Methods and Systems of Tracking and Verifying Records of System Change Events in a Distributed Network System

• US 20160294633A1
• Filed: 06/15/2016
• Published: 10/06/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 01/28/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Rackspace US Incorporated (Apollo Global Management, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Rackspace US Incorporated (Apollo Global Management, Inc.)
• Inventors: Dragon, Monsyne Michael, Walsh, Alexander Leonard, Spraggins, Daniel Joseph
• Granted Patent: US 10,069,690 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/1844 Management specifically adapted to replicated file systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2009/45595 Network integration; Enabling network access in virtual machine instances
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/45558 Hypervisor-specific management and integration aspects
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1432 Metric aspects
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/12 Discovery or management of network topologies
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/04 Processing captured monitoring data, e.g. for logfile generation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0817 by checking functioning
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/20 the monitoring system or the monitored elements being virtualised, abstracted or software-defined entities, e.g. SDN or NFV
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/5007 Internet protocol [IP] addresses
• 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 67/306 User profiles

Abstract

This disclosure has reference to verifying records of system change events in a distributed network system providing cloud services. In one embodiment, the methods and systems observe system update messages sent and received among components of the distributed network system, generate a record of the state of the object in response to the update messages, and compare the record of the state of the object with information from a periodic system status message to verify the accuracy of the periodic system status message. Advantageously, the present embodiments provide increased reliability for system status tracking, resource management, and billing for consumption of resources in distributed network systems. Additional benefits and advantages of the present embodiments will become evident in the following description.

Claims

1. A method for detecting orphaned resources on a host device component of a distributed network system, the method comprising:

observing one or more update messages transmitted within the distributed network system, the update messages comprising state information for resources located on the host;

generating a record of the state of the resources located on the host based on the observed update messages, wherein the generated record of state indicates utilization of the individual resources;

receiving a resource list from the host on a periodic basis, the resource list comprising a listing of resources supported by the host; and

comparing the resource list with the record of the state of the resources to identify individual orphaned resources that are supported by the host but are not utilized.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the resource list includes a listing of virtual machines running on the host.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the identified orphaned resources are virtual machines running on the host that are not correctly configured for utilization by a user account of the distributed network system.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the distributed network system supports cloud storage services used to replicate a plurality of files.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the resource list includes a listing of files replicated by the cloud storage.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the update messages are file replication messages.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the update message are transmitted by one or more message services configured to support communications between components of the distributed network system.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the generated record of state indicates utilization of individual resources by a user account supported by the distributed network system.

9. The method of claim 2, further comprising updating the billing data for the user account in response to the identification of orphaned resources.

10. A method for detecting use of unauthorized network resources in a distributed network system, the method comprising:

observing one or more update messages transmitted within the distributed network system, the update messages comprising state information for network resources utilized by a user account in the distributed network system;

generating a record of the state of the network resources based on the observed update messages, wherein the generated record of state indicates utilization of the network resources by the user account;

receiving a list of network resources on a periodic basis, the list of network resources comprising a listing of network addresses authorized for use by the user account; and

comparing the network resource list with the record of the state of the network resources to identify unauthorized utilization of network resources by the user account.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the list of network resources is a list of IP addresses issued by an IP address server or process.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the update messages are IP address allocation messages associated with the user account.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein the update messages indicate the assignment of an IP address by an IP address server or process.

14. A method for allocating a plurality virtual machines within a plurality of nodes within a distributed network system, the method comprising:

selecting a first virtual machine from the plurality of virtual machines, wherein the first virtual machine is associated with a first set constraints;

calculating a plurality of costs associated with allocating the first virtual machine to each node of the plurality of nodes, wherein the cost is calculated based on the capabilities of each node relative to the first set constraints for the first virtual machine;

identifying a node of the plurality of nodes with the lowest calculated cost for allocation of the first virtual machine;

allocating the first virtual machine to the identified node with the lowest calculated cost and depleting the capabilities of the identified node based on the first set of constraints of the first virtual machine; and

calculating a second cost associated with allocating a second virtual machine to the identified node, wherein the second cost is calculated based on the depleted capabilities of the identified node and a second set of constraints for the second virtual machine.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the first set of constraints include one or more hard constraints and one or more soft constraints.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the hard constraints must be satisfied by the capabilities of a node.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein each of the one or more soft constraints is weighted based on a preference associated with each of the soft constraints.

18. The method of claim 14, wherein the first set of constraints include specific hardware resources for use by the first virtual machine.

19. The method of claim 14, wherein the first set of constraints include a minimum network bandwidth for use by the first virtual machine.

20. The method of claim 14, wherein the first set of constraints include a node in a particular geographic location.