Multi-Level Cloud Computing System

• US 20140059226A1
• Filed: 08/21/2012
• Published: 02/27/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 08/21/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Rackspace US Incorporated (Apollo Global Management, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Rackspace US Incorporated (Apollo Global Management, Inc.)
• Inventors: Messerli, Antony Joel, Voccio, Paul, Hincher, John Carlisle
• Granted Patent: US 9,563,480 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/226
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2209/547 Messaging middleware
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/5072 Grid computing
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/546 Message passing systems or structures, e.g. queues
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/4641 Virtual LANs, VLANs, e.g. virtual private networks [VPN] LAN interconnection over a bridge based backbone H04L12/462; encapsulation techniques H04L12/4633; routing of packets H04L45/00; packet switches H04L49/00; virtual private networks for security H04L63/0272
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/783 Distributed allocation of resources, e.g. bandwidth brokers
• 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 67/51 Discovery or management thereof, e.g. service location protocol [SLP] or web services

Abstract

A cloud computing system includes a physical resource pool that includes a number of information processing devices. Each information processing device includes a processor, a computer-readable medium, and a network interface. The system further includes a first cloud controller to manage a first cloud infrastructure, the first cloud infrastructure operating a first set of virtualized resources, the first set of virtualized resources having access to the physical resource pool through the first cloud controller. The system further includes a second cloud controller to manage a second cloud infrastructure, the second cloud infrastructure utilizing the first set of virtual resources to operate a second set of virtual resources, the second set of virtual resources being provided access to the physical resource pool through the second cloud controller and the first cloud controller.

Claims

1. A cloud computing system comprising:

a physical resource pool comprising a number of information processing devices, each information processing device comprising a processor, a computer-readable medium, and a network interface;

a first cloud controller to manage a first cloud infrastructure, the first cloud infrastructure operating a first set of virtualized resources, the first set of virtualized resources having access to the physical resource pool through the first cloud controller; and

a second cloud controller to manage a second cloud infrastructure, the second cloud infrastructure utilizing the first set of virtual resources to operate a second set of virtual resources, the second set of virtual resources being provided access to the physical resource pool through the second cloud controller and the first cloud controller.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein a number of virtual resources within the first set of virtual resources is configured to change in response to an event, the virtual resources including at least one of:

a compute service, a storage service, and a network service.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the event comprises an increase in demand for services on the second cloud infrastructure, and the number of virtual resources is increased.

4. The system of claim 2, wherein the event comprises a decrease in demand for services from the second cloud infrastructure, and the number of virtual resources is decreased.

5. The system of claim 2, further comprising a monitoring service to monitor the capacity of first cloud infrastructure in relation to demand for capacity from the second cloud infrastructure.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the first cloud controller of the first cloud infrastructure is configured to execute a command to start up a new virtualized service in response to a notification from the monitoring service.

7. The system of claim 5, wherein the first cloud controller of the first cloud infrastructure is configured to execute a command to tear down a virtualized service in response to a notification from the monitoring service

8. The system of claim 5, wherein in response to a determination by the monitoring service that a needed resource from said first set of resources is no longer running, the first cloud controller is configured to start up a replacement resource for the resource no longer running.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the virtual resources comprise an object storage service, the first cloud controller being configured to add an additional object storage service to the first set of virtual resources in response to a demand from the second cloud controller for more storage space.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the virtual resources comprise a network service, the first cloud controller being configured to add an additional network service to the first set of virtual resources in response to a demand from the second cloud controller for more network services.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the virtual resources comprise a compute service, the first cloud controller being configured to add an additional compute service to the first set of virtual resources in response to a demand from the second cloud controller for more computing capacity.

13. The method of claim 11, further comprising, with the first cloud controller, changing the number of primary virtualized resources used to support the second cloud infrastructure in response to a change in demand on the second cloud infrastructure.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein the primary virtualized resources comprise at least one of:

a compute service, an object storage service, and a network service.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising, with the first cloud controller, adding an additional object storage service to the number of primary virtual resources in response to an increased demand on the second cloud infrastructure for more storage space.

16. The method of claim 14, further comprising, with the first cloud controller, adding an additional compute service to the number of primary virtual resources in response to an increased demand on the second cloud infrastructure for more computing capacity.

17. The method of claim 14, further comprising, with the first cloud controller, adding an additional network service to the number of primary virtual resources in response to an increased demand on the second cloud infrastructure for more storage space.

18. The method of claim 14, further comprising, starting up a replacement primary virtual resource in response to determining that a primary virtual resource utilized by the second cloud infrastructure is no longer running.

12. A method for operating a cloud computing system, the method comprising:

with a first cloud controller for a first cloud infrastructure, providing a number of primary virtualized resources access to a physical resource pool, the physical resource pool comprising a number of information processing devices, each information processing device comprising a processor, a computer-readable medium, and a network interface; and

with a second cloud controller for a second cloud infrastructure comprising the primary virtualized resources, providing a number of secondary virtualized resources access to the physical resource pool through the primary virtualized resources.

19. A cloud computing system comprising:

a physical resource pool comprising a number of information processing devices, each information processing device comprising a processor, a computer-readable medium, and a network interface;

a first cloud infrastructure comprising a cloud controller and a number of cloud services, the first cloud infrastructure supporting a first set of virtualized resources, the first set of virtualized resources having access to the physical resource pool through the first cloud controller; and

a second cloud infrastructure comprising a cloud controller and a number of cloud services, the second cloud infrastructure utilizing the first set of virtual resources to operate a second set of virtual resources, the second set of virtual resources being provided access to the physical resource pool through the cloud controller of the first cloud infrastructure;

wherein a number of virtual resources within the first set of virtual resources is configured to change in response to changes in demand on the second cloud infrastructure.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the virtual resources comprise at least one of:

a network service, a compute service, and a storage service.