Cluster Update System

• US 20150254071A1
• Filed: 05/12/2015
• Published: 09/10/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 09/12/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Inventors: Chadalapaka, Mallikarjun, Turkoglu, Ali E.
• Granted Patent: US 9,678,739 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/60 Software deployment
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/61 Installation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/65 Updates security arrangements therefor G06F21/57
• 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 67/34 involving the movement of software or configuration parameters network booting or remote initial program loading [RIPL] G06F9/4416

Abstract

A locking system may place a persistent object on each of the devices in a computer cluster. The objects may indicate that an update is being performed on the devices so that other systems may not also update the devices. When an update has completed, the objects may be removed. The objects may include an identifier for the system owning the objects, as well as other information regarding the update. In some cases, the objects may include executable code and perform some of the update functions on the various devices.

Claims

1. A method for use at a computing device, the method for updating another computing device, the method comprising:

identifying that another computing device is to be updated in a specified manner;

accessing an identifier included in an update object located at the other computing device;

determining that the identifier identifies the computing device as the owner of the update object, the determination being indicative of the other computing device being locked for updating in the specified manner; and

updating the other computing device in the specified manner in response to the determination.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising prior to accessing the identifier included in the update object:

scanning for objects at the other computing device; and

locating the update object at the other computing device;

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising prior to accessing the identifier included in the update object, placing the update object at the other computing device, the update object including the identifier.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein placing the update object at the other computing device comprises placing the update object at the other computing device prior to a restart of the other computing device;

and

updating the other computing device comprises updating the other computing device subsequent to the restart of the other computing device.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein placing the update object at the other computing device comprises placing the update object at the other computing device prior to a losing communication with the computing device;

and

wherein updating the other computing device comprises updating the other computing device subsequent to reestablishing communication with the computing device.

6. The method of claim 3, wherein placing the update object at the computing device comprises placing the update object in a predefined namespace at the other computing device.

7. The method of claim 2, wherein the update object includes executable code;

and

wherein updating the other computing device comprises executing the executable code at the other computing device.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising removing the update object from the computing device after the update completes so as to indicate that the other computing device is free to perform other updates.

9. A method for use at a computing device, the method for checking the availability of another computing device to receive an update, the method comprising:

identifying that another computing device is to receive an update to be updated in a specified manner;

accessing an identifier included in an update object located at the other computing device; and

determining that the identifier identifies an update computing device as the owner of the update object, the determination being indicative of the other computing device being locked to perform an ongoing update associated with the update computing device such that the other computing device is not available to receive the update.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein determining that the identifier identifies the update computing device as the owner of the update object comprises determining that the computing device is carrying out executable code included in the update object as part of performing the ongoing update.

11. The method of claim 9, further comprising subsequent to determining that the identifier identifies the update computing device as the owner of the update object:

scanning the other computing device for objects;

failing to locate an update object at the other computing device; and

updating the other computing device in the specified manner in response to failing to locate an update object at the other computing device.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising prior to updating the other computing device in the specified manner:

placing a further update object at the other computing device, the further update object including a further identifier identifying the computing device as owner of the further update object;

locating the further update object at the other computing device;

accessing the further identifier included in the further update object; and

determining that the further identifier identifies the computing device as the owner of the update object.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the further update object includes executable code;

and

wherein updating the other computing device in the specified manner comprises executing the executable code at the other computing device.

14. A system, the system comprising:

a plurality of computing devices arranged in a computing cluster;

one or more update computing devices; and

computer-executable instructions at each of the one or more update computing devices, the computer-executable instructions for updating computing devices from among the plurality of computing devices, including;

identifying a computing device, from among the plurality of computing devices, that is to receive an update to be updated in a specified manner;

accessing an identifier included in an update object located at the computing device;

determining if the identifier identifies the update computing device as the owner of the update object;

when the identifier identifies the update computing device as the owner of the update object, updating the computing device in the specified manner; and

when the identifier does not identify the update computing device as the owner of the update object, determining that the computing device is locked to perform an ongoing update associated with a different update computing device, from among the one or more update computing devices, such that the computing device is not available to receive the update.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein computer-executable instructions for updating the computing device in the specified manner comprises computer-executable instructions for executing executable code contained in the update object at the computing device.

18. The system of claim 14, wherein computer-executable instructions for identifying a computing device comprise computer-executable instructions for sending a scan command to the computing device to determine that the computing device is to receive the update.

19. The system of claim 14, wherein computer-executable instructions for updating the computing device in the specified manner computer-executable instructions for sending a download command to the computing device to cause the computing device to:

prepare for installing an installation package associated with the update; and

download the installation package.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein computer-executable instructions for updating the computing device in the specified manner comprise computer-executable instructions for sending an install command to the computing device to cause the installation package to update the computing device in the specified manner.

16. The system of claim 14, further comprising computer-executable instructions for, prior to accessing the identifier included in the update object:

scanning for objects at the computing device; and

locating the update object at the computing device;

17. The system claim 16, wherein computer-executable instructions for placing the update object at the computing device comprise computer-executable instructions for placing the update object in a predefined namespace at the computing device.

16-1. (canceled)