Apparatus and method for operational support of remote network systems
First Claim
1. A method of remotely configuring a spare server in a network system comprising a data base of server configuration information, the method comprising:
- copying an operating system and a maintenance application to said spare server;
after a failure of a first server in the network system, transferring a program storage device to the spare server, the program storage device containing a boot kernel and a unique machine identifier identifying the failed first server;
after transferring the program storage to the spare server, booting the spare server from the program storage device; and
after booting the spare server, the spare server configuring itself to be a functionally identical replacement for the failed first server by receiving configuration information from the data base of server configuration information according to the unique machine identifier of the first server, thereby replacing the failed first server with the configured spare server.
6 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A method for operational support for remote network systems which allows for the rapid replacement of one server with another, in such instances as server malfunctions, routine maintenance, or upgrades. The method generally comprises providing a program storage device containing a machine identifier associated with a first, original server, transferring the program storage device and machine identifier to a second, spare server, and remotely configuring the second, spare server, according to the program storage device and machine identifier associated with the first, original server, such that the second, spare server becomes an identical replacement for the first, original server. Thus, if the first, original server malfunctions, the spare or replacement server can be remotely configured to replace the original server according to the information in the machine identifier stored on the program storage device.
554 Citations
21 Claims
-
1. A method of remotely configuring a spare server in a network system comprising a data base of server configuration information, the method comprising:
-
copying an operating system and a maintenance application to said spare server; after a failure of a first server in the network system, transferring a program storage device to the spare server, the program storage device containing a boot kernel and a unique machine identifier identifying the failed first server; after transferring the program storage to the spare server, booting the spare server from the program storage device; and after booting the spare server, the spare server configuring itself to be a functionally identical replacement for the failed first server by receiving configuration information from the data base of server configuration information according to the unique machine identifier of the first server, thereby replacing the failed first server with the configured spare server. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
-
-
12. A system for remotely configuring a functionally identical replacement for a specific server in a network, comprising:
-
a plurality of servers coupled with a central server system in the network, each server of the plurality of servers having a unique machine identifier identify the server; a data base of server configuration information coupled with the central server system in the network comprising server configuration information for each server of the plurality of servers, wherein the configuration formation for each server is associated with the unique machine identifier identifying the server; a backup server coupled to the network having a copy of an operating system and a maintenance application; a plurality of program storage devices corresponding to said plurality of servers, each said program storage device including a boot kernel configured to boot up said at least one backup server after a failure of the specific server and a unique machine identifier identifying the specific server to be replaced of said plurality of servers; and the at least one backup server is configured to receive and to read said program storage devices and is further configured to adopt a configuration of the specific server to be replaced, after the specific server fails and after the at least one backup server is booted from the program storage device having the machine identifier corresponding to the specific server to be replaced, wherein the machine identifier remains associated with the specific server to be replaced until the at least one backup server adopts the configuration of the specific server such that the at least one backup server becomes a functionally identical replacement for said specific server to be replaced. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15)
-
-
16. A system for remote support of a network, comprising:
-
a plurality of servers including a first server to be replaced having a first configuration associated with a unique machine identifier and a separate backup server capable of being configured to the first configuration after the first server fails, the backup server having a copy of an operating system and a maintenance application; a plurality of program storage devices corresponding to said plurality of servers; and a program storage device including a boot kernel configured to boot up the separate backup server after a failure of the first server, and a unique machine identifier that identifies the first configuration of the first server to be replaced by the separate backup server, wherein the program storage device is configured to be transferred to, and boot up, the backup server after a failure of the first server, and the machine identifier enables the backup server to be configured to the first configuration wherein the backup server can be configured remotely after receiving the program storage device, such that the backup server becomes a functionally identical replacement for the first server. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18)
-
-
19. A system for remote support of a network, comprising:
-
a central server system comprising a database of server configurations each accessible by a unique machine identifier; a plurality of servers coupled with said central server system, the plurality of servers including a first server having a first configuration associated with a unique machine identifier and a configurable backup server having a copy of an operating system and a maintenance application; a plurality of program storage devices corresponding to said plurality of servers; and a program storage device, configured to be transferred to the backup server after a failure of the first server, the program storage device including a boot kernel configured to boot up the backup server after the failure of the first server, such that the backup server is then identified by the unique machine identifier associated with the first configuration, and a software application program configured to receive configuration information from the database of server configurations and to configure the backup server to the first configuration, after backup server is booted from the program storage device, according to the server configuration information associated with the unique machine identifier wherein said backup server can be configured remotely after receiving, and being booted up from, the program storage device. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21)
-
Specification