Dynamically configuring, allocating and deploying computing systems

• US 7,761,538 B2
• Filed: 08/30/2006
• Issued: 07/20/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 08/30/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Lin, Chi-Ming, Zhou, Sheng, Albertson, Jeffrey Lee, Nandan, Durgesh
• Primary Examiner(s): Avellino; Joseph E
• Assistant Examiner(s): THIAW, CATHERINE B
• Application Number:
  US11/512,785
• Publication Number:
  US 20080059610A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,420 Days
• Field of Search: 709220-222, 709223-226, 717/127, 717168-178, 715/701
• US Class Current: 709/220
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/5061 Partitioning or combining of resources
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0806 for initial configuration or provisioning, e.g. plug-and-play
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/50 Testing arrangements

Abstract

Computing systems can be dynamically configured, allocated, and deployed based on user requirements. For example, a user can request a number of servers for dynamic configuration, allocation, and deployment. Embodiments provide a quick and efficient way for users to test code and programs, debug code and programs, and/or perform other configuration and testing operations using one or more computing systems, such as a cluster of servers. Reserved systems are dynamically configured with necessary code and/or content according to user requirements. The reserved cluster of systems can be returned to an available pool once a reservation expires, allowing the returned systems to be used for a subsequent reservation.

Claims

1. A system to dynamically deploy one or more computing systems in a network, the system comprising:

a processor; and

a memory encoding instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to create;

a database component including a plurality of stored information and procedures for manipulating said information, comprising;

a reservation status defining a status of a reservation for one computing system in a pool of computing systems, the reservation status including;

a not yet begun status indicating that the reservation has been made;

a deploying status indicating when a time period for the reservation has arrived;

a ready status indicating when all deployment steps required for the reservation are complete, wherein a single value is evaluated as a sum of unique numeric values specifying all deployment steps required to perform the reservation, each unique numeric value corresponding to a deployment step selected from a plurality of deployment steps to track whether a specific deployment step has been performed or not;

an expiring status indicating when the time period for the reservation is expired; and

an archiving status indicating when all resources associated with the reservation are released,

a configuration status defining a configuration of the computing system in the pool, the configurations including a web server, an SQL server, a search server, and a content server,

an availability status defining availability of the computing system in the pool, the availability status including;

an unreserved status for each computing system that is not reserved in the reservation;

a reserved status for each computing system that is reversed in the reservation; and

an in use status for each computing system that is the currently deployed in the reservation, and

a deployment status indicating a status of deployment for each of the computing systems in the pool, the deployment status including;

a not yet started status when the reservation is made but the deployment is not yet started;

a deployment step status indicating each step of the deployment when deployment is started; and

a ready status when the deployment is complete indicating that the server is ready for another deployment;

an operating system service component to periodically communicate with the database component for one or more tasks to perform; and

a web service component to provide a communication interface between the database component and the operating system service component, wherein the components operate together to deploy the one or more computing systems including configuring and allocating the one or more computing systems;

wherein the computing system of the pool is reserved based in part on a reservation algorithm that is configured to allocate the at least one computing system based on at least the reservation status, the configuration status, the availability status, and the deployment status of the computing system.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein database includes information associated with a deployment configuration, wherein the information further includes at least one of a system role and a system type.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein database includes information associated with at least one of a test configuration and debug configuration.

4. The system of claim 2, wherein the system type is selected from at least one of a basic, office, private release, and duplicate cluster.

5. The system of claim 1, further comprising a script component to perform one or more configuration, allocation, and deployment procedures, wherein the script component includes at least one script associated with at least one event, and the at least one script is executed in association with an occurrence of the at least one event.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the at least one script is selected from at least one of an operating system installation script, debugging tool installation script, type script, and role script.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the operating system service further configured to provide an electronic notification to at least one user that the deployment is complete and ready for use.

8. A non-transitory computer readable medium including executable instructions which, when executed, allocate at least one server from a server pool by:

using a reservation algorithm that is configured to allocate the at least one server of the server pool based on at least the reservation status, the reservation status defining a status of a reservation for at least one server, the reservation status including;

a not yet begun status indicating that the reservation has been made;

a deploying status indicating when a time period for the reservation has arrived;

a ready status indicating when all required deployment steps for the reservation are complete, wherein a single value is evaluated as a sum of unique numeric values specifying all deployment steps required to perform the reservation, each unique numeric value corresponding to a deployment step selected from a plurality of deployment steps to track whether a specific deployment step has been performed or not;

an expiring status indicating when the time period for the reservation is expired; and

an archiving status indicating when all resources associated with the reservation are released;

using a deployment input to configure the at least one server of the server pool, wherein the deployment input includes a deployment type, a deployment start time, and a deployment end time;

determining an availability of the at least one server based in part on the deployment input;

storing the deployment input if the at least one server of the server pool is available; and

deploying the at least one server of the server pool based in part on the availability of the at least one server, wherein the deployment of the at least one server includes dynamically configuring the at least one server in accordance with the deployment input.

9. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 8, wherein the instructions, when executed, allocate at least one server from a server pool by using a deployment type input, wherein the deployment type input is selected from at least one of a basic type, office type, private release type, and duplicate cluster type.

10. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 9, wherein the instructions, when executed, allocate at least one server from a server pool by using a number input associated with the number of servers of the deployment type.

11. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 8, wherein the instructions, when executed, allocate at least one server from a server pool by determining whether a deployment of the at least one server was successful.

12. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 11, wherein the instructions, when executed, allocate at least one server from a server pool by assessing an associated machine file if the deployment of the at least one server was unsuccessful.

13. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 8 wherein the instructions, when executed, allocate at least one server from a server pool by sending a notification after a successful deployment of the at least one server.

14. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 8, wherein the instructions, when executed, allocate at least one server from a server pool by releasing the at least one server from an allocation after the deployment end time expires.

15. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 8, wherein the instructions, when executed, allocate at least one server from a server pool by extending a deployment.

16. A method of dynamically configuring a number of computing systems in a pool of computing systems, the method comprising:

receiving input associated with a deployment configuration of the number of computing systems, wherein the input includes a deployment type for the number of computing systems and a time period to reserve the number of computing systems for deployment;

using a reservation algorithm that is configured to allocate the at least one server of the server pool based on at least the reservation status, the reservation status defining a status of a reservation for the at least one server, the reservation status including;

a not yet begun status indicating that the reservation has been made;

a deploying status indicating when a time period for the reservation has arrived;

a ready status indicating when all deployment steps for the reservation are complete;

an expiring status indicating when the time period for the reservation is expired; and

an archiving status indicating when all resources associated with the reservation are released;

assigning a unique numeric value to each deployment step of the deployment steps;

calculating a single value as a sum of the unique numeric values assigned to each of the deployment steps and specifying all deployment steps required to perform the reservation, wherein each unique numeric value corresponds to a deployment step selected from a plurality of deployment steps to track whether a specific deployment step has been performed or not;

using the single value to track a status of the deployment steps;

allocating the number of computing systems based in part on an availability of the number of computing systems for the time period; and

,

deploying the number of computing systems for the time period if the number of computing systems is available for the time period, wherein the deploying includes automatically configuring the number of computing systems according to the deployment type.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising automatically notifying a user of the deployment of the number of computing systems.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein the deploying further comprises automatically installing at least one of an OS, middleware, and one or more test bits on the number of computing systems.