Dynamic adaptive server provisioning for blade architectures

• US 7,765,299 B2
• Filed: 09/16/2002
• Issued: 07/27/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 09/16/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Valtrus Innovations Limited (f/k/a Dolya Holdco 9 Limited) (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Romero, Francisco J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Follansbee; John
• Assistant Examiner(s): Chou; Alan S
• Application Number:
  US10/245,669
• Publication Number:
  US 20040054780A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,871 Days
• Field of Search: 709/226, 709/224
• US Class Current: 709/226
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0213 Standardised network management protocols, e.g. simple network management protocol [SNMP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/046 comprising network management agents or mobile agents therefor
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/5025 by proactively reacting to service quality change, e.g. by reconfiguration after service quality degradation or upgrade
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/5093 wherein the managed service relates to messaging or chat services
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/08 Monitoring or testing based on specific metrics, e.g. QoS, energy consumption or environmental parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1001 for accessing one among a plurality of replicated servers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1029 using data related to the state of servers by a load balancer
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1031 Controlling of the operation of servers by a load balancer, e.g. adding or removing servers that serve requests
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1034 Reaction to server failures by a load balancer

Abstract

A system and method for automatically allocating computing resources of a rack-and-blade computer assembly. The method includes receiving server performance information from an application server pool disposed in a rack of a rack-and-blade computer assembly, and determining at least one QoS attribute for the application server pool. If the QoS attribute is below a standard, a blade server is allocated from a free server pool for use by the application server pool. If the QoS attribute is above a standard, at least one server is removed from the application server pool. An article of manufacture including a machine-readable medium having stored thereon instructions for automatically allocating computing resources of a rack-and-blade computer assembly.

Claims

1. A method for automatically allocating computing resources of a rack-and-blade computer assembly comprising:

receiving server performance information from an application server pool disposed in a rack of a rack-and-blade computer assembly;

said application server pool comprising a blade server including an associated server agent for measuring performance of an application running on the blade server;

determining at least one QoS attribute for the application server pool;

determining that the QoS attribute is below a standard;

allocating a free blade server from a free server pool for use by the application server pool; and

if the free server pool does not have an available blade server for allocation to the application server pool and based upon a request priority value of a resource request from the application, then allocating a different blade server from a second application server pool in the rack to and for use by the application server pool if the application server pool has a first application server pool priority that is higher than a second application server pool priority that is associated with the second application server pool, so that the application runs on resources of the application server pool and of the different blade server allocated to the application server pool, wherein the first application server pool, the second application server pool, and the free server pool are each disposed in said rack of said rack-and-blade computer assembly.

2. The method of claim 1 additionally comprising selecting, prior to allocating for use, a blade server from a free server pool to obtain a selected blade server.

3. The method of claim 2 additionally comprising preparing, prior to allocating for use, the selected blade server for operation with the application server pool.

4. The method of claim 1 additionally comprising reconfiguring a traffic management device associated with the application server pool.

5. The method of claim 2 additionally comprising reconfiguring a traffic management device associated with the application server pool.

6. The method of claim 3 additionally comprising reconfiguring a traffic management device associated with the application server pool.

16. An application server pool produced in accordance with the method of claim 1.

32. The method of claim 1 additionally comprising provisioning images onto at least one blade server of the application server pool.

36. The method of claim 1 additionally comprising monitoring the performance of at least one blade server of the application server pool from information received by a server agent associated with the blade server.

40. The method of claim 1 additionally comprising removing the use of at least one blade server from the application server pool.

43. The method of claim 40 additionally comprising disposing the removed blade server in the free server pool.

46. The method of claim 1 transmitting alarms asynchronously to a management server.

50. The method of claim 1 additionally comprising determining a relative performance of another application server pool.

53. The method of claim 50 additionally comprising identifying at least one blade server from said another application server pool that would impact performance the least if reallocated to the application server pool.

7. A method for automatically allocating computing resources of a rack-and-blade computer assembly comprising:

receiving server performance information from an application server pool disposed in a rack of a rack-and-blade computer assembly;

said application server pool comprising a blade server including an associated server agent for measuring performance of an application running on the blade server;

determining at least one QoS attribute for the application server pool;

determining that the QoS attribute is above a standard;

based upon a request priority value of a resource request from the application, removing the use of the blade server from the application server pool and allocating the blade server for use by a second application server pool in the rack if the application server pool has a first application server pool priority that is lower than a second application server pool priority that is associated with the second application server pool, so that the application runs on resources of the second application server pool and of the blade server allocated to the second application server pool, wherein the application server pool and the second application server pool are each disposed in said rack of said rack-and-blade computer assembly.

8. The method of claim 7 additionally comprising allocating the use of the removed blade server for use by a free server pool.

17. An application server pool produced in accordance with the method of claim 7.

33. The method of claim 7 additionally comprising provisioning images onto at least one blade server of the application server pool.

37. The method of claim 7 additionally comprising monitoring the performance of at least one blade server of the application server pool from information received by a server agent associated with the blade server.

47. The method of claim 7 transmitting alarms asynchronously to a management server.

9. A method for automatically allocating computing resources of a rack-and-blade computer assembly comprising:

receiving server performance information from an application server pool disposed in a rack of a rack-and-blade computer assembly;

said application server pool comprising a blade server including an associated server agent for measuring performance of an application running on the blade server;

determining at least one QoS attribute for the application server pool;

determining that the QoS attribute is below a standard;

determining that no blade server in a free server pool is available for use; and

based upon a request priority value of a resource request from the application, selecting a lower priority blade server in a second application server pool in the rack for use by the application server pool if the application server pool has a first application server pool priority that is higher than a second application server pool priority that is associated with the second application server pool, so that the application runs on resources of the application server pool and of the lower priority blade server allocated to the application server pool, wherein the application server pool, the second application server pool, and the free server pool are each disposed in said rack of said rack-and-blade computer assembly.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein said selecting a lower priority blade server comprises selecting a lower priority blade server from the application server pool to obtain a selected blade server.

11. The method of claim 10 additionally comprising preparing the selected blade server for operation with the application server pool.

12. The method of claim 11 additionally comprising flushing the selected blade server.

13. The method of claim 9 additionally comprising reconfiguring a traffic management device associated with the application server pool.

14. The method of claim 10 additionally comprising reconfiguring a traffic management device associated with the application server pool.

15. The method of claim 11 additionally comprising reconfiguring a traffic management device associated with the application server pool.

18. An application server pool produced in accordance with the method of claim 9.

34. The method of claim 9 additionally comprising provisioning images onto at least one blade server of the application server pool.

38. The method of claim 9 additionally comprising monitoring the performance of at least one blade server of the application server pool from information received by a server agent associated with the blade server.

41. The method of claim 9 additionally comprising removing the use of at least one blade server from the application server pool.

44. The method of claim 41 additionally comprising disposing the removed blade server in the free server pool.

48. The method of claim 9 transmitting alarms asynchronously to a management server.

51. The method of claim 9 additionally comprising determining a relative performance of another application server pool.

54. The method of claim 51 additionally comprising identifying at least one blade server from said another application server pool that would impact performance the least if reallocated to the application server pool.

19. A method for automatically allocating computing resources of a rack-and-blade computer assembly comprising:

receiving server performance information from an application server pool disposed in a rack of a rack-and-blade computer assembly;

said application server pool comprising a blade server including an associated server agent for measuring performance of an application running on the blade server;

determining at least one QoS attribute for the application server pool;

determining that the QoS attribute is below a standard;

determining that a free server pool has a free blade server available for use;

selecting from the free server pool the available free blade server for use by the application server pool; and

if the free server pool does not have the available free blade server and based upon a request priority value of a resource request from the application, then selecting a different blade server from a second application server pool in the rack for use by the application server pool if the application server pool has a first application server pool priority that is higher than a second application server pool priority that is associated with the second application server pool, so that the application runs on resources of the application server pool and of the different blade server allocated to the application server pool, wherein the application server pool, the second application server pool, and the free server pool are each disposed in said rack of said rack-and-blade computer assembly.

20. The method of claim 19 additionally comprising installing software on the selected available blade server.

21. The method of claim 19 additionally comprising configuring the selected available blade server.

22. The method of claim 20 additionally comprising configuring the selected available blade server.

23. The method of claim 19 additionally comprising readying the selected available blade server for operation.

24. The method of claim 22 additionally comprising readying the selected available blade server for operation.

25. The method of claim 19 additionally comprising reconfiguring a traffic management device associated with the application server pool.

26. The method of claim 24 additionally comprising reconfiguring a traffic management device associated with the application server pool.

27. An application server pool produced in accordance with the method of claim 19.

35. The method of claim 19 additionally comprising provisioning images onto at least one blade server of the application server pool.

39. The method of claim 19 additionally comprising monitoring the performance of at least one blade server of the application server pool from information received by a server agent associated with the blade server.

42. The method of claim 19 additionally comprising removing the use of at least one blade server from the application server pool.

45. The method of claim 42 additionally comprising disposing the removed blade server in the free server pool.

49. The method of claim 19 transmitting alarms asynchronously to a management server.

52. The method of claim 19 additionally comprising determining a relative performance of another application server pool.

55. The method of claim 52 additionally comprising identifying at least one blade server from said another application server pool that would impact performance the least if reallocated to the application server pool.

28. An article of manufacture comprising:

a machine-readable, non-transitory medium having stored thereon instructions for;

receiving server performance information from an application server pool disposed in a rack of a rack-and-blade computer assembly;

said application server pool comprising a blade server including an associated server agent for measuring performance of an application running on the blade server;

determining at least one QoS attribute for the application server pool;

determining that the QoS attribute is above a standard;

based upon a request priority value of a resource request from the application, removing the use of the blade server from the application server pool and allocating the blade server for use by a second application server pool in the rack if the application server pool has a first application server pool priority that is lower than a second application server pool priority that is associated with the second application server pool, so that the application runs on resources of the second application server pool and of the blade server allocated to the second application server pool, wherein the application server pool and the second application server pool are each disposed in said rack of said rack-and-blade computer assembly.

29. An article of manufacture comprising:

a machine-readable, non-transitory medium having stored thereon instructions for;

receiving server performance information from an application server pool disposed in a rack of a rack-and-blade computer assembly;

said application server pool comprising a blade server including an associated server agent for measuring performance of an application running on the blade server;

determining at least one Qos attribute for the application server pool;

determining that the QoS attribute is above a standard; and

based upon a request priority value of a resource request from the application, removing the use of the blade server from the application server pool and allocating the blade server for use by a second application server pool in the rack if the application server pool has a first application server pool priority that is lower than a second application server pool priority that is associated with the second application server pool, so that the application runs on resources of the second application server pool and of the blade server allocated to the second application server pool.

30. An article of manufacture comprising:

a machine-readable, non-transitory medium having stored thereon instructions for;

receiving server performance information from an application server pool disposed in a rack of a rack-and-blade computer assembly;

said application server pool comprising a blade server including an associated server agent for measuring performance of an application running on the blade server;

determining at least one QoS attribute for the application server pool;

determining that the QoS attribute is below a standard;

determining that no blade servers in a free server pool is available for use; and

based upon a request priority value of a resource request from the application, selecting for use by the application server pool a lower priority blade server in a second application server pool in the rack if the application server pool has a first application server pool priority that is higher than a second application server pool priority that is associated with the second application server pool, so that the application runs on resources of the application server pool and of the lower priority blade server allocated to the application server pool, wherein the application server pool, the second application server pool, and the free server pool are each disposed in said rack of said rack-and-blade computer assembly.

31. An article of manufacture comprising:

a machine-readable, non-transitory medium having stored thereon instructions for;

receiving server performance information from an application server pool disposed in a rack of a rack-and-blade computer assembly;

said application server pool comprising a blade server including an associated server agent for measuring performance of an application running on the blade server;

determining at least one QoS attribute for the application server pool;

determining that the QoS attribute is below a standard;

determining that a free server pool has a free blade server available for use;

selecting from the free server pool the available free blade server for use by the application server pool; and

if the free server pool does not have the available blade server and based upon a request priority value of a resource request from the application, then selecting a different blade server from a second application server pool in the rack for use by the application server pool if the application server pool has a first application server pool priority that is higher than a second application server pool priority that is associated with the second application server pool, so that the application runs on resources of the application server pool and of the different blade server allocated to the application server pool, wherein the application server pool, the second application server pool, and the free server pool are each disposed in said rack of said rack-and-blade computer assembly.