine, a command to begin managing the resource, the command comprising the configuration management database identifier; and

retrieving, by the management module from the configuration management database in dependence upon the configuration management database identifier, the manageability endpoint reference.

12. The apparatus of claim 5 further comprising computer program instructions capable of:

receiving, by the management module from the policy engine, a command to begin managing the resource, the command comprising the configuration management database identifier; and

retrieving, by the management module from the configuration management database in dependence upon the configuration management database identifier, the manageability endpoint reference.

7. Apparatus for managing computer resources in a distributed computing system, the apparatus comprising a computer processor, a computer memory operatively coupled to the computer processor, the computer memory having disposed within it computer program instructions capable of:

registering, in a configuration management database by a discovery module in response to a modification of a resource in a resource container, the resource in association with a configuration management database identifier, the resource characterized by a resource type and a resource identification, the resource container comprising a manageability endpoint characterized by a manageability endpoint reference; and

managing the resource by a management module in dependence upon a resource management policy and the manageability endpoint reference, the resource management policy comprising management actions for the resource.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein registering the resource in a configuration management database further comprises:

receiving, by the discovery module from the manageability endpoint, a resource modification notification, the resource modification notification comprising the resource identification, the resource type, and the manageability endpoint reference;

retrieving, by the discovery module from the manageability endpoint in dependence upon the resource modification notification, information describing configuration and manageability properties of the resource; and

populating, by the discovery module, the configuration management database with the manageability endpoint reference and the information describing configuration and manageability properties.

9. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein registering the resource in a configuration management database further comprises:

receiving, by the discovery module from the manageability endpoint, a resource modification notification, the resource modification notification comprising the resource identification, the resource type, and the manageability endpoint reference; and

determining, by the discovery module in dependence upon a resource registration policy and the resource type, whether to register the resource, the resource registration policy comprising an indication of interest in the resource.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein the resource registration policy further comprises an indication of interest in registering additional resources related to a resource, and the apparatus further comprises computer program instructions capable of:

determining, by the discovery module in dependence upon the resource registration policy, whether to register additional resources related to the resource.

11. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein the modification of the resource is characterized by a modification type, and the apparatus further comprises computer program instructions capable of:

sending, by the discovery module to a policy engine, a resource registration notification, the resource registration notification comprising the modification type, the configuration management database identifier, and the resource type; and

identifying, by the policy engine in dependence upon the modification type and the resource type, the resource management policy.

13. A computer program product for managing computer resources in a distributed computing system, the computer program product disposed in a signal bearing medium, the computer program product comprising computer program instructions capable of:

registering, in a configuration management database by a discovery module in response to a modification of a resource in a resource container, the resource in association with a configuration management database identifier, the resource characterized by a resource type and a resource identification, the resource container comprising a manageability endpoint characterized by a manageability endpoint reference; and

managing the resource by a management module in dependence upon a resource management policy and the manageability endpoint reference, the resource management policy comprising management actions for the resource.

14. The computer program product of claim 13 wherein the signal bearing medium comprises a recordable medium.

15. The computer program product of claim 13 wherein the signal bearing medium comprises a transmission medium.

16. The computer program product of claim 13 wherein registering the resource in a configuration management database further comprises:

receiving, by the discovery module from the manageability endpoint, a resource modification notification, the resource modification notification comprising the resource identification, the resource type, and the manageability endpoint reference;

retrieving, by the discovery module from the manageability endpoint in dependence upon the resource modification notification, information describing configuration and manageability properties of the resource; and

populating, by the discovery module, the configuration management database with the manageability endpoint reference and the information describing configuration and manageability properties.

17. The computer program product of claim 13 wherein registering the resource in a configuration management database further comprises:

receiving, by the discovery module from the manageability endpoint, a resource modification notification, the resource modification notification comprising the resource identification, the resource type, and the manageability endpoint reference; and

determining, by the discovery module in dependence upon a resource registration policy and the resource type, whether to register the resource, the resource registration policy comprising an indication of interest in the resource.

18. The computer program product of claim 17 wherein the resource registration policy further comprises an indication of interest in registering additional resources related to a resource, and the computer program product further comprises computer program instructions capable of:

determining, by the discovery module in dependence upon the resource registration policy, whether to register additional resources related to the resource.

19. The computer program product of claim 13 wherein the modification of the resource is characterized by a modification type, and the computer program product further comprises computer program instructions capable of:

sending, by the discovery module to a policy engine, a resource registration notification, the resource registration notification comprising the modification type, the configuration management database identifier, and the resource type; and

identifying, by the policy engine in dependence upon the modification type and the resource type, the resource management policy.

20. The computer program product of claim 19 further comprising computer program instructions capable of:

receiving, by the management module from the policy engine, a command to begin managing the resource, the command comprising the configuration management database identifier; and

retrieving, by the management module from the configuration management database in dependence upon the configuration management database identifier, the manageability endpoint reference.