Apparatus, system, and method for autonomy controlled management of a distributed computer system

• US 7,379,984 B1
• Filed: 12/09/2003
• Issued: 05/27/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 12/09/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Prisa Networks Incorporated
• Original Assignee: EMC Corporation (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Inventors: Green, Howard H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran; Philip B
• Application Number:
  US10/731,797
• Time in Patent Office: 1,631 Days
• Field of Search: 709220-226, 709/201, 709/203
• US Class Current: 709/220
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/335 for accessing specific resources, e.g. using Kerberos tickets
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/629 to features or functions of an application
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0883 Semiautomatic configuration, e.g. proposals from system
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/10 for controlling access to devices or network resources
• 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]

Abstract

An apparatus, system, and method provide autonomy control for management of a distributed computer system. An autonomy-based configuration procedure executes a plurality of configuration tasks in accordance with autonomy criteria. Autonomous configuration tasks of the configuration procedure are identified based on the autonomy criteria and are not executed unless explicit authorization is received. Autonomous configuration tasks are executed without intervention. An administrator establishes a desired degree of autonomy by entering the autonomy criteria prior to invoking the configuration procedure.

Claims

1. A method of configuring a distributed computer system, the method comprising:

retrieving autonomy criteria identifying at least one non-autonomous configuration task that should not be autonomously executed;

identifying the at least one non-autonomous configuration task by applying the autonomy criteria to each configuration task of an autonomy-based configuration procedure for configuring a distributed computer system;

requesting authorization for executing the at least one non-autonomous configuration task; and

refraining from executing the at least one non-autonomous configuration task until authorization is received from an administrator.

2. A method in accordance with claim 1, wherein the requesting comprises:

generating an inquiry identifying the at least one non-autonomous configuration task and indicating that administrator input is required to execute the unauthorized at least one non-autonomous configuration task.

3. A method in accordance with claim 2, further comprising:

executing the at least one non-autonomous configuration task after the administrator input is received, the administrator input acknowledging the at least one non-autonomous configuration task should be executed.

4. A method in accordance with claim 1, further comprising:

aborting the configuration procedure when the administrator input is received, the administrator input indicating the at least one non-autonomous configuration task should not be executed.

5. A method of configuring a distributed computer system, the method comprising:

receiving autonomy criteria entered by an administrator through a user interface;

retrieving autonomy criteria identifying at least one non-autonomous configuration task that should not be executed without authorization, the at least one non-autonomous configuration task resulting in a change of at least one configuration parameter when executed;

identifying the at least one non-autonomous configuration task by applying the autonomy criteria to each configuration task of an autonomy-based configuration procedure for configuring a distributed computer system;

requesting authorization for executing the at least one non-autonomous configuration task; and

refraining from executing the at least one non-autonomous configuration task until authorization is received from an administrator.

6. A management server for managing a distributed computer system, the management server comprising:

computer-executable logic stored on a computer readable medium, the computer-executable logic configured to cause the following steps to occur;

retrieving autonomy criteria identifying at least one non-autonomous configuration task that should not be autonomously executed;

identifying the at least one non-autonomous configuration task by applying the autonomy criteria to each configuration task of an autonomy-based configuration procedure for configuring a distributed computer system;

requesting authorization for executing the at least one non-autonomous configuration task; and

refraining from executing the at least one non-autonomous configuration task until authorization is received from an administrator.

7. A management server in accordance with claim 6, wherein the step of requesting comprises:

generating an inquiry identifying the at least one non-autonomous configuration task and indicating that administrator input is required to execute the at least one non-autonomous configuration task.

8. A management server in accordance with claim 7, the computer-executable logic configured to further cause the following step to occur:

executing the at least one non-autonomous configuration task after the administrator input is received, the administrator input acknowledging the at least one non-autonomous configuration task should be executed.

9. A management server in accordance with claim 6, the computer-executable logic configured to further cause the following step to occur:

aborting the configuration procedure when the administrator input is received, the administrator input indicating the at least one non-autonomous configuration task should not be executed.

10. A program product for managing a distributed computer system, the program product comprising:

computer-executable logic contained on a computer-readable medium and configured for causing the following computer-executed steps to occur;

retrieving autonomy criteria identifying at least one non-autonomous configuration task that should not be autonomously executed;

identifying the at least one non-autonomous configuration task by applying the autonomy criteria to each configuration task of an autonomy-based configuration procedure for configuring a distributed computer system;

requesting authorization for executing the at least one non-autonomous configuration task; and

refraining from executing the at least one non-autonomous configuration task until authorization is received from an administrator.

11. A program product in accordance with claim 10, wherein the step of requesting comprises:

generating an inquiry identifying the at least one non-autonomous configuration task and indicating that administrator input is required to execute the at least one non-autonomous configuration task.

12. A program product in accordance with claim 11, the computer-executable logic configured to further cause the following step to occur:

aborting the configuration procedure when the administrator input is received, the administrator input indicating the at least one non-autonomous configuration task should not be executed.

13. A program product in accordance with claim 10, the computer-executable logic configured to further cause the following step to occur:

executing the at least one non-autonomous configuration task after the administrator input is received, the administrator input acknowledging the at least one non-autonomous configuration task should be executed.

14. A data storage system that communicates with a computer which has application software that manipulates data that can be stored on the data storage system and the system including computer-executable logic for configuring a distributed computer system, the data storage system comprising:

a plurality of storage devices; and

computer-executable logic configured for causing the following computer-executed steps to occur;

retrieving autonomy criteria identifying at least one non-autonomous configuration task that should not be autonomously executed;

identifying the at least one non-autonomous configuration task by applying the autonomy criteria to each configuration task of an autonomy-based configuration procedure for configuring a distributed computer system;

requesting authorization for executing the at least one non-autonomous configuration task; and

refraining from executing the at least one non-autonomous configuration task until authorization is received from an administrator.

15. A data storage system in accordance with claim 14, wherein the step of requesting comprises:

generating an inquiry identifying the at least one non-autonomous configuration task and indicating that administrator input is required to execute the at least one non-autonomous configuration task.

16. A data storage system in accordance with claim 15, the computer-executable logic configured to further cause the following step to occur:

executing the at least one non-autonomous configuration task after the administrator input is received, the administrator input acknowledging the at least one non-autonomous configuration task should be executed.

17. A data storage system in accordance with claim 14, the computer-executable logic configured to further cause the following step to occur:

aborting the configuration procedure when the administrator input is received, the administrator input indicating the at least one non-autonomous configuration task should not be executed.

18. A management server for managing a distributed computer system, the management server comprising:

a processor and a memory;

retrieving means for retrieving autonomy criteria identifying at least one non-autonomous configuration task that should not be autonomously executed;

identifying means for identifying the at least one non-autonomous configuration task by applying the autonomy criteria to each configuration task of an autonomy-based configuration procedure for configuring a distributed computer system;

requesting means for requesting authorization for executing the at least one non-autonomous configuration task; and

refraining means for refraining from executing the at least one non-autonomous configuration task until authorization is received from an administrator, the retrieving means, the identifying means, the requesting means, and the refraining means included at least partially within at least one of the processor and memory.

19. A management server in accordance with claim 18, wherein the requesting means comprises:

generating means for generating an inquiry identifying the at least one non-autonomous configuration task and indicating that administrator input is required to execute the at least one non-autonomous configuration task.

20. A management server in accordance with claim 19 further comprising:

executing means for executing the at least one non-autonomous configuration task after the administrator input is received, the administrator input acknowledging the at least one non-autonomous configuration task should be executed.

21. A management server in accordance with claim 18, the management server further comprising:

an aborting means for aborting the configuration procedure when the administrator input is received, the administrator input indicating the at least one non-autonomous configuration task should not be executed.