Identifying optimal upgrade scenarios in a networked computing environment

• US 8,881,136 B2
• Filed: 03/13/2012
• Issued: 11/04/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/13/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kyndryl Incorporated (Kyndryl Holdings, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: DeJana, Ryan G., DeLuca, Lisa Seacat, Jang, Soobaek, Krook, Daniel C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Das, Chameli
• Application Number:
  US13/418,664
• Publication Number:
  US 20130247022A1
• Time in Patent Office: 966 Days
• US Class Current: 717/174
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/65 Updates security arrangements therefor G06F21/57

Abstract

Embodiments of the present invention provide an approach to mitigate the risk of downtime or failed upgrades to a networked computing environment (e.g., a cloud computing infrastructure). This approach generally comprises pre-testing and evaluating potential upgrade paths to identify potential problems, and optionally recommending one or more optimal configurations. Specifically, if a proposed upgrade is identified as having potential points of failure (e.g., based on pre-testing), an end user/customer may be so notified. If the upgrade has several potential successful configurations, such configurations may be evaluated to identify a configuration that appears to have the greatest likelihood of a successful installation scenario. Optionally, the end user may then choose to redirect workload(s) to a successfully configured system that has been provisioned and pre-tested.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for evaluating upgrade scenarios in a networked computing environment, comprising:

receiving a selection of an application to be deployed in the networked computing environment;

receiving an identification of a planned destination in the networked computing environment for the application, and associated installation criteria, the planned destination being a virtual server that is distinct from a production deployment;

provisioning and configuring the planned destination according to the installation criteria;

attempting to install the application in the planned destination;

determining whether the application installed successfully in the planned destination;

identifying, responsive to the application being unsuccessfully installed, a set of potential scenarios for successfully installing the application;

evaluating each of the set of potential scenarios to identify an optimal scenario for installing the application;

implementing the optimal scenario; and

in response to the application being successfully installed according to the optimal scenario, provisioning and deploying the application for use as the production deployment on the optimal system based on preferences of an end user.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, the planned destination and the production deployment each comprising a virtual machine infrastructure.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising identifying at least one component of the planned destination that failed during the installing.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 3, each of the set of potential scenarios comprising a modification of the planned destination based on the at least one component.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising receiving a selection of a test suite for determining whether the application was installed successfully.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising generating a report identifying the set of potential scenarios.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, the networked computing environment comprising a cloud computing environment.

8. A system for evaluating upgrade scenarios in a networked computing environment, comprising:

a bus;

a processor coupled to the bus; and

a memory medium coupled to the bus, the memory medium comprising instructions to;

receive a selection of an application to be deployed in the networked computing environment;

receive an identification of a planned destination in the networked computing environment for the application, and associated installation criteria, the planned destination being a virtual server that is distinct from a production deployment;

provision and configure the planned destination according to the installation criteria;

attempt to install the application in the planned destination;

determine whether the application installed successfully in the planned destination;

identify, responsive to the application being unsuccessfully installed, a set of potential scenarios for successfully installing the application;

evaluate each of the set of potential scenarios to identify an optimal scenario for installing the application; and

implement the optimal scenario; and

in response to the application being successfully installed according to the optimal scenario, provision and deploy the application for use as the production deployment on the optimal system based on preferences of an end user.

9. The system of claim 8, the planned destination and the production deployment each comprising a virtual machine infrastructure.

10. The system of claim 8, the memory medium further comprising instructions to identify at least one component of the planned destination that failed during the installation.

11. The system of claim 10, each of the set of potential scenarios comprising a modification of the planned destination based on the at least one component.

12. The system of claim 8, the memory medium further comprising instructions to receive a selection of a test suite for determining whether the application was installed successfully.

13. The system of claim 8, the memory medium further comprising instructions to generate a report identifying the set of potential scenarios.

14. The system of claim 8, the networked computing environment comprising a cloud computing environment.

15. A computer program product for evaluating upgrade scenarios in a networked computing environment, the computer program product comprising a computer readable storage media, and program instructions stored on the computer readable storage media, to:

receive a selection of an application to be deployed in the networked computing environment, the planned destination being a virtual server that is distinct from a production deployment;

receive an identification of a planned destination in the networked computing environment for the application, and associated installation criteria;

provision and configure the planned destination according to the installation criteria;

attempt to install the application in the planned destination;

determine whether the application installed successfully in the planned destination;

identify, responsive to the application being unsuccessfully installed, a set of potential scenarios for successfully installing the application;

evaluate each of the set of potential scenarios to identify an optimal scenario for installing the application; and

implement the optimal scenario; and

in response to the application being successfully installed according to the optimal scenario, provision and deploy the application for use as the production deployment on the optimal system based on preferences of an end user.

16. The computer program product of claim 15, the planned destination and the production deployment each comprising a virtual machine infrastructure.

17. The computer program product of claim 15, the computer readable storage media further comprising instructions to identify at least one component of the planned destination that failed during the installation.

18. The computer program product of claim 17, each of the set of potential scenarios comprising a modification of the planned destination based on the at least one component.

19. The computer program product of claim 15, the computer readable storage media further comprising instructions to receive a selection of a test suite for determining whether the application was installed successfully.

20. The computer program product of claim 15, the computer readable storage media further comprising instructions to generate a report identifying the set of potential scenarios.

21. The computer program product of claim 15, the networked computing environment comprising a cloud computing environment.

22. A method for deploying a system for evaluating upgrade scenarios in a networked computing environment, comprising:

providing a computer infrastructure to;

receive a selection of an application to be deployed in the networked computing environment, the planned destination being a virtual server that is distinct from a production deployment;

receive an identification of a planned destination in the networked computing environment for the application, and associated installation criteria;

provision and configure the planned destination according to the installation criteria;

attempt to install the application in the planned destination;

determine whether the application installed successfully in the planned destination;

identify, responsive to the application being unsuccessfully installed, a set of potential scenarios for successfully installing the application;

evaluate each of the set of potential scenarios to identify an optimal scenario for installing the application; and

implement the optimal scenario; and

in response to the application being successfully installed according to the optimal scenario, provision and deploy the application for use as the production deployment on the optimal system based on preferences of an end user.