DISCOVERING AND MONITORING SERVER CLUSTERS

• US 20160197795A1
• Filed: 03/14/2016
• Published: 07/07/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 02/28/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Inventors: Keane, Thomas W., Joanovic, Vladimir, Findik, Ferit, Voloshin, Vitaly
• Granted Patent: US 10,348,577 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1451 by selection of backup contents
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0663 Performing the actions predefined by failover planning, e.g. switching to standby network elements
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/40 using virtualisation of network functions or resources, e.g. SDN or NFV entities
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/5012 determining service availability, e.g. which services are available at a certain point in time
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/01 Protocols
• 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 67/1029 using data related to the state of servers by a load balancer
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/51 Discovery or management thereof, e.g. service location protocol [SLP] or web services
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/5682 Policies or rules for updating, deleting or replacing the stored data

Abstract

In a server cluster, multiple nodes may host one or more virtual servers. Virtual servers that may be hosted by particular nodes are identified. From the nodes, status is provided as to nodes that are actively hosting virtual servers and status of nodes whether they are actively hosting or not hosting a virtual server. Failover events are indicated, including transition of a virtual server from a failed node to another node.

Claims

1-20. -20. (canceled)

21. A method implemented by a first physical node in a server cluster, the method comprising:

identifying one or more virtual servers;

receiving an approval to host at least one virtual server of the one or more virtual servers; and

monitoring a status of the least one virtual server in response to receiving the approval.

22. The method of claim 21, further comprising activating a cache of rules, wherein monitoring the status of the least one virtual server is performed based at least in part on the cache of rules.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein the cache of rules comprises one or more of:

a frequency of monitoring the status of the least one virtual server;

one or more conditions of the at least one virtual server on which a determination of the status of the at least one virtual server is based;

a frequency of providing updates to a management server regarding the status of the at least one virtual server, the management server including a database storing relationships between a plurality of physical nodes and respective virtual servers hosted by the plurality of physical nodes;

or

an identification of the at least one virtual server being monitored.

24. The method of claim 21, further comprising monitoring a node status of a second physical node, the second physical node hosting one or more other virtual servers.

25. The method of claim 24, further comprising:

identifying a failure of the second physical node based at least in part on the node status;

performing a failover of the one or more other virtual servers from the second physical node to the first physical node; and

hosting the one or more other virtual servers after performing the failover.

26. The method of claim 25, further comprising providing an alert to a management server after performing the failover of the one or more other virtual servers from the second physical node to the first physical node, the management server including a database storing relationships between a plurality of physical nodes and respective virtual servers hosted by the plurality of physical nodes.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein the alert comprises one or more of an indication that the failover is successfully performed or an indication that the second physical node has failed.

28. One or more computer storage media storing executable instructions that, when executed by one or more processors of a first node in a cluster, cause the one or more processors of the first node to perform acts comprising:

identifying one or more virtual servers;

receiving an approval to host at least one virtual server of the one or more virtual servers; and

monitoring a status of the least one virtual server in response to receiving the approval.

29. The one or more computer storage media of claim 28, the acts further comprising activating a cache of rules, wherein monitoring the status of the least one virtual server is performed based at least in part on the cache of rules.

30. The one or more computer storage media of claim 29, wherein the cache of rules comprises one or more of:

a frequency of monitoring the status of the least one virtual server;

one or more conditions of the at least one virtual server on which a determination of the status of the at least one virtual server is based;

a frequency of providing updates to a management server regarding the status of the at least one virtual server, the management server including a database storing relationships between a plurality of nodes and respective virtual servers hosted by the plurality of nodes;

or

an identification of the at least one virtual server being monitored.

31. The one or more computer storage media of claim 28, the acts further comprising monitoring a node status of a second node, the second node hosting one or more other virtual servers.

32. The one or more computer storage media of claim 31, the acts further comprising:

identifying a failure of the second node based at least in part on the node status;

performing a failover of the one or more other virtual servers from the second node to the first node; and

hosting the one or more other virtual servers after performing the failover.

33. The one or more computer storage media of claim 32, the acts further comprising providing an alert to a management server after performing the failover of the one or more other virtual servers from the second node to the first node, the management server including a database storing relationships between a plurality of nodes and respective virtual servers hosted by the plurality of nodes.

34. The one or more computer storage media of claim 33, wherein the alert comprises one or more of an indication that the failover is successfully performed or an indication that the second node has failed.

35. A computing device comprising:

one or more processors;

memory storing executable instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform acts comprising;

determining a virtual server to be hosted in the computing device;

creating a relationship between the virtual server and the computing device;

receiving an approval to host the virtual server at the computing device;

determining whether the computing device actively hosts the virtual server; and

listening for a failover event or activating rules for monitoring the virtual server based at least in part on a result of determining whether the computing device actively hosts the virtual server.

36. The computing device of claim 35, wherein the cache of rules comprises one or more of:

a frequency of monitoring the status of the virtual server;

one or more conditions of the virtual server on which a determination of the status of the virtual server is based;

a frequency of providing updates to a management server regarding the status of virtual server, the management server including a database storing relationships between a plurality of computing devices and respective virtual servers hosted by the plurality of computing devices;

or an identification of the virtual server being monitored.

37. The computing device of claim 35, the acts further comprising monitoring a status of a second computing device, the second computing device hosting one or more other virtual servers.

38. The computing device of claim 37, the acts further comprising:

identifying a failure of the second computing device based at least in part on the status of the second computing device;

performing a failover of the one or more other virtual servers from the second computing device to the computing device; and

hosting the one or more other virtual servers after performing the failover.

39. The computing device of claim 38, the acts further comprising providing an alert to a management server after performing the failover of the one or more other virtual servers from the second computing device to the computing device, the management server including a database storing relationships between a plurality of computing devices and respective virtual servers hosted by the plurality of computing devices.

40. The computing device of claim 39, wherein the alert comprises one or more of an indication that the failover is successfully performed or an indication that the second computing device has failed.