Model-based data center management

• US 8,375,142 B2
• Filed: 01/13/2012
• Issued: 02/12/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 12/28/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Ingle, Anil A., Newman, Benjamin
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, PHUOC H
• Application Number:
  US13/349,892
• Publication Number:
  US 20120117231A1
• Time in Patent Office: 396 Days
• Field of Search: 709/223, 709/227, 709/230, 709/238, 709/239
• US Class Current: 709/239
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/00 Administration; Management

Abstract

Computer-readable media, systems, and methods for model-based data center management. In embodiments, a request to perform a management operation on a device in a data center is received and available paths to the device are determined. The paths are determined based on an artifact storing a topology of the data center. Further, a current favored path that is one of the available paths is determined based on a policy and the device is bound for performance of the management operation using the current favored path. In embodiments, the model-based data center management is configured to provide a generic description of the data center architecture and a generic description for one or more devices in the data center. The generic description provides for dynamic runtime data center configuration.

Claims

1. One or more computer storage media having computer-executable instructions embodied thereon that, when executed, perform a method for model-based data center management, the method comprising:

receiving a request to perform a management operation on a device in a data center;

determining one or more available paths to the device based on an artifact storing a topology of the data center;

determining a current favored path that is one of the one or more available paths based on a policy; and

binding the device for performance of the management operation using the current favored path by building a device driver stack including at least one communications protocol for communicating with the device, wherein the device driver stack is built by indexing, classifying, and loading device drivers for one or more hop devices into the device driver stack.

2. The computer storage media of claim 1, further comprising:

executing an attempt to perform the management operation on the device; and

determining that the attempt to perform the management operation on the device was successful.

3. The computer storage media of claim 1, further comprising:

executing an attempt to perform the management operation on the device;

determining that the attempt to perform the management operation on the device was unsuccessful;

determining a new favored path that is different from the current favored path and that is one of the one or more available paths;

binding the device for performance of the management operation using the new favored path;

attempting to perform the management operation on the device; and

determining that the attempt to perform the management operation on the device was successful.

4. The computer storage media of claim 1, further comprising:

executing an attempt to perform the management operation on the device;

determining that the attempt to perform the management operation on the device was unsuccessful;

determining that, of the one or more available paths, no path exists that has not been attempted unsuccessfully; and

reporting failure of the management operation.

5. The computer storage media of claim 1, wherein the device has delegated management of the device to a management device, and wherein binding the device for performance of the management operation using the current favored path includes binding the management device.

6. The computer storage media of claim 1, wherein the management operation includes at least one of an instruction to add users to the device and an instruction to change a password for acquiring access to the device.

7. The computer-readable media of claim 1, wherein binding the device for performance of the management operation comprises:

requesting a device manager to bind the device; and

receiving from the device manager a set of instructions for communicating with the device.

8. The computer-readable media of claim 7, wherein the device manager builds a device driver stack and wherein each instance in the device driver stack includes a set of communications protocols for communicating with one or more hop devices in the current favored path.

9. The computer storage media of claim 1, wherein the set of instructions for communicating with the device includes the device driver stack and an indication of whether the device has delegated management of the device to another device.

10. The computer storage media of claim 9, wherein the device manager locks the device during an attempt to perform management operation on the device.

11. One or more computer storage media having computer-executable instructions embodied thereon that, when executed, perform a method for model-based data center management, the method comprising:

communicating a request, to a management operations broker, to perform a management operation on a device in a data center; and

receiving an indication, from the management operations broker, indicating whether the management operation was successful or unsuccessful,

wherein the management operations broker determines one or more available paths to the device based on an artifact storing a topology of the data center,

wherein the management operations broker determines a current favored path that is one of the one or more available paths based on a policy, and

wherein the management operations broker binds the device for performance of the management operation using the current favored path by building a device driver stack for one or more hop devices of the one or more available paths by indexing, classifying, and loading device drivers for the one or more hop devices into the device driver stack.

12. The computer storage media of claim 11,

wherein the management operations broker attempts to perform the management operation on the device,

wherein the management operations broker determines that the attempt to perform the management operation on the device was successful, and

wherein the indication indicates that the management operation was successful.

13. The computer storage media of claim 11,

wherein the management operations broker attempts to perform the management operation on the device,

wherein the management operations broker determines that the attempt to perform the management operation on the device was unsuccessful, and

wherein the management operations broker determines that, of the one or more available paths, no path exists that has not been attempted unsuccessfully, and

wherein the indication indicates that the management operation was unsuccessful.

14. The computer storage media of claim 11, wherein the management operation includes at least one of an instruction to add users to the device and an instruction to change a password for acquiring access to the device.

15. The computer-readable media of claim 11, wherein the management operations broker binds the device for performance of the management operation using the current favored path by requesting a device manager to bind the device and receiving, from the device manager, a set of instructions for communicating with the device.

16. The computer-readable media of claim 15, wherein the device manager builds a device driver stack and wherein each instance in the device driver stack includes a set of communications protocols for communicating with one or more hop devices in the current favored path.

17. The computer-readable media of claim 16, wherein the set of instructions for communicating with the device includes the device driver stack and an indication of whether the device has delegated management of the device to another device.

18. The computer storage media of claim 17, wherein the device manager locks the device during an attempt to perform the management operation on the device.