Method and system for hosting multiple, customized computing clusters

• US 7,822,841 B2
• Filed: 10/30/2007
• Issued: 10/26/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 10/30/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Intellectual Ventures II LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: Modern Grids Inc.
• Inventors: Franklin, Jeffrey B.
• Primary Examiner(s): Patel; Haresh N
• Application Number:
  US11/927,921
• Publication Number:
  US 20090113051A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,092 Days
• Field of Search: 709217-228, 714/4, 705/6
• US Class Current: 709/223
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/025 Coordination of plural reservations, e.g. plural trip segments, transportation combined with accommodation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/044 comprising hierarchical management structures

Abstract

A computer system for hosting computing clusters for clients. The system includes clusters each including a set of computing resources and each implemented in custom or differing configurations. Each of the configurations provides a customized computing environment for performing particular client tasks. The configurations may differ due to configuration of the processing nodes, the data storage, or the private cluster network or its connections. The system includes a monitoring system that monitors the clusters for operational problems on a cluster level and also on a per-node basis such as with monitors provided for each node. The system controls client access to the clusters via a public communications by only allowing clients to access their assigned cluster or the cluster configured per their specifications and performing their computing task. Gateway mechanisms isolate each cluster such that communications within a cluster or on a private cluster communications network are maintained separate.

Claims

1. A computer system for hosting computing clusters for clients, comprising:

a private communications network linked to a public communications network;

a first cluster comprising a set of computing resources, including at least one hardware processor, in a first configuration, wherein the first cluster is communicatively linked to the private communications network;

a second cluster comprising a set of computing resources, including at least one hardware processor, in a second configuration, wherein the second cluster is communicatively linked to the private communications network; and

a monitoring system monitoring operations of the first and second clusters, identifying operational and connectivity problems, and issuing an alert in response to the identified problems indicating a corresponding one of the first and second clusters associated with the identified problems;

wherein the first configuration differs from the second configuration and wherein the first configuration provides a first computing environment for performing a first client task and the second configuration provides a second computing environment for performing a second client task;

wherein the monitoring system comprises a main monitor that operates to monitor the first and second clusters to identify the operation and connectivity problems and further comprises monitors for each node of the first and second clusters operating to check for hardware and software problems within a particular node and to report the hardware and software problems to the main monitor.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the computing resources comprise processing nodes, data storage shared by the processing nodes, and one or more communications networks linking the processing nodes to each other and to the data storage.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the first configuration differs from the second configuration based on configuration of the processing nodes in the first and second clusters.

4. The system of claim 2, wherein the first configuration differs from the second configuration based on configuration of the data storage in the first and second clusters.

5. The system of claim 2, wherein the first configuration differs from the second configuration based on configuration of the one or more communications networks provided in the first and second clusters.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein one of the main monitors is provided within each of the first and second clusters and the system further comprises a central monitoring system in communication with the main monitors of the first and second clusters.

7. The system of claim 1, further comprising means, positioned between the public communications network and the first and second clusters, for limiting access to the first cluster to communication access from a first client associated with the first client task and limiting access to the second cluster to communication access from a second client associated with the second client task.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the public communications network is accessible by clients accessing the first and second clusters and wherein the system further comprises a monitoring system linked to the private communications network for monitoring operation of the first and second clusters, wherein the first and second clusters each comprise a private cluster network for communications among the computing resources of a particular cluster and a gateway mechanism positioned between the private cluster network and the private communications network, whereby the communications within the first and second clusters are isolated.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the first configuration configures the first cluster as a high performance computing cluster and wherein the second configuration configures the second cluster as a load balancing cluster or a high availability cluster.