METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR EXECUTING AND UNDOING DISTRIBUTED SERVER CHANGE OPERATIONS

• US 20130103808A1
• Filed: 10/18/2012
• Published: 04/25/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 06/12/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: BladeLogic Incorporated (KKR & Co., Inc.)
• Original Assignee: BladeLogic Incorporated (KKR & Co., Inc.)
• Inventors: Srinivasa, Balaji, Manwani, Vijay G., Kraus, Thomas M.
• Granted Patent: US 8,869,132 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/220
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1471 involving logging of persistent data for recovery
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2201/84 Using snapshots, i.e. a logical point-in-time copy of the data
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/466 Transaction processing
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/022 Multivendor or multi-standard integration
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0803 Configuration setting
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0806 for initial configuration or provisioning, e.g. plug-and-play
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/082 the condition being updates or upgrades of network functionality
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/084 Configuration by using pre-existing information, e.g. using templates or copying from other elements
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0853 by actively collecting configuration information or by backing up configuration information
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0863 by rolling back to previous configuration versions
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/01 Protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/10 in which an application is distributed across nodes in the network software deployment G06F8/60; multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/46
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1001 for accessing one among a plurality of replicated servers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1008 based on parameters of servers, e.g. available memory or workload monitoring of computer activity G06F11/30
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1014 based on the content of a request
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1034 Reaction to server failures by a load balancer

Abstract

A method and system for executing and undoing distributed server change operations for a collection of server objects across multiple target servers in a transaction-safe manner is provided. In one embodiment, server change operations for a collection of server objects, such as files and configuration file entries, are specified in a transaction package. The target servers to which the specified change operation are directed are also identified in the transaction package. Parameter values for each of the identified target servers are specified through a parameter file in the transaction package. The transaction package is sent to the identified target servers, which execute the change operations on the target servers in a transaction-safe manner using these parameter values.

Claims

1. A method for executing change operations across a plurality of servers in a transaction-safe manner, the method comprising:

specifying change operations for a collection of server objects in a transaction package, wherein the objects comprise at least one of files and configuration file entries;

identifying two or more target servers for execution of the change operations specified in the transaction package;

specifying parameter values specific to the target servers for each of the identified target servers in a parameter file;

communicating the transaction package to the identified target servers, the transaction package comprising the parameter file; and

executing a dry run with a set of tests to see if server object change operations can be carried out by the identified target servers before making any changes.

39. The method of claim 1, wherein communicating the transaction package to the identified target servers comprises transporting the transaction package to respective virtual server agents at the identified target servers.

40. The method of claim 39, wherein communicating the transaction package to the identified target servers comprises transporting the transaction package to the respective virtual server agents at the identified target servers via a virtual server client.

41. The method of claim 39, wherein communicating the transaction package to the identified target servers comprises transporting the transaction package with only the parameter file and an instruction set to the respective virtual server agents at the identified target servers.

42. The method of claim 41, wherein executing a dry run includes testing to see if the instruction set can be carried out by the respective virtual server agents at the identified target servers.

43. The method of claim 42, wherein testing to see if the instruction set can be carried out by the respective virtual server agents at the identified target servers includes substituting named parameters with actual values in the parameter file.

44. The method of claim 42, wherein communicating the transaction package to the identified target servers comprises:

after the dry run, transporting a complete transaction package including one or more actual change files and server objects to the respective virtual server agents at the identified target servers.

45. The method of claim 44 further comprising, executing server change operations specified in the complete transaction package at the identified target servers.

46. The method of claim 45, wherein executing server change operations specified in the complete transaction package at the identified target servers includes:

first, updating respective undo logs maintained for each of the identified target servers.

47. The method of claim 46, wherein executing server change operations specified in the complete transaction package at the identified target servers further includes:

if an error occurs while executing the servers change operations, undoing operations as recorded in the undo log.

2-38. -38. (canceled)

48. A computer program product embodied in non-transitory computer-readable media that includes executable code, which when executed by one or more processors implement change operations across a plurality of servers in a transaction-safe manner by:

specifying change operations for a collection of server objects in a transaction package, wherein the objects comprise at least one of files and configuration file entries;

identifying two or more target servers for execution of the change operations specified in the transaction package;

specifying parameter values specific to the target servers for each of the identified target servers in a parameter file;

communicating the transaction package to the identified target servers, the transaction package comprising the parameter file; and

executing a dry run with a set of tests to see if the server object change operations can be carried out by the identified target servers before making any changes.

49. The computer program product of claim 48, wherein the executable code when executed by one or more processors implement change operations across a plurality of servers in a transaction-safe manner further by:

transporting the transaction package to respective virtual server agents at the identified target servers.

50. The computer program product of claim 49, wherein the executable code when executed by one or more processors implement change operations across a plurality of servers in a transaction-safe manner further by:

transporting the transaction package to the respective virtual server agents at the identified target servers via a virtual client server.

51. The computer program product of claim 49, wherein the executable code when executed by one or more processors implement change operations across a plurality of servers in a transaction-safe manner further by:

transporting the transaction package including only the parameter file and an instruction set to the respective virtual server agents at the identified target servers.

52. The computer program product of claim 51, wherein the executable code when executed by one or more processors implement change operations across a plurality of servers in a transaction-safe manner further by:

executing a dry run with a set of tests to see if the instruction set can be carried out by the respective virtual server agents at the identified target servers.

53. The computer program product of claim 52, wherein executing a dry run with a set of tests to see if the instruction set can be carried out by the respective virtual server agents at the identified target servers includes substituting named parameters with actual values in the parameter file.