Framework for managing clustering and replication

• US 7,392,421 B1
• Filed: 03/18/2002
• Issued: 06/24/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 03/18/2002
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Veritas Technologies, LLC (Whitehouse Group Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Symantec Operating Corporation (Gen Digital Inc.)
• Inventors: Barve, Milind M., Bloomstein, Jason R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Baderman; Scott
• Assistant Examiner(s): Contino; Paul F
• Application Number:
  US10/100,386
• Time in Patent Office: 2,290 Days
• Field of Search: 714/15, 714/4, 714/6, 709/223
• US Class Current: 714/4.4
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1482 by means of middleware or OS functionality
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/2025 using centralised failover control functionality
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/2028 eliminating a faulty processor or activating a spare
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/2035 without idle spare hardware
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/2056 by mirroring

Abstract

The present invention provides a framework for managing both clustering and data replication in a software system distributed across multiple nodes. The framework includes at least one agent running at nodes comprising the distributed system. The framework also includes a master to coordinate clustering and replication operations. The framework further includes a library of software programs, called primitives, that are used by agents to communicate with the master. The agent(s) obtain cluster status information and replication status information, which are used by the master to manage clustering and replication operations. The framework is designed to work with existing cluster management applications and data replication facilities. The framework provides status information needed for coordinating clustering and replication operations to ensure that applications and data remain in a consistent state for disaster recovery purposes.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

obtaining cluster status information for a plurality of clusters comprising a plurality of nodes;

obtaining replication status information for at least one of the plurality of nodes, wherein the replication status information comprises information identifying a current state and a current latency of asynchronous data replication for application data replication between the nodes, wherein application data is replicated in response to a write operation by an application to the application data; and

managing an operation from a node different from the at least one of the plurality of nodes using the cluster status information and the replication status information in combination, wherein the operation corresponds to one of a clustering operation and a replication operation; and

the managing is performed at least in part automatically.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

automatically providing the cluster status information and the replication status information for the managing.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein

the managing the operation comprises causing the operation to be performed.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein

the managing the operation comprises automatically identifying a second operation to be performed in conjunction with the operation, wherein the second operation corresponds to one of:

a second clustering operation; and

a second replication operation.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein

the managing the operation comprises causing the operation and the second operation to be performed.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein

the managing the operation comprises automatically determining when to perform the operation.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein

the managing the operation comprises automatically determining a resource upon which to perform the operation.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein

the managing the operation further comprises:

using a relationship between a first application group and a second application group for determining a resource associated with the operation.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein

the operation corresponds to a replication operation;

and

the managing the replication operation further comprises;

using a relationship between a first replication group and a second replication group for determining a primary node and a secondary node associated with the replication operation.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein

the operation corresponds to a clustering operation;

and

the clustering operation comprises at least one of;

bringing a first resource online;

taking a second resource offline; and

monitoring a third resource.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein

the operation comprises a replication action related to a primary node and a secondary node;

and

the replication action corresponds to at least one of;

checking consistency between primary data at the primary node and secondary data at the secondary node;

demoting the primary node;

promoting the secondary node;

taking over an application at the primary node;

converting the primary node to a second secondary node; and

synchronizing the primary data and the secondary data.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein

the managing the operation is performed by a master.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein

the master is capable of managing both the clustering operation and the replication operation.

14. The method of claim 12 further compromising:

automatically providing the cluster status information and the replication status information to the master.

15. A method comprising:

obtaining cluster status information for a plurality of clusters comprising a plurality of nodes;

obtaining replication status information for at least one of the plurality of nodes, wherein the replication status information comprises information identifying a current state and a current latency of asynchronous data replication for application data replication between the nodes, wherein the application data replication comprises replicating application data in response to a write operation by an application to the application data;

automatically providing the cluster status information and the replication status information to a master operating on a node different from the at least one of the plurality of nodes; and

managing an operation using the cluster status information and the replication status information in combination, wherein the operation corresponds to one of a clustering operation and a replication operation; and

the managing is performed by the master.

16. A system comprising:

a node comprising a processor;

a first agent configured to obtain cluster status information from a cluster management application;

a second agent configured to obtain replication status information from a replication facility wherein the replication status information comprises information identifying a current state and a current latency of asynchronous data replication; and

a master, wherein the master is configured to manage an operation using the cluster status information and the replication status information in combination,

at least one of the first agent and the second agent operates on the node, wherein the node is different from a node on which the master operates,

the cluster management application is configured to perform a clustering operation for a plurality of nodes organized into a plurality of clusters,

the replication facility is configured to perform a replication operation for replicating application data between the nodes, wherein the replication facility replicates application data in response to a write operation by an application to the application data, and

the operation corresponds to one of the clustering operation and the replication operation.

17. The system of claim 16 wherein

the first agent and the second agent are the same.

18. The system of claim 16 further comprising:

a process configured to automatically provide the cluster status information and the replication status information to the master.

19. The system of claim 16 wherein

the master is configured to manage the operation by virtue of being further configured to cause the operation to be performed.

20. The system of claim 16 wherein

the master is configured to manage both the clustering operation and the replication operation.

21. The system of claim 16 wherein

the master is configured to manage the operation by virtue of being further configured to:

automatically identify a second operation to be performed in conjunction with the operation, wherein

the second operation corresponds to one of;

a second clustering operation; and

a second replication operation.

22. The system of claim 21 wherein

the master is configured to manage the operation by virtue of being further configured to cause the operation and the second operation to be performed.

23. The system of claim 16 wherein

the master is configured to manage the operation by virtue of being further configured to:

automatically determine when to perform the operation.

24. The system of claim 16 wherein

the master is configured to manage the operation by virtue of being further configured to:

automatically determine a resource upon which to perform the operation.

25. The system of claim 16 wherein

the master is configured to manage the operation by virtue of being further configured to:

use a relationship between a first application group and a second application group to determine a resource associated with the operation.

26. The system of claim 16 wherein

the operation corresponds to a replication operation;

and

the master is configured to manage the operation by virtue of being further configured to;

use a relationship between a first replication group and a second replication group to determine a primary node and a secondary node associated with the replication operation.

27. An interface comprising:

a computer readable storage device for storing a library comprising a primitive;

at least one agent configured to implement at least one entry point to;

obtain cluster status information from a cluster management application,

obtain replication status information from a replication facility, wherein the replication status information comprises information identifying a current state and a current latency of asynchronous data replication, and

call the primitive to communicate with a master, wherein the at least one agent operates on a node different from a node on which the master operates;

wherein the cluster management application is configured to perform a clustering operation for a plurality of nodes organized into a plurality of clusters,

the replication facility is configured to perform a replication operation to replicate application data between the nodes,

the replication facility is configured to replicate the application data in response to a write operation by an application to the application data,

the master is configured to manage an operation using the cluster status information and the replication status information in combination, and

the operation corresponds to one of the clustering operation and the replication operation.

28. The interface of claim 27 wherein

at least one agent is configured to automatically provide the cluster status information and the replication status information to the master.

29. The interface of claim 27 wherein

the operation corresponds to a clustering operation;

and

the clustering operation comprises at least one of;

bringing a first resource online;

taking a second resource offline; and

monitoring a third resource.

30. The interface of claim 27 wherein

the operation comprises a replication action related to a primary node and a secondary node;

the replication action corresponds to at least one of;

checking consistency between primary data at the primary node and secondary data at the secondary node;

demoting the primary node;

promoting the secondary node;

taking over an application at the primary node;

converting the primary node to a second secondary node; and

synchronizing the primary data and the secondary data.

31. A system comprising:

a computer readable storage means for storing cluster status information;

first obtaining means for obtaining the cluster status information for a plurality of clusters including a plurality of nodes;

second obtaining means for obtaining replication status information for at least one of the plurality of nodes, wherein the replication status information comprises information identifying a current state and a current latency of asynchronous data replication for application data replication between the nodes, wherein the application data is replicated in response to a write operation by an application to the application data; and

managing means for managing an operation from a node different from the at least one of the plurality of nodes using the cluster status information and the replication status information in combination, wherein the operation corresponds to one of a clustering operation and a replication operation.

32. The system of claim 31 wherein

the managing means further comprise causing means to cause the operation to be performed.

33. The system of claim 31 wherein

the managing means further comprise:

identifying means for identifying a second operation to be performed in conjunction with the operation, wherein the second operation corresponds to one of;

a second clustering operation; and

a second replication operation.

34. A computer program product comprising:

first obtaining instructions to obtain cluster status information for a plurality of clusters including a plurality of nodes;

second obtaining instructions to obtain replication status information for at least one of the plurality of nodes, wherein the replication status information comprises information identifying a current state and a current latency of asynchronous data replication for application data replication between the nodes wherein the application data is replicated in response to a write operation by an application to the application data;

managing instructions to manage an operation from a node different from the at least one of the plurality of nodes using the cluster status information and the replication status information in combination, wherein the operation corresponds to one of a clustering operation and a replication operation; and

a computer readable storage medium to store the first and second obtaining instructions and the managing instructions.

35. The computer program product of claim 34 wherein the managing instructions further comprise causing instructions to cause the operation to be performed.

36. The computer program product of claim 34 wherein the managing instructions further comprise:

identifying instructions to identify a second operation to be performed in conjunction with the operation, wherein the second operation corresponds to one of;

a second clustering operation; and

a second replication operation.