System and method of determining an optimal distribution of source servers in target servers

• US 8,347,297 B2
• Filed: 03/23/2006
• Issued: 01/01/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 05/20/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Mateo, Luis Aguilar
• Primary Examiner(s): To, Jennifer
• Assistant Examiner(s): Arcos, Caroline H
• Application Number:
  US11/387,480
• Publication Number:
  US 20070226341A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,476 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 718/104
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/66 Arrangements for connecting between networks having differing types of switching systems, e.g. gateways
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1001 for accessing one among a plurality of replicated servers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1008 based on parameters of servers, e.g. available memory or workload monitoring of computer activity G06F11/30
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1012 based on compliance of requirements or conditions with available server resources

Abstract

A method of, and a system for, optimizing the distribution of a plurality of source servers amongst a plurality of target servers each having a resource, wherein each of the source servers has a functional characteristic and two or more of the source servers belong to a cluster.

Claims

1. A method of optimizing the distribution of a plurality of source servers amongst a plurality of target servers each having a resource, wherein each of the source servers has a functional characteristic and two or more of the source servers belong to a cluster;

the method comprising the steps of;

determining the available resources of one of the plurality of target servers;

determining a set of allocation rules for allocating the plurality of source servers to the plurality of target servers based upon the functional characteristics of the source servers; and

allocating the plurality of source servers to the plurality of target servers so that for each allocation of a given source server to a given target server;

(i) the given target server will have sufficient computing resources to accommodate the given source server, and (ii) the set of allocation rules is met for the allocation of source servers to target servers;

wherein the set of allocation rules includes at least one of the following allocation rules which are each respectively based upon the functional characteristics of the source servers;

a network zone rule specifying that no target server shall have allocated to it both a source server that serves a DMZ network zone and a source server that serves a back-end network zone;

a temporal availability requirements rule specifying that source servers having different temporal availability requirements are respectively allocated to different target servers, with the temporal availability of a given source server being the times of the day, week or month that the given source server must be available to users;

a clustering rule specifying that source servers in a high availability cluster are respectively allocated to different target servers, with a cluster being a group of linked server computers, working together closely and thus in many respects forming a single server; and

a location rule specifying that source servers serving users in different geographic locations are not respectively allocated to target servers located at the same geographic location.

2. A computer system for optimizing the distribution of a plurality of source servers amongst a plurality of target servers each having a resource, wherein each of the source servers has a functional characteristics and two or more of the source servers belong to a cluster;

the system comprising;

a memory;

a first determination module for determining the available resources of one of the plurality of target servers;

a second determination module for determining a set of allocation rules for allocating the plurality of source servers to the plurality of target servers based upon the functional characteristics of the source servers; and

an allocation module for allocating the plurality of source servers to the plurality of target servers so that for each allocation of a given source server to a given target server;

(i) the given target server will have sufficient computing resources to accommodate the given source server, and (ii) the set of allocation rules is met for the allocation of source servers to target servers;

wherein the set of allocation rules includes an allocation rule based on consideration of at least one of the following functional characteristic of the source servers;

a network zone rule specifying that no target server shall have allocated to it both a source server that serves a DMZ network zone and a source server that serves a back-end network zone;

a temporal availability requirements rule specifying that source servers having different temporal availability requirements are respectively allocated to different target servers, with the temporal availability of a given source server being the times of the day, week or month that the given source server must be available to users;

a clustering rule specifying that source servers in a high availability cluster are respectively allocated to different target servers, with a cluster being a group of linked server computers, working together closely and thus in many respects forming a single server; and

a location rule specifying that source servers serving users in different geographic locations are not respectively allocated to target servers located at the same geographic location.

3. A non-transitory computer storage medium which has stored thereon machine readable instructions for optimizing the distribution of a plurality of source servers amongst a plurality of target servers each having a resource, wherein each of the source servers has a functional characteristics and two or more of the source servers belong to a cluster;

the instructions comprising;

a first determination module for determining the available resources of one of the plurality of target servers;

a second determination module for determining a set of allocation rules for allocating the plurality of source servers to the plurality of target servers based upon the functional characteristics of the source servers; and

an allocation module for allocating the plurality of source servers to the plurality of target servers so that for each allocation of a given source server to a given target server;

(i) the given target server will have sufficient computing resources to accommodate the given source server, and (ii) the set of allocation rules is met for the allocation of source servers to target servers;

wherein the set of allocation rules includes an allocation rule based on consideration of at least one of the following functional characteristic of the source servers;

a network zone rule specifying that no target server shall have allocated to it both a source server that serves a DMZ network zone and a source server that serves a back-end network zone;

a temporal availability requirements rule specifying that source servers having different temporal availability requirements are respectively allocated to different target servers, with the temporal availability of a given source server being the times of the day, week or month that the given source server must be available to users;

a clustering rule specifying that source servers in a high availability cluster are respectively allocated to different target servers, with a cluster being a group of linked server computers, working together closely and thus in many respects forming a single server; and

a location rule specifying that source servers serving users in different geographic locations are not respectively allocated to target servers located at the same geographic location.