AUTOMATED MANAGEMENT OF SOFTWARE IMAGES FOR EFFICIENT RESOURCE NODE BUILDING WITHIN A GRID ENVIRONMENT

• US 20090313229A1
• Filed: 08/04/2009
• Published: 12/17/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 01/06/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kyndryl Incorporated, ServiceNow Incorporated
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: HAMILTON, RICK ALLEN II, FELLENSTEIN, CRAIG WILLIAM, JOSEPH, JOSHY, SEAMAN, JAMES W.
• Granted Patent: US 8,583,650 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/63 Image based installation; Cloning; Build to order
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99933 Query processing, i.e. searching

Abstract

A method, system, and program for automated management of software images for efficient resource node building within a grid environment are provided. A grid service detects a current software environment for a grid job within a grid environment, wherein the grid environment includes multiple grid resources. The grid service searches a catalog of multiple software images to determine whether an image for the current software environment matches any software images in the catalog. In particular, each of the software images includes an index into at least one installation image. Further, storage of the software images is structured in the catalog for automated efficient access to each software image by multiple resource nodes within the grid environment. If the grid service does not locate a software image for the current software environment in the catalog, the grid service captures at least one installation image for the current software environment for storage in the catalog as an additional software image.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for dynamically managing a plurality of software images in a grid environment, comprising:

detecting, at a grid service monitoring a grid environment, a current software environment for a current grid job within said grid environment, wherein said grid environment comprises a plurality of resources;

searching a catalog of a plurality of software images to determine whether an image for said current software environment matches one from among said plurality of software images, wherein each of said plurality of software images comprises at least one installation image for a particular software environment, wherein storage of each of said plurality of software images is structured in said catalog for automated efficient access by each of a plurality of resource nodes within said grid environment; and

responsive to not locating said current software environment in said catalog, capturing at least one installation image for said current software environment for storage in said catalog as an additional software image to said plurality of software images, such that the entry of said additional software image to said catalog is automatically managed.

2. The computer-implemented method according to claim 1 for dynamically managing a plurality of software images in a grid environment, wherein detecting, at a grid service monitoring a grid environment, a current software environment for a current grid job within a grid environment, wherein said grid environment comprises a plurality of resources, further comprises:

detecting said current software environment for said current grid job when processing of said current grid job within said grid environment is complete.

3. The computer-implemented method according to claim 1 for dynamically managing a plurality of software images in a grid environment, wherein said at least one installation image comprises at least one from among an operating system base version installation image, an operating system version maintenance level installation image, an application software installation image, and an application software maintenance level installation image.

4. The computer-implemented method according to claim 1 for dynamically managing a plurality of software images in a grid environment, further comprising:

creating a new searchable entry in the catalog for said additional software image.

5. The computer-implemented method according to claim 1 for dynamically managing a plurality of software images in a grid environment, further comprising:

indexing each of said plurality of software images by one index name from among a plurality of available index names;

receiving a grid job requirement identifying a particular index name from among said plurality of available index names;

searching said catalog to determine if a particular software image with said particular index name is currently stored in said catalog; and

responsive to identifying said particular software image, exporting said particular software image for building at least one grid resource for said grid job requirement.

6. The computer-implemented method according to claim 1 for dynamically managing a plurality of software images in a grid environment, further comprising:

responsive to receiving a request to install software meeting a job requirement for an incoming grid job, searching said catalog for at least one required software image for installation of said software meeting said job requirement; and

responsive to locating said at least one required software image, enabling at least one resource node being built for said incoming grid job to access said at least one required software installation image.

7. The computer-implemented method according to claim 6 for dynamically managing a plurality of software images in a grid environment, further comprising:

detecting said incoming grid job for execution within said grid environment;

determining said job requirement for said grid job, wherein said job requirement specifies at least one type of hardware platform and at least one type of software platform for said grid job;

accessing a current workload and current pricing for use of a selection of resource nodes from among said plurality of resources that match said at least one type of hardware platform and said at least one type of software platform required for said grid job; and

selecting a particular hardware resource node from among said selection of resource nodes based on a cost of said particular hardware resource node;

selecting a particular type of software platform from among said at least one type of software platform based on a cost of said particular type of software platform; and

initiating a request to install said particular type of software platform on said particular hardware resource node to meet said job requirement for said incoming grid job.

8. The computer-implemented method according to claim 1 for dynamically managing a plurality of software images in a grid environment, further comprising:

determining whether said current grid job is likely to be repeated before capturing said at least one installation image for said current software environment by performing at least one from among searching a plurality of future bid offers for said grid environment for jobs matching said current grid job and accessing a history of software environments matching said current software environment.

9. The computer-implemented method according to claim 1 for dynamically managing a plurality of software images in a grid environment, further comprising:

responsive to detecting an archive period trigger, determining a selection of software images from among said plurality of software images that have remained unused over a particular period of time; and

archiving said selection of software images in an alternate data storage medium.

10. A system for dynamically managing a plurality of software images in a grid environment, comprising:

a grid service executing on at least one grid resource within a grid environment;

said grid service further comprising;

means for detecting a current software environment for a current grid job within said grid environment;

means for searching a catalog of a plurality of software images for an image for said current software environment matching one from among said plurality of software images, wherein each of said plurality of software images comprises at least one installation image for a particular software environment, wherein storage of each of said plurality of software images is structured for automated efficient access by each of a plurality of resource nodes within said grid environment; and

means, responsive to not locating said current software environment in said catalog, for capturing at least one installation image for said current software environment for storage in said catalog as an additional software image to said plurality of software images.

11. The system according to claim 10 for dynamically managing a plurality of software images in a grid environment, wherein said means for detecting a current software environment for a current grid job within a grid environment, further comprising:

means for detecting said current software environment for said current grid job when processing of said current grid job within said grid environment is complete.

12. The system according to claim 10 for dynamically managing a plurality of software images in a grid environment, wherein said at least one installation image comprises at least one from among an operating system base version installation image, an operating system version maintenance level installation image, an application software installation image, and an application software maintenance level installation image.

13. The system according to claim 10 for dynamically managing a plurality of software images in a grid environment, said grid service further comprising:

means for creating a new searchable entry in the catalog for said additional software image.

14. The system according to claim 10 for dynamically managing a plurality of software images in a grid environment, said grid service further comprising:

means for indexing each of said plurality of software images by one index name from among a plurality of available index names;

means for receiving a grid job requirement identifying a particular index name from among said plurality of available index names;

means for searching said catalog to determine if a particular software image with said particular index name is currently stored in said catalog; and

means, responsive to identifying said particular software image, for exporting said particular software image for building at least one grid resource for said grid job requirement.

15. The system according to claim 10 for dynamically managing a plurality of software images in a grid environment, said grid service further comprising:

means, responsive to receiving a request to install software meeting a job requirement for an incoming grid job, for searching said catalog for at least one required software image for installation of said software meeting said job requirement; and

means, responsive to locating said at least one required software image, for enabling at least one resource node being built for said incoming grid job to access said at least one required software installation image.

16. The system according to claim 15 for dynamically managing a plurality of software images in a grid environment, said grid service further comprising:

means for detecting said incoming grid job for execution within said grid environment;

means for determining said job requirement for said grid job, wherein said job requirement specifies at least one type of hardware platform and at least one type of software platform for said grid job;

means for accessing a current workload and current pricing for use of a selection of resource nodes from among said plurality of resources that match said at least one type of hardware platform and said at least one type of software platform required for said grid job; and

means for selecting a particular hardware resource node from among said selection of resource nodes based on a cost of said particular hardware resource node;

means for selecting a particular type of software platform from among said at least one type of software platform based on a cost of said particular type of software platform; and

means for initiating a request to install said particular type of software platform on said particular hardware resource node to meet said job requirement for said incoming grid job.

17. The system according to claim 10 for dynamically managing a plurality of software images in a grid environment, said grid service further comprising:

means for determining whether said current grid job is likely to be repeated before capturing said at least one installation image for said current software environment by performing at least one from among searching a plurality of future bid offers for said grid environment for jobs matching said current grid job and accessing a history of software environments matching said current software environment.

18. The system according to claim 10 for dynamically managing a plurality of software images in a grid environment, said grid service further comprising:

means, responsive to detecting an archive period trigger, for determining a selection of software images from among said plurality of software images that have remained unused over a particular period of time; and

means for archiving said selection of software images in an alternate data storage medium.

19. A computer readable medium encoded with software for dynamically managing a plurality of software images in a grid environment, said software performing the steps of:

detecting a current software environment for a current grid job within said grid environment, wherein said grid environment comprises a plurality of grid resources;

determining whether an image for said current software environment is already stored in a catalog of a plurality of software images, wherein each of said plurality of software images comprises at least one installation image for a particular software environment, wherein storage of each of said plurality of software images is structured in said catalog for automated efficient access by each of a plurality of resource nodes within said grid environment; and

responsive to detecting that said current software environment is not stored in said catalog, capturing at least one installation image for said current software environment for storage in said catalog as an additional software image to said plurality of software images.

20. The computer readable medium according to claim 19 for dynamically managing a plurality of software images in a grid environment, wherein said software for detecting, at a grid service monitoring a grid environment, a current software environment for a current grid job within a grid environment, wherein said grid environment comprises a plurality of resources, further performing the step of:

detecting said current software environment for said current grid job when processing of said current grid job within said grid environment is complete.

21. The computer readable medium according to claim 19 for dynamically managing a plurality of software images in a grid environment, said software further performing the step of:

creating a new searchable entry in the catalog for said additional software image.

22. The computer readable medium according to claim 19 for dynamically managing a plurality of software images in a grid environment, said software further performing the steps of:

indexing each of said plurality of software images by one index name from among a plurality of available index names;

receiving a grid job requirement identifying a particular index name from among said plurality of available index names;

searching said catalog to determine if a particular software image with said particular index name is currently stored in said catalog; and

responsive to identifying said particular software image, exporting said particular software image for building at least one grid resource for said grid job requirement.

23. The computer readable medium according to claim 19 for dynamically managing a plurality of software images in a grid environment, said software further performing the steps of:

responsive to receiving a request to install software meeting a job requirement for an incoming grid job, searching said catalog for at least one required software image for installation of said software meeting said job requirement; and

responsive to locating said at least one required software image, enabling at least one resource node being built for said incoming grid job to access said at least one required software installation image.

24. The computer readable medium according to claim 23 for dynamically managing a plurality of software images in a grid environment, said software further performing the steps of:

detecting said incoming grid job for execution within said grid environment;

determining said job requirement for said grid job, wherein said job requirement specifies at least one type of hardware platform and at least one type of software platform for said grid job;

accessing a current workload and current pricing for use of a selection of resource nodes from among said plurality of resources that match said at least one type of hardware platform and said at least one type of software platform required for said grid job; and

selecting a particular hardware resource node from among said selection of resource nodes based on a cost of said particular hardware resource node;

selecting a particular type of software platform from among said at least one type of software platform based on a cost of said particular type of software platform; and

initiating a request to install said particular type of software platform on said particular hardware resource node to meet said job requirement for said incoming grid job.

25. The computer readable medium according to claim 19 for dynamically managing a plurality of software images in a grid environment, said software further performing the step of:

determining whether said current grid job is likely to be repeated before capturing said at least one installation image for said current software environment by performing at least one from among searching a plurality of future bid offers for said grid environment for jobs matching said current grid job and accessing a history of software environments matching said current software environment.

26. The computer readable medium according to claim 19 for dynamically managing a plurality of software images in a grid environment, said software further performing the steps of:

responsive to detecting an archive period trigger, determining a selection of software images from among said plurality of software images that have remained unused over a particular period of time; and

archiving said selection of software images in an alternate data storage medium.