Automated discovery and inventory of nodes within an autonomic distributed computing system
First Claim
1. A computer-implemented method comprising:
- storing a model within a database of a control node, wherein the model defines an organization of a distributed computing system having a plurality of computing nodes;
automatically detecting the addition of a node to a network;
upon detecting the addition of the node, network booting the detected node with an inventory software image that primarily only includes an executable inventory process for identifying hardware attributes of the detected node;
after network booting the detected node, executing the inventory process on the detected node to automatically identify the hardware attributes for the detected node;
sending the identified hardware attributes from the detected node to the control node for storage within the model;
updating the model to store the identified hardware attributes for the detected node;
automatically deploying the detected node within the distributed computing system in accordance with the model based on the identified hardware attributes;
receiving an input that defines the model in a hierarchical form that includes a fabric having one or more domains, wherein each domain has at least one tier that performs a computing function, wherein each tier includes at least one node slot; and
automatically configuring he distributed computing system in accordance with the input, wherein automatically configuring the distributed computing system comprises;
comparing the identified hardware attributes of one or more nodes against one or more tier requirements;
automatically assigning the nodes to the node slots of the tiers based on the identified hardware attributes, the tier requirements, and a minimum positive processing energy for at least one node;
automatically mapping software images to the node slots in accordance with the computing functions of the tiers; and
automatically loading the software images onto the nodes to provide a computing environment for execution of user software applications, wherein automatically loading the software images comprises automatically loading a software image onto the detected node to replace the inventory software image.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A distributed computing system conforms to a multi-level, hierarchical organizational model. One or more control nodes provide for the efficient and automated allocation and management of computing functions and resources within the distributed computing system in accordance with the organization model. The model includes four distinct levels: fabric, domains, tiers and nodes that provide for the logical abstraction and containment of the physical components as well as system and service application software of the enterprise. A user, such as a system administrator, interacts with the control nodes to logically define the hierarchical organization of distributed computing system. The control node detects the addition of a node added to the network and automatically identifies attributes for the detected node.
93 Citations
28 Claims
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1. A computer-implemented method comprising:
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storing a model within a database of a control node, wherein the model defines an organization of a distributed computing system having a plurality of computing nodes; automatically detecting the addition of a node to a network; upon detecting the addition of the node, network booting the detected node with an inventory software image that primarily only includes an executable inventory process for identifying hardware attributes of the detected node; after network booting the detected node, executing the inventory process on the detected node to automatically identify the hardware attributes for the detected node; sending the identified hardware attributes from the detected node to the control node for storage within the model; updating the model to store the identified hardware attributes for the detected node; automatically deploying the detected node within the distributed computing system in accordance with the model based on the identified hardware attributes; receiving an input that defines the model in a hierarchical form that includes a fabric having one or more domains, wherein each domain has at least one tier that performs a computing function, wherein each tier includes at least one node slot; and automatically configuring he distributed computing system in accordance with the input, wherein automatically configuring the distributed computing system comprises; comparing the identified hardware attributes of one or more nodes against one or more tier requirements; automatically assigning the nodes to the node slots of the tiers based on the identified hardware attributes, the tier requirements, and a minimum positive processing energy for at least one node; automatically mapping software images to the node slots in accordance with the computing functions of the tiers; and automatically loading the software images onto the nodes to provide a computing environment for execution of user software applications, wherein automatically loading the software images comprises automatically loading a software image onto the detected node to replace the inventory software image. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A distributed computing system comprising:
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a plurality of application nodes interconnected via a network; a database that stores a model that defines an organization for the distributed computing system; and a control node that detects the addition of a node to the network and automatically identifies hardware attributes for the detected node, wherein the control node comprises an inventory service that network boots the detected node with an inventory software image when the control node detects the addition of the node, wherein the inventory software image primarily only includes an executable inventory process for identifying hardware attributes of the detected node, wherein, after network booting the detected node, the inventory process executes on the detected node to automatically identify the hardware attributes for the detected node and sends the identified hardware attributes from the detected node to the control node for storage within the model, wherein the control node updates the model to store the identified hardware attributes for the detected node, automatically deploys the detected node within the distributed computing system in accordance with the model based on the identified hardware attributes, receives an input that defines the model in a hierarchical form that includes a fabric having one or more domains, wherein each domain has at least one tier that performs a computing function, wherein each tier includes at least one node slot, and wherein the control node automatically configures the distributed computing system in accordance with the input, compares the identified hardware attributes of one or more nodes against one or more tier requirements, automatically assigns the nodes to the node slots of the tiers based on the identified hardware attributes, the tier requirements, and a minimum positive processing energy for at least one node, automatically maps software images to the node slots in accordance with the computing functions of the tiers, automatically loads the software images onto the nodes to provide a computing environment for execution of user software applications, and automatically loads a software image onto the detected node to replace the inventory software image. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
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26. A computer-readable medium comprising instructions that cause a processor to:
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store a model within a database of a control node, wherein the model defines an organization of a distributed computing system having a plurality of computing nodes; automatically detect the addition of a node to a network; network boot the detected node with an inventory software image upon detecting the addition of the node, wherein the inventory software image primarily only includes an executable inventory process for identifying hardware attributes of the detected node; execute the inventory process on the detected node, after network booting the detected node, to automatically identify the hardware attributes for the detected node; send the identified hardware attributes from the detected node to the control node for storage within the model; update the model to store the identified hardware attributes for the detected node; automatically deploy the detected node within the distributed computing system in accordance with the model based on the identified hardware attributes; receive an input that defines the model in a hierarchical form that includes a fabric having-one or more domains, wherein each domain has at least one tier that performs a computing function, wherein each tier includes at least one node slot; and automatically configure the distributed computing system in accordance with the input, wherein the instructions that cause the processor to automatically configure the distributed computing system comprise instructions that cause the processor to; compare the identified hardware attributes of one or more nodes against one or more tier requirements; automatically assign the nodes to the node slots of the tiers based on the identified hardware attributes, the tier requirements, and a minimum positive processing energy for at least one node; automatically map software images to the node slots in accordance with the computing functions of the tiers; and automatically load the software images onto the nodes to provide a computing environment for execution of user software applications, wherein the instructions that cause the processor to automatically load the software images comprise instructions that cause the processor to automatically load a software image onto the detected node to replace the inventory software image. - View Dependent Claims (27, 28)
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Specification