METHODS AND SYSTEMS FOR FLEXIBLE CLOUD MANAGEMENT

• US 20100306377A1
• Filed: 05/27/2009
• Published: 12/02/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 05/27/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Red Hat, Inc. (International Business Machines Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Red Hat, Inc. (International Business Machines Corporation)
• Inventors: DeHaan, Michael Paul, Henson, Scott Jared, Eckersberg, John Joseph II
• Granted Patent: US 9,311,162 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/226
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/5077 Logical partitioning of resources; Management or configuration of virtualized resources specific details on emulation or internal functioning of virtual machines G06F9/455

Abstract

A cloud management system can maintain a set of “virtual groups,” and assign different “virtual groups” to particular computing resources. The “virtual groups” can be based on the particular usage (type of virtual machine, application of the virtual machine, function of the virtual machine, and the like) of the members in the groups and/or can be based on the specifications of the computing resources (type and amount of computing resources). When instantiating virtual machines in a cloud, the cloud management system can utilize the “virtual groups” to identify and allocate the computing resources.

Claims

1. A method of managing a cloud computing environment, comprising:

identifying a set of computing systems to include in a cloud, wherein each computing system in the set of computing systems comprises computing resources;

classifying the set of computing systems based on usage of the cloud and the computing resources;

receiving a request to instantiate a virtual machine in the cloud, wherein the request includes specifications of the virtual machine;

selecting at least one computing system in the set of computing systems based on the specifications and the classification of the set of computing systems; and

allocating the at least one computing system to the virtual machine.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein identifying the set of computing systems comprises:

querying the set of computing systems to determine at least one of a type of the computing resources, an amount of the computing resources, and an availability of the computing resources.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein classifying the set of computing systems, comprises:

classifying the set of computing systems according to types of virtual machines to be instantiated on the set of computing systems and amount of the computing resources available.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the specifications comprise at least one of a type of the virtual machine, a process performed by the virtual machine, and desired computing resources for the virtual machine.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein selecting at least one computing system comprises:

maintaining a record of classes of the set of computing systems;

matching the requirements with at least one of the classes; and

selecting the at least one computing systems that is associated with the at least one of the classes.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

instantiating the virtual machine in the at least one computing system.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

providing an indication of the at least one computing system to another system to instantiate the virtual machine.

8. A system for managing a cloud computing environments, comprising:

a network interface to a set of computing systems; and

a processor communicating with the network interface and executing a cloud management system, the cloud management system being configured to—

identify the set of computing systems to include in a cloud, wherein each computing system in the set of computing systems comprises computing resources;

classify the set of computing systems based on usage of the cloud and the computing resources;

receive a request to instantiate a virtual machine in the cloud, wherein the request includes specifications of the virtual machine;

select at least one computing system in the set of computing systems based on the specifications and the classification of the set of computing systems; and

allocate the at least one computing system to the virtual machine.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein identifying the set of computing systems comprises:

querying the set of computing systems to determine at least one of a type of the computing resources, an amount of the computing resources, and an availability of the computing resources.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein classifying the set of computing systems, comprises:

classifying the set of computing systems according to types of virtual machines to be instantiated on the set of computing systems and amount of the computing resources available.

11. The system of claim 8, wherein the specifications comprise at least one of a type of the virtual machine, a process performed by the virtual machine, and desired computing resources for the virtual machine.

12. The system of claim 8, wherein selecting at least one computing system comprises:

maintaining a record of classes of the set of computing systems;

matching the requirements with at least one of the classes; and

selecting the at least one computing systems that is associated with the at least one of the classes.

13. The system of claim 8, the cloud management system being further configured to—

instantiate the virtual machine in the at least one computing system.

14. The system of claim 8, the cloud management system being further configured to—

provide an indication of the at least one computing system to another system to instantiate the virtual machine.

15. A computer readable storage medium comprising instructions for causing a processing system to perform a method comprising:

identifying a set of computing systems to include in a cloud, wherein each computing system in the set of computing systems comprises computing resources;

classifying the set of computing systems based on usage of the cloud and the computing resources;

receiving a request to instantiate a virtual machine in the cloud, wherein the request includes specifications of the virtual machine;

selecting at least one computing system in the set of computing systems based on the specifications and the classification of the set of computing systems; and

allocating the at least one computing system to the virtual machine.

16. The computer readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein identifying the set of computing systems comprises:

querying the set of computing systems to determine at least one of a type of the computing resources, an amount of the computing resources, and an availability of the computing resources.

17. The computer readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein classifying the set of computing systems, comprises:

classifying the set of computing systems according to types of virtual machines to be instantiated on the set of computing systems and amount of the computing resources available.

18. The computer readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein the specifications comprise at least one of a type of the virtual machine, a process performed by the virtual machine, and desired computing resources for the virtual machine.

19. The computer readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein selecting at least one computing system comprises:

maintaining a record of classes of the set of computing systems;

matching the requirements with at least one of the classes; and

selecting the at least one computing systems that is associated with the at least one of the classes.

20. The computer readable storage medium of claim 15, the method further comprising:

instantiating the virtual machine in the at least one computing system.

21. The computer readable storage medium of claim 15, the method further comprising:

providing an indication of the at least one computing system to another system to instantiate the virtual machine.