Performing configuration in a multimachine environment

• US 8,271,623 B2
• Filed: 01/15/2009
• Issued: 09/18/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 01/15/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Maguire, Jill S., Rowlett, Jonathan M., Wei, Yonghua
• Primary Examiner(s): Tiv, Backhean
• Application Number:
  US12/353,981
• Publication Number:
  US 20100180015A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,342 Days
• Field of Search: 709220-222
• US Class Current: 709/220
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/00 Data switching networks interconnection of, or transfer of information or other signals between, memories, input/output devices or central processing units G06F13/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/4625 Single bridge functionality, e.g. connection of two networks over a single bridge
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0816 the condition being an adaptation, e.g. in response to network events
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0811 by checking connectivity
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1097 for distributed storage of data in networks, e.g. transport arrangements for network file system [NFS], storage area networks [SAN] or network attached storage [NAS]

Abstract

Aspects of the subject matter described herein relate to performing configuration in a multi-machine environment. In aspects, a client connects with one of a plurality of storage appliances. This storage appliance is sometimes called the coordinator appliance. Any of the storage appliances may act as the coordinator appliance. The coordinator appliance receives configuration data from the client and configures itself and the other storage appliances. During configuration, connectivity between the client and the coordinator appliance and between the coordinator appliance and the other appliances may be lost and re-established.

Claims

1. A method implemented at least in part by a computer, the method comprising:

receiving, from a client, configuration data for a plurality of appliances, the configuration data being received at a coordinator appliance that is one of the plurality of appliances, each of the plurality of appliances being able to act as the coordinator appliance, the plurality of appliances adapted to provided storage accessible via a network;

generating a plurality of tasks to perform to configure the plurality of appliances in accordance with the configuration data;

ordering the tasks according to pre-loss of connectivity tasks, during loss of connectivity tasks, and after regaining connectivity tasks, wherein at least one of the pre-loss of connectivity tasks causes a loss of connectivity, wherein the at least one of the pre-loss of connectivity tasks which causes the loss of connectivity comprises at least one of changing an Internet Protocol address of a particular appliance or changing a domain to which the particular appliance is joined;

prior to losing connectivity, sending instructions corresponding to the tasks, including the pre-loss of connectivity tasks, the during loss of connectivity tasks, and the after regaining connectivity tasks, from the coordinator appliance to other appliances of the plurality of appliances to configure the other appliances, wherein sending instructions from the coordinator appliance to other appliances of the plurality of appliances comprises sending an indication of a synchronization point at which the other appliances of the plurality of appliances are to wait to perform additional configuration tasks until receiving a message from the coordinator appliance, wherein the synchronization point is immediately prior to a reboot instruction, the reboot instruction having been previously sent by the coordinator appliance; and

sending a message to the client that informs the client as to progress in configuring the plurality of appliances.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising attempting to re-establish connectivity with an appliance of the plurality of appliances after the appliance has rebooted.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein attempting to re-establish connectivity with an appliance of the plurality of appliances after the appliance has rebooted comprises one or more of attempting to connect using a new machine name of the appliance, attempting to connect using an old machine name of the appliance, attempting to connect to the appliance using a new network address of the appliance, attempting to connect to the appliance using an old network address of the appliance, attempting to connect to the appliance using new credentials of the appliance, and attempting to connect to the appliance using old credentials of the appliance.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein, from a client, receiving configuration data for a plurality of appliances comprises receiving the configuration data via a Web server of the coordinator appliance.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein sending instructions from the coordinator appliance to the other appliances of the plurality of appliances comprises sending the instructions via Web servers of the other appliances of the plurality of appliances.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising writing the tasks and return codes from the other appliances of the plurality of appliances to non-volatile storage prior to rebooting the coordinator appliance.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising storing credentials of the other appliances of the plurality of appliances in a secure, persistent store of the coordinator appliance.

8. In a computing environment, an apparatus comprising a processing unit coupled to a memory, the apparatus further comprising:

a configuration manager operable to receive configuration data for one or more appliances, the appliances adapted to provide storage accessible via a network, each of the appliances including an instance of the configuration manager, the configuration manager being operable to configure the one or more appliances based on the configuration data;

a task sequencer operable to order tasks to configure the one or more appliances based on the configuration data, the task sequencer operable to order the tasks according to pre-loss of connectivity actions, during loss of connectivity actions, and after regaining connectivity actions, wherein at least one of the pre-loss of connectivity tasks causes a loss of connectivity, wherein the at least one of the pre-loss of connectivity tasks which causes the loss of connectivity comprises at least one of changing an Internet Protocol address of a particular appliance or changing a domain to which the particular appliance is joined;

a serializer operable to write the tasks and associated state to a store;

a synchronization manager operable to indicate to wait at a synchronization point until instructed to proceed; and

a reboot task scheduler operable to indicate a program to execute upon reboot, the program operable at least to re-start the configuration manager upon reboot and to read the tasks and associated state from the store.