System and method for a self service portal and automation for internally hosted virtual server resources

• US 8,819,241 B1
• Filed: 03/14/2013
• Issued: 08/26/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/14/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Company (State Farm)
• Original Assignee: State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Company (State Farm)
• Inventors: Washburn, Caleb
• Primary Examiner(s): Patel, Dhairya A
• Application Number:
  US13/826,753
• Publication Number:
  US 20140280806A1
• Time in Patent Office: 530 Days
• Field of Search: 709/201, 709/202, 709/203, 709/225, 709/226, 709/227, 709/228
• US Class Current: 709/226
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 15/177 Initialisation or configuration control processor initialisation G06F9/4405
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/173 Customisation support for file systems, e.g. localisation, multi-language support, personalisation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/21 Design, administration or maintenance of databases
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/61 Installation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0806 for initial configuration or provisioning, e.g. plug-and-play
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0895 Configuration of virtualised networks or elements, e.g. virtualised network function or OpenFlow elements
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/4511 using domain name system [DNS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/10 in which an application is distributed across nodes in the network software deployment G06F8/60; multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/46
• 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]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/34 involving the movement of software or configuration parameters network booting or remote initial program loading [RIPL] G06F9/4416

Abstract

A method and apparatus may provision a new computer code file as an update or a new application for end nodes of a cloud computing system. The method and apparatus may receive a computer code file at a repository server via a portal interface to an automation service. The computer code file may include a discrete file or package of files corresponding to a complete application or an update for an application for execution on cloud computing system nodes. The method and apparatus may also receive provisioning conditions at the automation service via the portal interface, send the computer code file to the cloud computing system end nodes based on the received provisioning conditions, and cause the sent computer code file to be installed on each of the plurality of cloud computing system end nodes.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for provisioning computer code in a cloud computing system, the method comprising:

receiving a computer code file at a repository server via a portal interface to an automation service, wherein the computer code file includes a discrete file or package of files corresponding to a complete application or an update for the application for execution on a plurality of cloud computing system nodes;

automatically building a metabase of metadata from a plurality of sources during a provisioning process, the metadata based on the received computer code file, the metadata describing one or more of a data dependency, a flow dependency, an output dependency, or a control dependency of the received computer code file;

receiving one or more provisioning conditions at the automation service via the portal interface;

sending the computer code file to a plurality of cloud computing system end nodes based on the received provisioning conditions and the metabase metadata;

causing the sent computer code file to be installed on each of the plurality of cloud computing system end nodes;

updating a system administration database using the received provisioning conditions and the metabase metadata, wherein the system administration database is coupled to a system administration server configured to provide information about the computer code file to the cloud computing system and to automate repetitive network administrative tasks; and

registering a friendly name and an internet protocol address of the computer code file with a domain name service for the cloud computing system.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the portal interface includes a web-based application executing with a web browser application on a computing device that sends the computer code file to the repository server and sends the one or more provisioning conditions to the automation service.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the provisioning conditions also identify each of the plurality of cloud computing system end nodes.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 3, wherein the provisioning conditions include one or more of a pod indication, an indication of a test environment installation or a deploy environment installation, an indication of a computer code type, a deployable indicator, a server farm indication, and a description of the computer code file.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 4, wherein the pod indication includes a number and type of the plurality of cloud computing system end nodes and the indication of the computer code type includes an indication that the computer code file is either an application update or a new application.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising receiving a callback at the automation service, the callback indicating the computer code file is installed at the plurality of cloud computing system end nodes.

7. A computer device for provisioning computer code in a cloud computing system, the computer device comprising:

one or more processors; and

one or more memories coupled to the one or more processors;

wherein the one or more memories include computer executable instructions stored therein that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to;

receive a computer code file at a repository server via a portal interface to an automation service, wherein the computer code file includes a discrete file or package of files corresponding to a complete application or an update for the application for execution on a plurality of cloud computing system nodes;

automatically build a metabase of metadata from a plurality of sources during a provisioning process, the metadata based on the received computer code file, the metadata describing one or more of a data dependency, a flow dependency, an output dependency, or a control dependency of the received computer code file;

receive one or more provisioning conditions at the automation service via the portal interface;

send the computer code file to a plurality of cloud computing system end nodes based on the received provisioning conditions and the metabase metadata;

cause the sent computer code file to be installed on each of the plurality of cloud computing system end nodes;

update a system administration database using the received provisioning conditions and the metabase metadata, wherein the system administration database is coupled to a system administration server configured to provide information about the computer code file to the cloud computing system and to automate repetitive network administrative tasks; and

register a friendly name and an internet protocol address of the computer code file with a domain name service for the cloud computing system.

8. The computer device of claim 7, wherein the portal interface includes a web-based application executing with a web browser application on a computing device that sent the computer code file to the repository server and sent the one or more provisioning conditions to the automation service.

9. The computer device of claim 7, wherein the provisioning conditions include one or more of a pod indication, an indication of a test environment installation or a deploy environment installation, an indication of a computer code type, a deployable indicator, a server farm indication, and a description of the computer code file, the pod indication includes a number and type of the plurality of cloud computing system end nodes, and the indication of the computer code type includes an indication that the computer code file is either an application update or a new application.

10. The computer device of claim 7, wherein the computer executable instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, further cause the one or more processors to receive a callback at the automation service, the callback indicating the computer code file is installed at the plurality of cloud computing system end nodes.

11. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium including computer readable instructions stored thereon for provisioning computer code in a cloud computing system, the instructions comprising:

receiving a computer code file at a repository server via a portal interface to an automation service, wherein the computer code file includes a discrete file or package of files corresponding to a complete application or an update for the application for execution on a plurality of cloud computing system nodes;

automatically building a metabase of metadata from a plurality of sources during a provisioning process, the metadata based on the received computer code file, the metadata describing one or more of a data dependency, a flow dependency, an output dependency, or a control dependency of the received computer code file;

receiving one or more provisioning conditions via the portal at the automation service;

sending the computer code file to a plurality of cloud computing system end nodes based on the received provisioning conditions and the metabase metadata;

causing the sent computer code file to be installed on each of the plurality of cloud computing system end nodes;

updating a system administration database using the received provisioning conditions and the metabase metadata, wherein the system administration database is coupled to a system administration server configured to provide information about the computer code file to the cloud computing system and to automate repetitive network administrative tasks; and

registering a friendly name and an internet protocol address of the computer code file with a domain name service for the cloud computing system.

12. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 11, wherein the portal interface includes a web-based application executing with a web browser application on a computing device that sends the computer code file to the repository server and sends the one or more provisioning conditions to the automation service.

13. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 11, wherein the provisioning conditions include one or more of a pod indication, an indication of a test environment installation or a deploy environment installation, an indication of a computer code type, a deployable indicator, a server farm indication, and a description of the computer code file, the pod indication includes a number and type of the plurality of cloud computing system end nodes, and the indication of the computer code type includes an indication that the computer code file is either an application update or a new application.