System and method for providing services for offline servers using the same network address

• US 7,502,861 B1
• Filed: 05/19/2005
• Issued: 03/10/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 02/16/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Virtuozzo International GmbH
• Original Assignee: Swsoft Holding Limited
• Inventors: Protassov, Stanislav S., Beloussov, Serguei M., Tormasov, Alexander G.
• Primary Examiner(s): Donaghue; Larry D
• Assistant Examiner(s): Mirza; Adnan M
• Application Number:
  US11/132,334
• Time in Patent Office: 1,391 Days
• Field of Search: 709/223, 709/228, 709/229
• US Class Current: 709/229
• 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 69/40 for recovering from a failure of a protocol instance or entity, e.g. service redundancy protocols, protocol state redundancy or protocol service redirection management of faults, events, alarms or notifications in data switching networks H04L41/06

Abstract

A system, method and computer program product for controlling virtual private servers includes a plurality of virtual private servers running on a host computer. An address and a unique identifier can be associated with each virtual private server. A control procedure(s) is within each corresponding virtual private server, and can be used to control that virtual private server in response to control commands. A control interface is outside the virtual private servers and can be used for control of the virtual private servers in response to control commands. The virtual private server can be a Virtual Private Server. The control command can be executable by both the control procedure(s) and the control interface, or can be executable by the control interface if the control procedure(s) is unreachable, or can be executable by the control interface if the virtual private server has failed, or can be executable even if the virtual private server is inaccessible. The control interface can be accessible by using multiple addresses and identifiers.

Claims

1. A system for controlling virtual private servers comprising:

a plurality of virtual private servers running on a single host computer system and sharing a single instance of a host operating system, each having an associated address and a unique identifier;

each virtual private server responding to requests from clients;

each virtual private server including an internal control procedure operable within that virtual private server for control of that virtual private server in response to commands sent by a remote user using the address and the unique identifier; and

an external control interface running on the host computer system and operable outside the virtual private server for control of the virtual private server in response to the commands sent by the remote user using the address and the unique identifier,

wherein, if a particular virtual private server is non-responsive, the external control interface can be used to manage that virtual private server using the address and the unique identifier associated with that virtual private server.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the commands are executable by both the control procedure and the control interface.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the commands are executed by the control interface when the control procedure is unreachable.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the commands are executed by the control interface when the virtual private server has failed.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the control interface is accessible using multiple addresses.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the commands are used to control user applications running in at least one of the virtual private servers.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the address is an IP address.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the address is a hostname.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the command comprises any of:

start/stop the virtual private server;

change the virtual private server passwords;

reinstall the virtual private server;

repair the virtual private server;

backup the virtual private server;

update parameters of the level of the consumption of resources;

process control commands for the virtual private server;

check status of the virtual private server;

configure the virtual private server;

installing user application;

uninstalling user application; and

configuring user application.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the virtual private servers are supported by the same host OS kernel.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the virtual private servers are isolated from each other.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein the control interface is activated upon failure of any of the virtual private servers.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein the control procedure is activated upon request from the user.

14. A method of managing virtual private servers, comprising:

launching a plurality of virtual private servers on a single host computer system and sharing a single instance of a host operating system, each virtual private server responding to requests from clients;

assigning an address and a unique identifier to each virtual private server;

creating conditions for starting, outside the plurality of virtual private servers, a control interface running on the host computer system and accessible to a remote user;

creating conditions for starting, in each virtual private server, a control program for managing that virtual private server;

setting up a control command execution policy that defines whether (a) the control program or (b) the control interface manages that virtual private server;

receiving a control command from the remote user; and

based on the control command execution policy, managing that virtual private server by executing the control command in one of (a) the control program of that virtual private server using the address and the unique identifier associated with that virtual private server, and (b) the control interface using the address and the unique identifier associated with that virtual private server,

wherein selection of (a) or (b) is transparent to the remote user.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the control command is executable by both the control program and the control interface.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the control command is executable by the control interface when the control program is unreachable.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein the control command is executable when the virtual private server is inaccessible.

18. The method of claim 14, wherein the control interface is accessible using multiple addresses.

19. The method of claim 14, wherein the control interface and the control program use the same identifiers, and the control interface is available when any control program is unavailable.

20. The method of claim 14, wherein execution of the control command depends on a state of the virtual private servers.

21. The method of claim 14, wherein the control command comprises any of:

start/stop the virtual private server;

change the virtual private server passwords;

reinstall the virtual private server;

repair the virtual private server;

backup the virtual private server;

update parameters of the level of the consumption of resources;

process control commands for the virtual private server;

check status of the virtual private server;

configure the virtual private server;

installing user application;

uninstalling user application; and

configuring user application.

22. The method of claim 14, wherein the control interface is activated upon failure of any of the virtual private servers.

23. The method of claim 14, wherein the control program is activated upon a request from the user.

24. The method of claim 14, wherein, when the virtual private server is not responsive, the control command execution policy sets up the control interface for managing the control command.

25. A method of managing a virtual private server, comprising:

assigning a unique identifier to the virtual private server, wherein the virtual private server virtualizes a host computer and responds to requests from clients;

assigning an address to the virtual private server;

installing a control procedures operable inside the virtual private server for managing, in response to a user command, that virtual private server;

installing a control interface running on the host computer, operable outside the virtual private server, for managing, in response to the user command, the virtual private server;

receiving the user command from a remote user of the virtual private server;

selection of one of (a) the control interface and (b) the control procedures for managing the virtual private servers; and

managing the virtual private server based on the command,

wherein selection of one of (a) the control interface and (b) the control procedures for managing the virtual private servers is transparent to the remote user.

26. The method of claim 25, further comprising establishing, using the address, a transmission channel between the remote user and one of the control interface and the control procedures.

27. The method of claim 26, further comprising transmitting, using the unique identifier, the command from the remote user via the transmission channel.

28. A computer program product for managing virtual private servers, the computer program product comprising a computer useable storage medium having computer program logic recorded thereon for controlling at least one processor, the computer program logic comprising:

computer program code means for launching a plurality of virtual private servers on a single host computer system and sharing a single instance of a host operating system, the virtual private server responding to requests from clients;

computer program code means for assigning an address and a unique identifier to each virtual private server;

computer program code means for starting, outside the plurality of virtual private servers, and running on the host computer system, a control interface accessible to a remote user;

computer program code means for starting, in each virtual private server, a control program for managing that virtual private server;

computer program code means for setting up a control command execution policy that defines whether (a) the control program or (b) the control interface manages that virtual private server;

computer program code means for receiving a control command from the remote user; and

computer program code means for managing based on the control command execution policy, that virtual private server by executing the control command in one of (a) the control program of that virtual private server using the address and identifier associated with that virtual private server, and (b) the control interface using the address and identifier associated with that virtual private server,

wherein selection of (a) or (b) is transparent to the remote user.