COMPUTER SYSTEM SUPPORTING REMOTELY MANAGED IT SERVICES

• US 20140237464A1
• Filed: 03/13/2013
• Published: 08/21/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 02/15/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: NCR Voyix Corporation
• Original Assignee: Zynstra Limited (NCR Voyix Corporation)
• Inventors: WATERMAN, Simon, ETTLE, Dave
• Granted Patent: US 9,244,674 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 717/172
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/65 Updates security arrangements therefor G06F21/57
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/658 Incremental updates; Differential updates
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/45533 Hypervisors; Virtual machine monitors
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/45558 Hypervisor-specific management and integration aspects

Abstract

Disclosed is a method of updating software in a computer system using virtualisation software, wherein one or more virtual machines are arranged to run respective software modules for providing respective set of software services. A software update relating to a first software module running in a first virtual machine is received. The first software module is stored on a first storage entity associated with the first virtual machine. A copy of the first storage entity is updated in accordance with the received software update to produce a second storage entity containing an updated version of the first software module. A second virtual machine is created within the virtualisation environment. The second virtual machine is associated with the second storage entity and arranged to run the updated version of the software module from the second storage entity. The first virtual machine remains operational during the updating step.

Claims

1. A method of updating software in a computer system, the computer system including virtualisation software arranged to provide a virtualisation environment for running a plurality of virtual machines, wherein each virtual machine is arranged to run a respective software module for providing a respective set of software services, the method comprising:

receiving a software update relating to a first software module running in a first virtual machine, the first software module stored in a first storage entity associated with the first virtual machine;

updating a copy of the first storage entity in accordance with the received software update to produce a second storage entity containing an updated version of the first software module, the updating step performed by an update module running outside the first virtual machine; and

creating a second virtual machine within the virtualisation environment, the second virtual machine associated with the second storage entity and arranged to run the updated version of the software module from the second storage entity.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein the first virtual machine remains operational to provide software services during the updating step.

3. A method according to claim 1, wherein the updating comprises performing binary difference patching.

4. A method according to claim 1, wherein the software update includes binary difference information specifying a difference between the first storage entity and an updated version of the first storage entity, the updating step comprising modifying the copy of the first storage entity in accordance with the binary difference information.

5. A method according to claim 1, wherein the first storage entity is configured not to be modifiable from within the first virtual machine;

the method preferably further comprising configuring the second storage entity not to be modifiable from within the second virtual machine.

6. A method according to claim 1, further comprising, after the updating step, performing one or more testing operations to verify correct application of the software update and/or correct operation of the updated software.

7. A method according to claim 6, wherein performing one or more testing operations comprises one or more of:

calculating check data of the second storage entity and comparing the calculated check data against corresponding check data included in the software update;

configuring an external test module to perform testing;

configuring a monitoring module to monitor operation of the second virtual machine.

8. A method according to claim 6, wherein the testing operations are performed by the update module or by another software module running outside the first and/or second virtual machine.

9. A method according to claim 6, wherein the updated software includes a testing component, the method comprising performing one or more testing operations by the testing component running within the second virtual machine.

10. A method according to claim 6, wherein the testing operations are performed based on testing information included in the received software update.

11. A method according to claim 6, wherein the received software update includes one or more test programs or test scripts, the method including performing testing operations by running the test program(s) or test script(s).

12. A method according to claim 1, comprising maintaining a copy of the first storage entity after the updating, and subsequently reverting to use of the first storage entity for running the first software module in its form prior to the update, preferably in response to an instruction to revert or detection of an error condition.

13. A method according to claim 1, comprising terminating the first virtual machine, the terminating preferably performed after the updating step, and preferably before starting the second virtual machine.

14. A method according to claim 1, wherein the updating step comprises securely obtaining the copy of the first storage entity prior to updating.

15. A method according to claim 14, wherein the updating step comprises accessing an encrypted copy of the first storage entity;

and decrypting the encrypted copy prior to updating.

16. A method according to claim 1, comprising storing master copies of storage entities in a repository, the master copies corresponding to storage entities used by virtual machines to run software modules, the master copies preferably encrypted, the updating step comprising obtaining the copy of the first storage entity from the repository prior to updating.

17. A method according to claim 1, wherein the received software update includes update information relating to a plurality of software modules each associated with a respective first virtual machine, comprising:

performing the updating and creating steps for each of the first virtual machines to create a plurality of corresponding second virtual machines each adapted to run updated software.

23. A method according to claim 1, comprising running the update module in a third virtual machine within the virtualisation environment, the third virtual machine separate from the first and second virtual machines.

24. A method according to claim 23, comprising, in response to an instruction to perform the software update, creating the third virtual machine, and initiating running of the update module within the third virtual machine.

25. A method according to claim 24, comprising, in response to the instruction to perform the software update, securely obtaining a copy of the update module software, and running the obtained software within the third virtual machine.

31. A method according to claim 1, wherein the first virtual machine is associated with:

one or more immutable storage entities storing a first, immutable, portion of files associated with the first software module, the immutable portion comprising files which are not modified during operation of the module to provide software services; and

one or more mutable storage entities storing a second, mutable, portion of the files associated with the first software module, the mutable portion comprising files which may be modified during operation of the module to provide software services.

45. A method according to claim 1, wherein the virtualisation software comprises one or more of:

a virtual machine manager;

a control module, preferably arranged to run within a privileged virtual machine within the virtualisation environment;

a storage virtualisation module arranged to provide access to logical storage entities to virtual machines of the virtualisation environment;

a network module arranged to provide access to one or more network connections of the computer system to virtual machines of the virtualisation environment.

54. A method according to claim 1, wherein storage entities comprise storage volumes, preferably logical storage volumes.

55. A tangible computer-readable medium comprising software code adapted, when executed on a data processing apparatus, to perform a method as claimed in claim 1.

18. A method of updating software in a computer system, the computer system including virtualisation software arranged to provide a virtualisation environment for running a plurality of virtual machines, wherein each virtual machine is arranged to run a respective software module for providing a respective set of software services, the method comprising:

receiving a software update including update information relating to a plurality of software modules associated with a plurality of first virtual machines of the virtualisation environment;

generating, by an update module running outside the first virtual machines, updated versions of the plurality of software modules based on the update information; and

replacing each of the first virtual machines with a respective second virtual machine adapted to run an associated updated software module.

19. A method according to claim 18, comprising performing the updating for each of the plurality of software modules as part of a single update transaction, and rolling back the update transaction in response to an identified error condition.

20. A method according to claim 18, comprising, in response to an error condition, discarding all updates made to the plurality of software modules in response to the software update.

21. A method according to claim 18, comprising, in response to an error condition, reverting to or continuing operation of the first virtual machines and/or first software modules in accordance with their configuration preceding the update.

22. A method according to claim 18, comprising, after completing the updating step for all of the first virtual machines, terminating each of the first virtual machines, and preferably starting up each of the corresponding second virtual machines.

56. A tangible computer-readable medium comprising software code adapted, when executed on a data processing apparatus, to perform a method as claimed in claim 18.

26. A method of updating software in a computer system, the computer system including virtualisation software arranged to provide a virtualisation environment for running a plurality of virtual machines, wherein each virtual machine is arranged to run a respective software module for providing a respective set of software services, the method comprising:

receiving an instruction to perform a software update relating to a first software module running in a first virtual machine; and

in response to the update instruction, replacing the first virtual machine with a second virtual machine running an updated version of the first software module, the updated version generated by an update module based on software update information associated with the received update instruction, wherein the replacing comprises;

in response to the update instruction, securely obtaining a copy of the update module software;

initiating running of the obtained update module software in a third virtual machine;

generating, by the running update module, the updated version of the first software module; and

configuring the second virtual machine to run the updated version of the first software module.

27. A method according to claim 26, wherein securely obtaining comprises decrypting a master copy of the update module software.

28. A method according to claim 27, wherein the master copy comprises an encrypted storage entity storing the update module software in encrypted form, the method including:

decrypting the encrypted storage entity to produce a decrypted storage entity;

associating the decrypted storage entity with the third virtual machine; and

running the update module within the third virtual machine from the decrypted storage entity.

29. A method according to claim 26, comprising terminating the third virtual machine and/or the update module after completion of the software update.

30. A method according to claim 29, wherein the securely obtained copy of the update module software is not used again after termination.

57. A tangible computer-readable medium comprising software code adapted, when executed on a data processing apparatus, to perform a method as claimed in claim 26.

32. A method of providing modular software services in a computer system, the computer system including virtualisation software arranged to provide a virtualisation environment for running a plurality of virtual machines, each virtual machine providing a respective set of software services and being associated with one or more storage entities storing files used in providing the services, the method comprising:

associating with a first one of the virtual machines one or more immutable storage entities comprising a first, immutable, portion of the files associated with the first virtual machine, the immutable portion comprising files which are not modified during operation of the virtual machine to provide software services;

associating with the first virtual machine one or more mutable storage entities storing a second, mutable, portion of the files associated with the first virtual machine, the second portion comprising files which may be modified during operation of the virtual machine to provide software services.

33. A method according to claim 32, wherein the one or more immutable storage entities are configured for read-only access from within the first virtual machine, and preferably wherein the one or more mutable storage entities are configured for read and write access from within the first virtual machine.

34. A method according to claim 33, wherein access permissions are enforced by the virtualisation software.

35. A method according to claim 32, wherein the immutable storage entities comprise one or more of:

a first immutable storage entity comprising software for execution by the first virtual machine; and

a second immutable storage entity comprising configuration data relating to the software and/or the first virtual machine.

36. A method according to claim 35, wherein the configuration data is specific to the computer system, the first storage entity comprising further configuration data common to a plurality of computer systems using the software.

37. A method according to claim 32, wherein the mutable storage entities comprise one or more of:

a first mutable storage entity comprising user data created during provision of services to a user by software running in the first virtual machine, the user data preferably associated with application software running in the first virtual machine, preferably wherein the user data is data that should be retained after the virtual machine is terminated or restarted;

a second mutable storage entity comprising configuration data relating to application or operating system software running in the first virtual machine, preferably wherein the configuration data is data that should be retained after the virtual machine is terminated or restarted; and

a third mutable storage entity comprising temporary data associated with application or operating system software running in the first virtual machine, wherein the temporary data is preferably data created during operation of the virtual machine which does not need to be retained if the virtual machine is terminated or restarted.

38. A method according to claim 37, comprising backing up the first and/or second mutable storage entities but not the third mutable storage entity.

39. A method according to claim 37, comprising creating a replacement virtual machine to replace the first virtual machine, the replacement virtual machine configured to use the first and/or second storage entities but not the third storage entity, the replacement virtual machine preferably created during processing of a software update for the first virtual machine.

40. A method according to claim 32, wherein the first virtual machine is associated with a file system, the method comprising:

including different first and second parts of the file system in respective first and second storage entities, preferably wherein the first storage entity is an immutable storage entity and the second storage entity is a mutable storage entity; and

configuring the storage entities such that an access to a predetermined location in the first storage entity from within the first virtual machine resolves to a location in the second storage entity.

41. A method according to claim 40, the configuring comprising:

including in the first part of the file system in the first storage entity a file system link to a target location in the second part of the file system in the second storage entity;

or

providing a mounting point in the first part of the file system in the first storage entity for mounting a location or directory tree in the second part of the file system in the second storage entity.

42. A method according to claim 32, comprising applying a software update in relation to the first virtual machine, the applying comprising updating one or more of the immutable storage entities or copies of those entities using binary difference patching, preferably based on binary difference information specifying a binary difference between a storage entity as a whole and an updated version of the storage entity.

43. A method according to claim 42, wherein the applying comprises updating one or more of the mutable storage entities using an update technique other than binary difference patching.

44. A method according to claim 32, comprising applying a software update in relation to the first virtual machine, the applying comprising replacing the first virtual machine with a second virtual machine running updated software;

wherein the replacing comprises;

updating copies of one or more of the immutable storage entities by an update module running outside the first and second virtual machines;

associating the updated storage entities with the second virtual machine;

launching the second virtual machine; and

updating copies of one or more of the mutable storage entities by an update component running within the second virtual machine.

58. A tangible computer-readable medium comprising software code adapted, when executed on a data processing apparatus, to perform a method as claimed in claim 32.

46. A method of providing software for execution by a computer system, the software arranged to provide software services to users of the computer system when run, the software comprising files to be stored in a file system, the method comprising:

identifying a first, immutable, portion of the file system, the immutable portion comprising files which are not normally modified during operation of the software to provide software services;

identifying a second, mutable, portion of the file system, the second portion comprising files which may be modified during operation of the software to provide software services;

creating a first storage entity comprising at least some of the first portion of the file system;

configuring the first storage entity for read-only access;

creating a second storage entity comprising at least some of the second portion of the file system; and

configuring the second storage entity for read and write access.

47. A method according to claim 46, wherein the file system comprises a directory tree, the method comprising:

identifying part of the directory tree at a first location within the immutable portion which is to be modifiable;

adding the identified part of the directory tree to the second storage entity at a second location; and

configuring a connection between the first and second storage entities linking the first and second locations.

48. A method according to claim 47, wherein configuring a connection comprises adding a file system link to the first storage entity, the file system link linking to the identified part in the second storage entity.

49. A method according to claim 48, wherein the file system link is added to the first storage entity in place of the identified part.

50. A method according to claim 48, wherein the file system link has a path name corresponding to the path name of the identified part, so that an access to the path name resolves, via the link, to the second storage entity.

51. A method according to claim 47, wherein configuring the connection comprises defining a mounting point in the first storage entity corresponding to the first location, for mounting the identified part of the directory tree from the second location of the second storage entity.

52. A method according to claim 46, comprising transmitting copies of one or more of the storage entities to the computer system.

53. A method according to claim 46, comprising configuring a virtual machine within a virtualisation environment at the computer system, associating the storage entities with the virtual machine, and preferably running software from the storage entities within the virtual machine.

59. A tangible computer-readable medium comprising software code adapted, when executed on a data processing apparatus, to perform a method as claimed in claim 46.

60. A computer system for providing modular software services, the computer system comprising at least one processor and at least one computer-readable medium storing software for execution by the at least one processor, the software comprising:

virtualisation software arranged to provide a virtualisation environment for running a plurality of virtual machines, wherein each virtual machine is arranged to run a respective software module for providing a respective set of software services; and

update software configured to;

receive a software update relating to a first software module running in a first virtual machine, the first software module stored in a first storage entity associated with the first virtual machine;

update a copy of the first storage entity in accordance with the received software update to produce a second storage entity containing an updated version of the first software module, the updating performed by an update module adapted to run outside the first virtual machine; and

create a second virtual machine within the virtualisation environment, the second virtual machine associated with the second storage entity and arranged to run the updated version of the software module from the second storage entity.

61. A computer system for providing modular software services, the computer system comprising at least one processor and at least one computer-readable medium storing software for execution by the at least one processor, the software comprising:

virtualisation software arranged to provide a virtualisation environment for running a plurality of virtual machines, wherein each virtual machine is arranged to run a respective software module for providing a respective set of software services; and

update software configured to;

receive a software update including update information relating to a plurality of software modules associated with a plurality of first virtual machines of the virtualisation environment;

generate, by an update module adapted to run outside the first virtual machines, updated versions of the plurality of software modules based on the update information; and

replace each of the first virtual machines with a respective second virtual machine adapted to run an associated updated software module.

62. A computer system for providing modular software services, the computer system comprising at least one processor and at least one computer-readable medium storing software for execution by the at least one processor, the software comprising:

virtualisation software arranged to provide a virtualisation environment for running a plurality of virtual machines, wherein each virtual machine is arranged to run a respective software module for providing a respective set of software services; and

update software configured to;

receive an instruction to perform a software update relating to a first software module running in a first virtual machine; and

in response to the update instruction, replace the first virtual machine with a second virtual machine running an updated version of the first software module, the updated version generated by an update module based on software update information associated with the received update instruction, wherein the replacing comprises;

in response to the update instruction, securely obtaining a copy of the update module software;

initiating running of the obtained update module software in a third virtual machine;

generating, by the running update module, the updated version of the first software module; and

configuring the second virtual machine to run the updated version of the first software module.

63. A computer system for providing modular software services, the computer system comprising at least one processor and at least one computer-readable medium storing software for execution by the at least one processor, the software comprising:

virtualisation software arranged to provide a virtualisation environment for running a plurality of virtual machines, each virtual machine providing a respective set of software services, and to associate a virtual machine with one or more storage entities storing files used in providing software services; and

configuration software configured to;

associate with a first one of the virtual machines one or more immutable storage entities comprising a first, immutable, portion of the files associated with the first virtual machine, the immutable portion comprising files which are not modified during operation of the virtual machine to provide software services; and

associate with the first virtual machine one or more mutable storage entities storing a second, mutable, portion of the files associated with the first virtual machine, the second portion comprising files which may be modified during operation of the virtual machine to provide software services.

64. A system for providing software for execution by a computer system, the software arranged to provide software services to users of the computer system when run, the software comprising files to be stored in a file system, the system comprising at least one processor and at least one computer-readable medium storing executable code for execution by the at least one processor, the executable code configured to:

identify a first, immutable, portion of the file system, the immutable portion comprising files which are not normally modified during operation of the software to provide software services;

identify a second, mutable, portion of the file system, the second portion comprising files which may be modified during operation of the software to provide software services;

create a first storage entity comprising at least some of the first portion of the file system;

configure the first storage entity for read-only access;

create a second storage entity comprising at least some of the second portion of the file system; and

configure the second storage entity for read and write access.