Dynamically adding partitions to be distributed directory setup with no downtime

• US 7,962,583 B2
• Filed: 12/13/2007
• Issued: 06/14/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 12/13/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Rajamani, Magesh, Hazlewood, Kristin M., Golwalkar, Yogesh V., Williams, Gary Dale
• Primary Examiner(s): Chan; Wing F
• Assistant Examiner(s): WOO, ANDREW M
• Application Number:
  US11/955,586
• Publication Number:
  US 20090157777A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,279 Days
• Field of Search: 709/220
• US Class Current: 709/220
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1001 for accessing one among a plurality of replicated servers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1034 Reaction to server failures by a load balancer
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1095 Replication or mirroring of data, e.g. scheduling or transport for data synchronisation between network nodes
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/56 Provisioning of proxy services store-and-forward switching systems in data switching networks H04L12/54

Abstract

Dynamically adding n partitions to a distributed directory setup having x existing servers by modifying the configuration file to include the n new servers and implementing a replication setup mechanism with agreements to x+n−1 servers. The migration to dynamically add partitions is carried out while continuing to serve clients.

Claims

1. A method of dynamically adding partitions to a distributed directory setup with a number “

x”

of existing servers, the method comprising;

responsive to reaching a scalability threshold, modifying a configuration file to include an additional “

n”

number of new servers, wherein the number “

x” and

the additional “

n”

number are integers greater than zero;

determining usage of a proxy server;

delaying a migration for a predetermined amount of time if the usage of the proxy server is determined to be greater than a predetermined value;

implementing a replication setup mechanism with agreements to a number equal to “

x+n−

1”

servers; and

carrying out the migration to dynamically add the partitions while continuing.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

conducting operations for replicating the “

x”

number of the servers while continuing to continuing to serve the clients.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

detecting a low water mark being reached while conducting the operations for replicating the “

x”

number of the servers;

entering a quiescent state in response to the detecting of the low water mark; and

continuing to accept requests during the quiescent state without processing the requests.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the replication setup mechanism comprises a full replication with hash mechanism.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

detecting replication completion; and

removing the replication setup mechanism in response to the detecting of the replication completion.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

moving to an “

x+n”

partition scheme in response to detection of the replication completion.

7. A software product comprising a non-transitory machine readable medium including a program of instructions for dynamically adding partitions to a distributed directory setup with a number “

x”

of existing servers, wherein the program of instructions upon being executed on a device causes the device to perform activities comprising;

responsive to reaching a scalability threshold, modifying a configuration file to include an additional “

n”

number of new servers, wherein the number “

x” and

the additional “

n”

number are integers greater than zero;

determining usage of a proxy server;

delaying a migration for a predetermined amount of time if the usage of the proxy server is determined to be greater than a predetermined value;

implementing a replication setup mechanism with agreements to a number equal to “

x+n−

1”

servers; and

carrying out a migration to dynamically add the partitions while continuing to serve clients.

8. The software product of claim 7, further comprising:

conducting operations for replicating the “

x”

number of the servers while continuing to continuing to serve the clients.

9. The software product of claim 8, further comprising:

detecting a low water mark being reached while conducting the operations for replicating the “

x”

number of the servers;

entering a quiescent state in response to the detecting of the low water mark; and

continuing to accept requests during the quiescent state without processing the requests.

10. The software product of claim 7, wherein the replication setup mechanism comprises a full replication with hash mechanism.

11. The software product of claim 7, further comprising:

detecting replication completion; and

removing the replication setup mechanism in response to the detecting of the replication completion.

12. The software product of claim 11, further comprising:

moving to an “

x+n”

partition scheme in response to detection of the replication completion.

13. A proxy server configured to dynamically add partitions to a distributed directory setup with a number “

x”

of existing servers, the proxy server comprising;

connections to a plurality of servers, the plurality of servers and the proxy server equaling a number “

x+n”

servers;

memory configured to store instructions for modifying a configuration file to include a number “

n”

of new servers in addition to “

x”

number of the existing servers responsive to reaching a scalability threshold, wherein the instructions determine usage of a proxy server, delay a migration for a predetermined amount of time if the usage of the proxy server is determined to be greater than a predetermined value, implement a replication setup mechanism with agreements to a number equal to “

x+n−

1”

servers, wherein the number “

x” and

the additional “

n”

number are integers greater than zero; and

a processor configured to carry out the migration to dynamically add the partitions while continuing to serve clients.

14. The proxy server of claim 13, further comprising:

detecting replication completion; and

removing the replication setup mechanism in response to the detecting of the replication completion.