APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR SERVER NETWORK MANAGEMENT TO PROVIDE ZERO PLANNED RETROFIT DOWNTIME

• US 20090007135A1
• Filed: 06/29/2007
• Published: 01/01/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 06/29/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Alcatel-Lucent SA (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Lucent Technologies, Inc. (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Oommen, Saju George, Rathunde, Dale Frank, Susa, Paul M.
• Granted Patent: US 8,521,853 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 718/107
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/65 Updates security arrangements therefor G06F21/57

Abstract

Methods and systems are presented for updating software applications in a processor cluster, in which the cluster is divided into first and second processor groups and the first group is isolated from clients and from the second group with respect to network and cluster communications by application of IP filters. The first group of processors is updated or retrofitted with the new software and brought to a ready-to-run state while the second group is active to serve clients. The first group is then transitioned to an in-service state after isolating the then-active service providing application on second group. Thereafter, the second group of processors is offlined, updated or retrofitted, and transitioned to an in-service state to complete the installation of the new application version across the cluster with reduced or zero downtime and without requiring backward software compatibility.

Claims

1. A method of updating or retrofitting software applications in a cluster of operatively coupled processors running an application to service clients, the method comprising:

segmenting a cluster of operatively coupled processors running an application into first and second groups of processors, the first and second groups individually including at least one processor of the cluster;

isolating the first group of processors from clients and from processors of the second group with respect to network and cluster communication related to the application;

updating or retrofitting the application on the first group of processors;

bringing the application states on the first group of processors to a ready-to-run state;

bringing the application states on the first group of processors to an in-service state;

updating or retrofitting the application on the second group of processors; and

bringing the application states on the second group of processors to an in-service state.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first and second groups include roughly the same number of processors.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the first and second groups include different numbers of processors, and wherein the smaller of the first and second groups includes enough processors to service the clients when the other group is offline.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein isolating the first group of processors comprises applying IP filters to processors and ports of the first group of processors to isolate the filtered processors from the second group of processors and from the clients.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising after bringing the application states on the first group of processors to a ready-to-run state and before bringing the application states on the first group of processors to an in-service state, transitioning application states on the second group of processors from an active state to a ready-to-run state, and isolating the second group of processors from clients and from processors of the first group by applying IP filters to processors and ports of the second group of processors to isolate the filtered processors from the first group of processors and from the clients.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising removing the IP filters from the processors and ports of the first group of processors after bringing the application states on the first group of processors to the in-service state.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising after bringing the application states on the first group of processors to a ready-to-run state and before bringing the application states on the first group of processors to an in-service state, transitioning application states on the second group of processors from an active state to a ready-to-run state, and isolating the second group of processors from clients and from processors of the first group.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising waiting a predetermined period of time after bringing the application states on the first group of processors to an in-service state and before updating or retrofitting the application on the second group of processors.

9. The method of claim 7, further comprising disabling an address resolution protocol in the first group of processors and setting up static routes for the first group of processors after updating or retrofitting the application on the first group of processors and before bringing the application states on the first group of processors to a ready-to-run state.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein isolating the first or second processor group comprises applying IP filters to processors and ports of the processor group to isolate the filtered processor group from the other processor group and from clients.

11. The method of claim 7, wherein isolating the first or second processor group comprises applying IP filters to processors and ports of the processor group to isolate the filtered processor group from the other processor group and from clients.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising disabling an address resolution protocol in the first group of processors and setting up static routes for the first group of processors after updating or retrofitting the application on the first group of processors and before bringing the application states on the first group of processors to a ready-to-run state.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein isolating the first or second processor group comprises applying IP filters to processors and ports of the processor group to isolate the filtered processor group from the other processor group and from clients.

14. A system for updating or retrofitting software applications in a cluster of operatively coupled processors running an application to service clients, comprising:

means for segmenting a cluster of operatively coupled processors running an application into first and second groups of processors, the first and second groups individually including at least one processor of the cluster;

means for isolating the first group of processors from clients and from processors of the second group with respect to network and cluster communication related to the application;

means for updating or retrofitting the application on the first group of processors;

means for bringing the application states on the first group of processors to a ready-to-run state;

means for bringing the application states on the first group of processors to an in-service state;

means for updating or retrofitting the application on the second group of processors; and

means for bringing the application states on the second group of processors to an in-service state.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the means for isolating the first group of processors comprises means for applying IP filters to processors and ports of the first group of processors to isolate the filtered processors from the second group of processors and from the clients.

16. The system of claim 15, further comprising means for transitioning application states on the second group of processors from an active state to a ready-to-run state, and isolating the second group of processors from clients and from processors of the first group by applying IP filters to processors and ports of the second group of processors to isolate the filtered processors from the first group of processors and from the clients after bringing the application states on the first group of processors to a ready-to-run state and before bringing the application states on the first group of processors to an in-service state.

17. The system of claim 14, further comprising means for transitioning application states on the second group of processors from an active state to a ready-to-run state, and isolating the second group of processors from clients and from processors of the first group after bringing the application states on the first group of processors to a ready-to-run state and before bringing the application states on the first group of processors to an in-service state.

18. The system of claim 14, further comprising means for disabling an address resolution protocol in the first group of processors and setting up static routes for the first group of processors after updating or retrofitting the application on the first group of processors and before bringing the application states on the first group of processors to a ready-to-run state.

19. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions for performing steps comprising:

segmenting a cluster of operatively coupled processors running an application into first and second groups of processors, the first and second groups individually including at least one processor of the cluster;

isolating the first group of processors from clients and from processors of the second group with respect to network and cluster communication related to the application;

updating or retrofitting the application on the first group of processors;

bringing the application states on the first group of processors to a ready-to-run state;

bringing the application states on the first group of processors to an in-service state;

updating or retrofitting the application on the second group of processors; and

bringing the application states on the second group of processors to an in-service state.