Method and System for a Cloud Frame Architecture

• US 20130246589A1
• Filed: 03/14/2012
• Published: 09/19/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 03/14/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SAP SE
• Original Assignee: SAP AG (SAP SE)
• Inventors: Klemba, Keith, Mukai, Wesley
• Granted Patent: US 9,213,581 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/221
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 15/17 using an input/output type connection, e.g. channel, I/O port
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/5072 Grid computing
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0213 Standardised network management protocols, e.g. simple network management protocol [SNMP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/085 Retrieval of network configuration; Tracking network configuration history
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/5096 wherein the managed service relates to distributed or central networked applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0817 by checking functioning
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/20 for managing network security; network security policies in general filtering policies H04L63/0227
• 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 67/1097 for distributed storage of data in networks, e.g. transport arrangements for network file system [NFS], storage area networks [SAN] or network attached storage [NAS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/08 Protocols for interworking; Protocol conversion

Abstract

A cloud frame provides a framework comprising a monitoring and network services to support hardware nodes such as computing nodes and storage nodes. Cloud frames may be organized into a cluster of cloud frames. Hardware nodes in a cloud frame environment may conduct self-allocation of needed resources, which in turn may be provided by other hardware nodes in the cloud frame environment.

Claims

1. A method in a first cloud frame comprising a plurality of hardware nodes, the method comprising:

conducting communications between the hardware nodes using a private communication network that provides communication channels only between the hardware nodes;

storing a plurality of operation data comprising operation data that are associated with each hardware node;

each hardware node updating its associated operation data during operation of said each hardware node, the associated operation data thereby representative of operating status of said each hardware node;

a first hardware node acquiring a resource, including;

the first hardware node accessing the operation data associated with the plurality of hardware nodes;

the first hardware node identifying a selected hardware node from among the plurality of hardware nodes using the operation data associated with each of the hardware nodes, wherein the selected hardware node serves as a provider of the resource;

updating information in the operational data associated with the first hardware node and updating the operational data associated with the selected hardware node to indicate an operational relationship between the first hardware node and the selected hardware node; and

conducting communications between the first hardware node and the selected hardware node to utilize the resource provided by the selected node.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising conducting communications between the cloud frame and devices external to the cloud frame using only predefined communication channels.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising conducting communication among a cluster of cloud frames comprising at least the first cloud frame and a second cloud frame.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein the first hardware node acquiring a resource further includes the first hardware node accessing operation data associated with hardware nodes in the first cloud frame and hardware nodes in the second cloud frame, wherein the selected hardware node is a hardware node in either the first cloud frame or the second cloud frame.

5. The method of claim 3 further comprising creating a virtual cloud frame comprising hardware nodes from the first cloud frame and the second cloud frame.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising a second hardware node acquiring a resource, including:

the second hardware node storing information indicative of the required resource in the operation data associated with the second hardware node;

one of the hardware nodes accessing the information in the operation data associated with the second hardware node; and

responsive to the information, said one of the hardware nodes initiating communications with the second hardware node to serve as a provider of the resource to the second hardware node.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising, when a certified hardware node is connected to the private communication network, then providing a communication channel between the certified hardware node and one or more of the hardware nodes of the cloud frame.

8. The method of claim 1 further comprising, when an uncertified hardware node is connected to the private communication network, then providing a zombie communication channel that is isolated from all other communication channels provided by the private communication network and conducting all communications with the uncertified hardware node using only the zombie communication channel.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein the zombie communication channel is connected to a zombie network.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the hardware nodes include one or more storage systems.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein the hardware nodes include one or more computer processing systems configured to execute software applications.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein the software applications include business applications or management applications.

13. A system having at least a first cloud frame comprising:

a computing backbone;

a private communication network; and

a plurality of hardware nodes connected to the private communication network,

the computing backbone including a data store to store a plurality of operation data comprising operation data that are associated with each hardware node,

wherein each hardware node updates its associated operation data during operation of said each hardware node, the associated operation data thereby representative of operating status of said each hardware node,

wherein a first hardware node acquires a resource by performing steps of;

the first hardware node accessing the operation data associated with the plurality of hardware nodes;

the first hardware node identifying a selected hardware node from among the plurality of hardware nodes using the operation data associated with each of the hardware nodes, wherein the selected hardware node serves as a provider of the resource;

updating information in the operational data associated with the first hardware node and updating the operational data associated with the selected hardware node to indicate an operational relationship between the first hardware node and the selected hardware node; and

conducting communications between the first hardware node and the selected hardware node to utilize the resource provided by the selected node.

14. The system of claim 13 further comprising at least a second cloud frame in communication with the first cloud frame.

15. The system of claim 14 wherein the first hardware node acquires a resource by performing further step of the first hardware node accessing operation data associated with hardware nodes in the first cloud frame and hardware nodes in the second cloud frame, wherein the selected hardware node is a hardware node in either the first cloud frame or the second cloud frame.

16. The system of claim 14 further comprising a virtual cloud frame comprising hardware nodes from the first cloud frame and hardware nodes from the second cloud frame.

17. The system of claim 13 wherein, when a certified hardware node is connected to the private communication network, the computing backbone is configured to establish a communication channel between the certified hardware node and one or more of the hardware nodes of the cloud frame.

18. The system of claim 13 wherein, when an uncertified hardware node is connected to the private communication network, then providing a zombie communication channel that is isolated from all other communication channels provided by the private communication network and conducting all communications with the uncertified hardware node using only the zombie communication channel.

19. The system of claim 18 wherein the zombie communication channel is connected to a zombie network.

20. A system having at least a first cloud frame comprising:

computing means for a computing backbone;

communication means for a private communication network; and

a plurality of hardware nodes connected to the communication means,

the computing means including a data store to store a plurality of operation data comprising operation data that are associated with each hardware node,

wherein each hardware node updates its associated operation data during operation of said each hardware node, the associated operation data thereby representative of operating status of said each hardware node,

wherein a first hardware node acquires a resource by performing steps of;

the first hardware node accessing the operation data associated with the plurality of hardware nodes;

the first hardware node identifying a selected hardware node from among the plurality of hardware nodes using the operation data associated with each of the hardware nodes, wherein the selected hardware node serves as a provider of the resource;

updating information in the operational data associated with the first hardware node and updating the operational data associated with the selected hardware node to indicate an operational relationship between the first hardware node and the selected hardware node; and

conducting communications between the first hardware node and the selected hardware node to utilize the resource provided by the selected node.