Systems and Methods for Generating Cloud Computing Landscapes

• US 20100299366A1
• Filed: 05/20/2009
• Published: 11/25/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 05/20/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SAP SE
• Original Assignee: SAP AG (SAP SE)
• Inventors: Stienhans, Frank, Manthani, Krupakar, Klimentiev, Michael, Petrov, Asen
• Granted Patent: US 8,290,998 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 707/803
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/5072 Grid computing

Abstract

In one embodiment, the present invention includes a computer-implemented method comprising specifying a landscape definition, the landscape definition specifying a plurality of different servers to be instantiated on a cloud computing system, wherein the plurality of servers are operable to work together as a single logical entity, the landscape definition further specifying dependencies between the servers, and wherein each server in the landscape definition is stored as an image on the cloud computing system, each image including information for instantiating a corresponding server on the cloud computing system and instantiating the plurality of servers on the cloud computing system using the landscape definition.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method comprising:

specifying a landscape definition, the landscape definition specifying a plurality of different servers to be instantiated on a cloud computing system, wherein the plurality of servers are operable to work together as a single logical entity, the landscape definition further specifying dependencies between the servers, and wherein each server in the landscape definition is stored as an image on the cloud computing system, each image including information for instantiating a corresponding server on the cloud computing system; and

instantiating the plurality of servers on the cloud computing system using the landscape definition.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the plurality of servers are instantiated in response to a single command from a user to create a corresponding landscape.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the specified dependencies include a startup sequence for two or more of the servers, and wherein instantiating the plurality of servers comprises instantiating two or more servers according to the startup sequence.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising assigning the instantiated plurality of servers corresponding to the landscape definition a unique identifier, storing the unique identifier in a database, and associating the unique identifier with information about the instantiated plurality of servers.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein each image further includes an agent software program, the agent establishing communication between the cloud computing system and a local computing system.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein the agent coordinates communications between the servers during a startup procedure.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

generating a landscape instance on a local computing system for controlling the plurality of servers in the landscape definition;

receiving a landscape command directed to the landscape instance;

mapping the landscape command to a plurality of server commands corresponding to the plurality of servers in the landscape definition; and

executing the server commands on the plurality of servers on the cloud computing system.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the landscape definition is specified on a local computing system, and wherein the landscape definition associates a plurality of servers with a landscape identification and, for each server, specifies different server configuration parameters to be used in instantiating the plurality of servers on the cloud computing system.

9. The method of claim 1 further comprising specifying, on a local computing system, the landscape definition, wherein the landscape definition comprises, for each server in the landscape definition, a server identification, an image identification for specifying an image on the cloud computing system to be instantiated, and one or more server specific parameters for use in instantiating the different servers.

10. A computer readable medium embodying a computer program for performing a method of generating cloud computing landscapes, said method comprising:

specifying a landscape definition, the landscape definition specifying a plurality of different servers to be instantiated on a cloud computing system, wherein the plurality of servers are operable to work together as a single logical entity, the landscape definition further specifying dependencies between the servers, and wherein each server in the landscape definition is stored as an image on the cloud computing system, each image including information for instantiating a corresponding server on the cloud computing system; and

instantiating the plurality of servers on the cloud computing system using the landscape definition.

111. The computer readable medium of claim 10 wherein the plurality of servers are instantiated in response to a single command from a user to create a corresponding landscape.

12. The computer readable medium of claim 10 wherein the specified dependencies include a startup sequence for two or more of the servers, and wherein instantiating the plurality of servers comprises instantiating two or more servers according to the startup sequence.

13. The computer readable medium of claim 10 further comprising assigning the instantiated plurality of servers corresponding to the landscape definition a unique identifier, storing the unique identifier in a database, and associating the unique identifier with information about the instantiated plurality of servers.

14. The computer readable medium of claim 10 wherein each image further includes an agent software program, the agent establishing communication between the cloud computing system and a local computing system.

15. The computer readable medium of claim 14 wherein the agent coordinates communications between the servers during a startup procedure.

16. The computer readable medium of claim 10 further comprising:

generating a landscape instance on a local computing system for controlling the plurality of servers in the landscape definition;

receiving a landscape command directed to the landscape instance;

mapping the landscape command to a plurality of server commands corresponding to the plurality of servers in the landscape definition; and

executing the server commands on the plurality of servers on the cloud computing system.

17. The computer readable medium of claim 10 wherein the landscape definition is specified on a local computing system, and wherein the landscape definition associates a plurality of servers with a landscape identification and, for each server, specifies different server configuration parameters to be used in instantiating the plurality of servers on the cloud computing system.

18. The computer readable medium of claim 10 further comprising specifying, on a local computing system, the landscape definition, wherein the landscape definition comprises, for each server in the landscape definition, a server identification, an image identification for specifying an image on the cloud computing system to be instantiated, and one or more server specific parameters for use in instantiating the different servers.

19. A computer system comprising:

one or more processors;

a network interface for coupling the computer system to a cloud computing system through a network; and

a controller software program, executable on said computer system, the controller software program configured to process a landscape definition, the landscape definition specifying a plurality of different servers to be instantiated on a cloud computing system, wherein the plurality of servers are operable to work together as a single logical entity, the landscape definition further specifying dependencies between the servers, and wherein each server in the landscape definition is stored as an image on the cloud computing system, each image including information for instantiating a corresponding server on the cloud computing system,

wherein the controller software program sends instructions through the network interface to the cloud computing system to instantiate each of the plurality of servers on the cloud computing system using the landscape definition.

20. The computer system of claim 19 wherein the plurality of servers are instantiated in response to a single command from a user to create a corresponding landscape.