Virtual server cloud interfacing

• US 7,574,496 B2
• Filed: 04/17/2002
• Issued: 08/11/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 11/30/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dell Products LP (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Surgient, Inc. (Quest Software, Inc.)
• Inventors: Hirschfeld, Robert A., McCrory, Dave D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Etienne; Ario
• Assistant Examiner(s): Burgess; Barbara N
• Application Number:
  US10/124,195
• Publication Number:
  US 20030105810A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,673 Days
• Field of Search: 709/220, 709/223, 709/224, 709/226, 709/228, 709/238, 370/397, 370/399, 370/409, 370/352, 370/231, 370/235
• US Class Current: 709/223
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/08 for authentication of entities cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/30 Profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols

Abstract

A server cloud manager (SCM) for controlling logical servers and physical resources that form a virtualized logical server cloud. The SCM includes multiple core components and one or more interface components. The core components serve as a shared foundation to collectively manage events, validate and authorize server cloud users and agents, enforce predetermined requirements and rules and store operation data. The one or more interface components enable communication with external entities and includes an SCM proxy manager that enables communication with one or more SCMs of other server clouds. A server cloud system including a first server cloud that includes a first server cloud manager (SCM) and a first logical server, and a second server cloud that includes a second SCM. The first and second SCMs are configured to cooperate to manage operation of the first logical server.

Claims

1. A server cloud system, comprising:

at least one virtualized server system comprising at least one physical server having a central processing unit (CPU) and memory incorporating virtualization technology, wherein said at least one virtualized server system implements a plurality of virtualized logical server clouds;

said plurality of virtualized logical server clouds comprising a first server cloud including a first server cloud manager (SCM) and a first logical server, wherein said first SCM comprises a first SCM interface; and

said plurality of virtualized logical server clouds comprising a second server cloud including a second SCM with a second SCM interface;

the first and second SCMs cooperate through said first and second SCM interfaces to manage operation of the first logical server.

2. The server cloud system of claim 1, wherein the first and second SCMs are configured to cooperate to move the first logical server from the first server cloud to the second server cloud.

3. The server cloud system of claim 1, further comprising:

the second server cloud including a second logical server; and

the first and second SCMs being configured to cooperate to ensure that only one of the first and second logical servers is active at any given time.

4. The server cloud system of claim 3, wherein the first logical server is activated during a first time period and is placed in standby during a second time period, and wherein the second logical server is activated during the second time period and placed in standby during the first time period.

5. The server cloud system of claim 1, wherein the first and second SCMs are configured to cooperate to replicate the first logical server to a second and unique logical server within the second server cloud.

6. The server cloud system of claim 1, wherein the first and second server clouds have a trust relationship and wherein the first and second SCMs are peers.

7. The server cloud system of claim 6, wherein the first logical server is within a subcloud of the first server cloud and wherein the second SCM has rights over the subcloud.

8. The server cloud system of claim 1, further comprising:

an intermediary that has a trust relationship with the first and second server clouds; and

wherein the first and second server clouds cooperate with each other through the intermediary.

9. The server cloud system of claim 8, wherein the first and second SCMs are configured to cooperate via the intermediary to move the first logical server from the first server cloud to the second server cloud.

10. The server cloud system of claim 8, further comprising:

the second server cloud including a second logical server; and

the first and second SCMs being configured to cooperate via the intermediary to ensure that only one of the first and second logical servers is active at any given time.

11. The server cloud system of claim 8, wherein the first and second SCMs are configured to cooperate via the intermediary to replicate the first logical server to a second and unique logical server within the second server cloud.

12. The server cloud system of claim 1, wherein the second SCM operates as a proxy for the first logical server so that the first logical server may appear to exist within the second server cloud while actually residing in the first server cloud.

13. The server cloud system of claim 1, further comprising:

the first server cloud including a second logical server; and

wherein the second SCM operates as a proxy for the first and second logical servers and wherein the first and second SCMs are configured to cooperate to ensure that only one of the first and second logical servers is active at any given time.

14. The server cloud system of claim 1, wherein the second server cloud is an exchange cloud that employs intercloud proxy and commercial terms to enable commercial transactions associated with resources within the first server cloud.

15. The server cloud system of claim 14, wherein the first and second server clouds establish a commercial relationship for the purpose of enabling the second server cloud to direct use and resell logical server resources in the first server cloud.

16. The server cloud system of claim 14, further comprising:

a third server cloud having an authorized user, the third server cloud having a commercial relationship with the exchange cloud; and

wherein the authorized user gains access to the first logical server active in the first server cloud via intercloud proxy via the exchange cloud.

17. The server cloud system of claim 14, further comprising:

a third server cloud having a commercial relationship with the exchange cloud; and

the exchange cloud transferring the first logical server from the first server cloud to the third server cloud for access by an end consumer.

18. The server cloud system of claim 17, wherein location of the first logical server is transparent to the end consumer.

19. The server cloud system of claim 17, wherein transfer of the first logical server is performed by the exchange cloud transparently to the end consumer.