ADVANCED PACKAGING AND DEPLOYMENT OF VIRTUAL APPLIANCES

• US 20090210869A1
• Filed: 02/20/2008
• Published: 08/20/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 02/20/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SAP SE
• Original Assignee: SAP SE
• Inventors: Bozak, Erol, Gebhart, Alexander
• Granted Patent: US 8,762,986 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 717/174
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/60 Software deployment

Abstract

Methods and apparatus, including computer program products, are provided for deploying virtual appliances. In one aspect, there is provided a computer-implemented method. The method may include receiving information representative of one or more requirements of virtual appliances and one or more resources available to host the virtual appliances. A download manager may be used to install the virtual appliances. The installation may be configured based on the received information. The start of the virtual appliances may be initiated based on a dependency description. The dependency description includes a sequence for starting the virtual appliances including the network configuration. Related apparatus, systems, methods, and articles are also described.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method comprising:

receiving information representative of one or more requirements of virtual appliances and one or more resources available to host the virtual appliances;

installing, using a download manager, the virtual appliances, the installation configured based on the received information; and

initiating a start of the virtual appliances based on a dependency description, the dependency description comprising a sequence for starting the virtual appliances.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 further comprising:

storing the virtual appliances as a system, the system comprising one or more components of a cluster, the one or more components implemented as a virtual appliance, the virtual appliances selectable for installation.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 2 further comprising:

defining each component as one or more of the following;

a central instance, a dialog instance, a database instance, and a search engine.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 further comprising:

receiving the download manager, when the virtual appliances are selected for installation.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein receiving further comprises:

including in the one or more requirements of virtual appliances the following;

a processing speed required by at least one of the virtual appliances;

a memory capacity required by at least one of the virtual appliances;

a storage capacity required by at least one of the virtual appliances; and

a network bandwidth required by at least one of the virtual appliances.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein receiving further comprises:

including in the resources available an indication of a quantity of physical machines available to be used to host the virtual appliances.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein installing further comprises:

installing, using the download manager, the virtual appliances, the installation configured based on the received information and a template, the template defining installation configurations for the virtual appliances, the installation configuration representative of a small, a medium, and a large enterprise.

8. A computer-readable medium containing instructions to configure a processor to perform a method, the method comprising:

receiving information representative of one or more requirements of virtual appliances and one or more resources available to host the virtual appliances;

installing, using a download manager, the virtual appliances, the installation configured based on the received information; and

initiating a start of the virtual appliances based on a dependency description, the dependency description comprising a sequence for starting the virtual appliances.

9. The computer-readable medium of claim 8 further comprising:

storing the virtual appliances as a system, the system comprising one or more components of a cluster, the one or more components implemented as a virtual appliance, the virtual appliances selectable for installation.

10. The computer-readable medium of claim 9 further comprising:

defining each component as one or more of the following;

a central instance, a dialog instance, and a database instance, and a search engine.

11. The computer-readable medium of claim 8 further comprising:

receiving the download manager, when the virtual appliances are selected for installation.

12. The computer-readable medium of claim 8, wherein receiving further comprises:

including in the one or more requirements of virtual appliances the following;

a processing speed required by at least one of the virtual appliances;

a memory capacity required by at least one of the virtual appliances;

a storage capacity required by at least one of the virtual appliances; and

a network bandwidth required by at least one of the virtual appliances.

13. The computer-readable medium of claim 8, wherein receiving further comprises:

including in the resources available an indication of a quantity of physical machines available to be used to host the virtual appliances.

14. The computer-readable medium of claim 8, wherein installing further comprises:

installing, using the download manager, the virtual appliances, the installation configured based on the received information and a template, the template defining installation configurations for the virtual appliances, the installation configuration representative of a small, a medium, and a large enterprise.

15. A system comprising:

a processor; and

a memory, wherein the processor and the memory are configured to perform a method comprising;

receiving information representative of one or more requirements of virtual appliances and one or more resources available to host the virtual appliances;

installing, using a download manager, the virtual appliances, the installation configured based on the received information; and

initiating a start of the virtual appliances based on a dependency description, the dependency description comprising a sequence for starting the virtual appliances.

16. The system of claim 15 further comprising:

storing the virtual appliances as a system, the system comprising one or more components of a cluster, the one or more components implemented as a virtual appliance, the virtual appliances selectable for installation.

17. The system of claim 16 further comprising:

defining each component as one or more of the following;

a central instance, a dialog instance, and a database instance, and a search engine.

18. The system of claim 15 further comprising:

receiving the download manager, when the virtual appliances are selected for installation.

19. The system of claim 15, wherein receiving further comprises:

including in the one or more requirements of virtual appliances the following;

a processing speed required by at least one of the virtual appliances;

a memory capacity required by at least one of the virtual appliances;

a storage capacity required by at least one of the virtual appliances; and

a network bandwidth required by at least one of the virtual appliances.

20. The system of claim 15, wherein receiving further comprises:

including in the resources available an indication of a quantity of physical machines available to be used to host the virtual appliances.