Managing a deployment of a computing architecture

• US 20090013162A1
• Filed: 07/02/2007
• Published: 01/08/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 07/02/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Nandan, Durgesh, Hu, Shuyi
• Granted Patent: US 8,010,777 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 713/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/61 Installation

Abstract

Embodiments are provided to deploy a number of computing devices based in part on a deployment file, but the embodiments are not so limited. In an embodiment, a dispatch application can be used to deploy a number of computing devices, wherein the deployment includes a number deployment parameters and functions associated with a configuration of the number of computing devices. The dispatch application can be used to deploy a number of computing devices, including virtual devices, logical devices, and other devices and systems. Other embodiments are available.

Claims

1. A computer readable medium including executable instructions which, when executed, manage aspects of a computing environment by:

receiving a dispatch command associated with a deployment of a number of computing devices;

receiving an indication associated with the selection of a deployment file to be used in conjunction with the deployment of the number of computing devices, wherein the deployment file includes a number of deployment parameters and associated deployment functions for use in the deployment of the number of computing devices; and

,

deploying the number of computing devices including using the number of deployment functions to deploy the number of computing devices to include the number of deployment parameters as defined by the deployment file.

2. The computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein the instructions, when executed, manage aspects of the computing environment by deploying a data center computing architecture.

3. The computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein the instructions, when executed, manage aspects of the computing environment by receiving an indication associated with the selection of a second deployment file to be used in conjunction with the deployment of a number of different computing devices, wherein the second deployment file includes a number of deployment parameters and associated deployment functions for use in the deployment of the number of different computing devices.

4. The computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein the instructions, when executed, manage aspects of the computing environment by deploying the number of computing devices including using the number of deployment functions to deploy the number of computing devices to include the number of deployment parameters as defined by an XML-based deployment file.

5. The computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein the instructions, when executed, manage aspects of the computing environment by calling a load function to load the deployment file in preparing to deploy the number of computing devices.

6. The computer-readable medium of claim 5, wherein the instructions, when executed, manage aspects of the computing environment by calling the load function to validate the deployment using a prescribed schema.

7. The computer-readable medium of claim 5, wherein the instructions, when executed, manage aspects of the computing environment by calling an audit function to audit the number of computing devices associated with the deployment.

8. The computer-readable medium of claim 7, wherein the instructions, when executed, manage aspects of the computing environment by using the audit function to create a delta of an actual state of the computing environment to a desired state of the computing environment, and creating a plan with the delta.

9. The computer-readable medium of claim 5, wherein the instructions, when executed, manage aspects of the computing environment by calling a logging function to set a type of logging to be used during the deployment of the number of computing devices.

10. The computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein the instructions, when executed, manage aspects of the computing environment by calling an impersonate function to override default access credentials.

11. The computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein the instructions, when executed, manage aspects of the computing environment by calling a function to execute a load function, a logging function, and an audit function.

12. The computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein the instructions, when executed, manage aspects of the computing environment by calling an execute function to deploy the number of computing devices based in part on parameters and functions associated with an XML-based deployment file.

13. The computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein the instructions, when executed, manage aspects of the computing environment by calling a plan function to upload a plan from a specified location.

14. The computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein the instructions, when executed, manage aspects of the computing environment by determining whether the deployment is correct before using the number of computing devices for a defined purpose.

15. A system to manage a computing environment comprising:

a manager component configured to define an XML-based deployment file, wherein the XML-based deployment file includes a number of deployment parameters and a number of deployment functions associated with a deployment configuration; and

,

a dispatch component configured to use the XML-based deployment file to deploy a number of computing devices according to the deployment configuration, wherein the number of deployment functions are used to deploy the number of computing devices to include the number of deployment parameters.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the dispatch component is further configured to audit the number of computing devices including generating a delta of an actual state of the computing environment with a desired state of the computing environment.

17. The system of claim 15, wherein the dispatch component is further configured to generate logging information based on a type of log setting.

18. A method of configuring a deployment comprising:

loading an XML-based deployment file including a number of deployment parameters and associated functions, wherein the deployment parameters and associated functions define a computing architecture;

deploying the computing architecture based in part on the use of an XML-based deployment file;

determining if the computing architecture is correct; and

,

using the deployed computing architecture if the computing architecture is correct.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising validating the computing architecture using a defined schema.

20. The method of claim 18, further comprising logging information associated with the deployed computing architecture.