Managing continuous software deployment

• US 8,732,693 B2
• Filed: 08/04/2011
• Issued: 05/20/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 08/04/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Mutisya, Hillary Mucheru, Goldsmith, Benjamin W., Sheppard, Edward Griffin III
• Primary Examiner(s): Dao, Thuy
• Assistant Examiner(s): Sinha, Ravi K
• Application Number:
  US13/197,794
• Publication Number:
  US 20130036328A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,020 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 717/176
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1433 during software upgrading
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3688 for test execution, e.g. scheduling of test suites
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2201/815 Virtual middleware or OS functionality using virtual machines to implement generic software techniques for error detection or fault masking G06F11/1484
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/65 Updates security arrangements therefor G06F21/57
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/45558 Hypervisor-specific management and integration aspects

Abstract

Concepts and technologies are described herein for managing continuous software deployment. A deployment controller can manage deployment of code to a data center. The deployment controller can execute workflows for checking in, verifying, deploying the code, or other processes. The code can be deployed using a differencing disk that includes data indicating changes between software hosted by the data center and a version of software resulting from deployment of the code. The differencing disk can be linked to the disk or virtual resource hosting the software and executed collectively to provide an updated version of the software. Traffic to one or more virtual machines of the data center can be controlled by the deployment controller. If errors are detecting during deployment or after updating, the update can be rolled back.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for deploying code, the computer-implemented method comprising performing computer-implemented operations for:

receiving the code, the code corresponding to an update for software hosted by a data center;

producing a build virtual hard drive comprising data for updating the software, wherein producing the build virtual hard drive further comprises

creating a build virtual hard drive,

preparing a new virtual machine for deployment,

installing the code on the new virtual machine, wherein new virtual machine comprises,

creating a differencing disk comprising data indicating a difference between a first version of the software and a second version of the software based upon the code,

linking the differencing disk to a virtual hard drive on which the software is hosted,

starting a virtual machine based upon the build virtual hard drive, and

preparing the virtual hard drive for distribution;

deploying the build virtual hard drive at the data center;

performing traffic management to manage traffic to one or more virtual hard drives hosted by the data center;

determining if a performance degradation is detected; and

if a performance degradation is detected, rerouting the traffic of at least one of the virtual hard drives to prepare for a rollback deployment.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein deploying the code comprises:

copying the virtual hard drive to a target virtual machine;

starting the target virtual machine;

determining if errors are detected during execution of the target virtual machine; and

in response to determining that errors are detected, rolling back deployment of the code by de-linking the differencing disk from the virtual hard drive.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein deploying the code comprises:

copying the virtual hard drive to a target virtual machine;

starting the target virtual machine;

determining if errors are detected during execution of the target virtual machine; and

in response to determining that errors are detected, rolling back deployment of the code.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising in response to determining that errors are not detected, managing traffic associated with the target virtual machine.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein managing the traffic comprises:

routing traffic to the new virtual machine;

monitoring runtime performance of the new virtual machine; and

in response to detecting performance degradation, rolling back deployment of the code.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein managing the traffic further comprises reinstating a previous version of the software.

7. The method of claim 4, wherein managing the traffic further comprises in response to not detecting performance degradation, generating a service report.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of producing the build virtual hard drive or deploying the virtual hard drive comprises executing a workflow stored at a data center.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

monitoring execution of the workflow; and

reporting an execution status of the workflow.

10. A computer-implemented method for deploying code at a data center, the computer-implemented method comprising performing computer-implemented operations for:

receiving the code at the data center, the code corresponding to an update for software hosted by the data center;

producing a build virtual hard drive comprising data for updating the software hosted by the data center, wherein producing the build virtual hard drive comprises executing a workflow at the data center for

creating a build virtual hard drive,

preparing a virtual machine for deployment,

installing the code on the new virtual machine, wherein installing the code on the new virtual machine comprises

creating a differencing disk comprising data indicating a difference between a first version of the software and a second version of the software based upon the code,

linking the differencing disk to a virtual hard drive on which he software is hosted,

starting the new virtual ac n the new virtual machine being based upon the build virtual hard drive, and

preparing the virtual hard drive for distribution to the one or more virtual hard drives;

deploying the build virtual hard drive on at least one virtual machine hosted by the data center;

performing traffic management to manage traffic to one or more virtual hard drives hosted by the data center;

determining if a performance degradation is detected; and

if a performance degradation is detected, rerouting the traffic of at least one of the virtual hard drives to prepare for a rollback deployment.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein deploying the code comprises:

copying the virtual hard drive to a target virtual machine;

starting the target virtual machine;

determining if errors are detected during execution of the target virtual machine;

in response to determining that errors are detected, rolling back deployment of the code by de-linking the differencing disk from the virtual hard drive; and

in response to determining that no errors are detected, performing the traffic management.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein managing the traffic comprises:

routing traffic to the new virtual machine;

monitoring runtime performance of the new virtual machine; and

in response to detecting performance degradation, rolling back deployment of the code.

13. A computer storage medium having computer readable instructions stored thereupon that, when executed by a computer, cause the computer to:

receive the code at the data center, the code corresponding to an update for software hosted by the data center, the update comprising at least one of a patch for the software or an upgrade for the software;

produce a build virtual hard drive comprising computer-executable code for updating the software hosted by the data center, wherein producing the build virtual hard drive further comprise instructions for executing a workflow to

create a build virtual hard drive,

prepare a virtual machine for deployment,

install the code on the new virtual machine,

create a differencing disk comprising data indicating a difference between a first version of the software and a second version of the software based upon the code,

link the differencing disk to a virtual hard drive on which the software is hosted,

start the new virtual machine, the new virtual machine being based upon the build virtual hard drive, and

prepare the virtual hard drive for distribution to the one or more virtual hard drives;

utilize the differencing disk to deploy the build virtual hard drive on at least one virtual machine hosted by the data center;

perform traffic management to manage traffic to one or more virtual hard drives hosted by the data center;

determine if a performance degradation is detected; and

if a performance degradation is detected, reroute the traffic of at least one of the virtual hard drives to prepare for a rollback deployment.