Management of computing devices processing workflow stages of a resource dependent workflow

• US 9,152,460 B1
• Filed: 12/20/2011
• Issued: 10/06/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 12/20/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc. (Amazon.com, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc. (Amazon.com, Inc.)
• Inventors: Adogla, Eden G., Collins, Jamin W.
• Primary Examiner(s): An, Meng
• Assistant Examiner(s): Lee, James J
• Application Number:
  US13/331,971
• Time in Patent Office: 1,386 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/50 Allocation of resources, e.g. of the central processing unit [CPU]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/5083 Techniques for rebalancing the load in a distributed system

Abstract

Systems and method for the management of resource dependent workflows are provided. One or more resource control devices monitor usage of a computing resource by server computing devices. Each resource control device may direct a server computing device to proceed with a workflow or to pause processing a workflow. A resource control device may further direct a server computing device to take resource conserving actions. When a computing resource is determined to be available, a resource control device may direct a paused server computing device to resume a workflow.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for implementing a resource dependent workflow for configuring a computing device implementing the method, the method comprising:

prior to loading of a target operating system of the computing device implementing the method;

loading from a read only memory (ROM) of the computing device a set of computer-readable instructions for implementing the resource dependent workflow, wherein the resource dependent workflow comprises at least one workflow stage; and

executing the set of computer-readable instructions, wherein executing of the set of computer-readable instructions further comprises the computing device implementing operations including;

receiving the at least one workflow stage of the resource dependent workflow from a workflow control device configured to instruct a plurality of computing devices, including the computing device, to attempt to implement the resource dependent workflow without guaranteeing access to at least one computing resource on which the at least one workflow stage of the resource dependent workflow depends;

determining the at least one computing resource on which implementation of the at least one workflow stage is dependent;

requesting, from a resource control computing device associated with the at least one computing resource, authorization to access the at least one computing resource, wherein the resource control computing device is configured to allocate access by the computing device to the at least one computing resource during attempted implementation of the at least one workflow stage by the computing device, and wherein the at least one computing resource comprises a storage device storing the target operating system, a portion of the target operating system, one or more applications, one or more updates, or one or more device drivers;

receiving from the resource control computing device an indication of whether access to the at least one computing resource is granted;

if access to the at least one computing resource is indicated to be granted, processing the at least one workflow stage at least in part by accessing the at least one computing resource and installing the targeting operating system, the portion of the target operating system, the one or more applications, the one or more updates, or the one or more device drivers; and

if access to the at least one computing resource is indicated not to be granted, at least temporarily pausing processing of the at least one workflow stage.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the ROM is at least one of a programmable ROM (PROM), an erasable programmable ROM (EPROM), or an electrically erasable programmable ROM (EEPROM).

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the ROM is housed in a network interface of the computing device implementing the method.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the set of computer-readable instructions comprises firmware.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the set of computer-readable instructions is executed within a preboot execution environment (PXE).

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein at least temporarily pausing processing of the at least one workflow stage comprises entering a defined state.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 further comprising, if the resource control computing device associated with the at least one computing resource is unavailable, requesting authorization to access the at least one computing resource from a proxy controller computing device associated with the resource control computing device.

8. A system comprising:

a computing device comprising a read only memory (ROM) storing a set of computer-readable instructions for implementing a resource dependent workflow for configuring the computing device, wherein the resource dependent workflow comprises at least one workflow stage, wherein the computing device is in communication with a workflow control computing device configured to instruct a plurality of computing devices, including the computing device, to attempt to implement the resource dependent workflow without guaranteeing access to at least one computing resource on which the at least one workflow stage of the resource dependent workflow depends, and wherein the computing device, prior to loading of a target operating system;

loads from the ROM of the computing device the set of computer-readable instructions; and

executes the set of computer-readable instructions, wherein execution of the set of computer-readable instructions further configures the computing device to;

receive the at least one workflow stage of the resource dependent workflow;

determine the at least one computing resource on which implementation of the at least one workflow stage is dependent;

request, from a resource control computing device associated with the at least one computing resource, authorization to access the at least one computing resource, wherein the resource control computing device is configured to allocate access of the computing device to the at least one computing resource during attempted implementation of the at least one workflow stage by the computing device, and wherein the at least one computing resource comprises a storage device storing the target operating system, a portion of the target operating system, one or more applications, one or more updates, or one or more device drivers;

receive from the resource control computing device an indication of whether access to the at least one computing resource is granted;

if access to the at least one computing resource is indicated to be granted, process the at least one workflow stage at least in part by accessing the at least one computing resource and installing the targeting operating system, the portion of the target operating system, the one or more applications, the one or more updates, or the one or more device drivers; and

if access to the at least one computing resource is indicated not to be granted, at least temporarily pause processing of the at least one workflow stage.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the ROM is at least one of a programmable ROM (PROM), an erasable programmable ROM (EPROM), or an electrically erasable programmable ROM (EEPROM).

10. The system of claim 8, wherein the ROM is housed in a network interface of the first computing device.

11. The system of claim 8, wherein the set of computer-readable instructions comprises firmware.

12. The system of claim 8, wherein the set of computer-readable instructions is executed within a preboot execution environment (PXE).

13. The system of claim 8, wherein executing of the set of computer-readable instructions further configures the first computing device to, in response to an indication that the at least one computing resource is not available, enter a defined processing state.

14. The system of claim 8, wherein executing of the set of computer-readable instructions further configures the first computing device to, if the resource control computing device associated with the at least one computing resource is unavailable, request authorization to access the at least one computing resource from a proxy controller computing device associated with the resource control computing device.

15. A computer-readable, non-transient storage medium having computer-executable modules for implementing a resource dependent workflow, wherein the non-transient storage medium comprises a read only memory (ROM) readable by a first computing device of a plurality of computing devices, and wherein the computer-executable modules comprise:

a workflow processing module for implementing the resource dependent workflow to configure the computing device, wherein the resource dependent workflow comprises at least one workflow stage wherein the workflow processing module enables communication with a workflow control device configured to instruct a plurality of computing devices, including the computing device, to attempt to implement the resource dependent workflow without guaranteeing access to at least one computing resource on which the at least one workflow stage of the resource dependent workflow depends, and wherein the workflow processing module, when executed by the computing device prior to loading a target operating system of the computing device, causes the computing device to;

receive at least one workflow stage of the resource dependent workflow from the workflow control device;

determine at least one computing resource on which implementation of the at least one workflow stage is dependent;

request, from a resource control computing device associated with the at least one computing resource, authorization to access the at least one computing resource, wherein the resource control computing device is configured to allocate access by the computing device to the at least one computing resource during attempted implementation of the at least one workflow stage by the computing device, and wherein the at least one computing resource comprises a storage device storing the target operating system, a portion of the target operating system, one or more applications, one or more updates, or one or more device drivers;

receive from the resource control computing device an indication of whether access to the at least one computing resource is granted;

if access to the at least one computing resource is indicated to be granted, process the at least one workflow stage at least in part by accessing the at least one computing resource and installing the targeting operating system, the portion of the target operating system, the one or more applications, the one or more updates, or the one or more device drivers; and

if access to the at least one computing resource is indicated not to be granted, at least temporarily pause processing of the at least one workflow stage.

16. The computer-readable, non-transient medium of claim 15, wherein the ROM is at least one of a programmable ROM (PROM), an erasable programmable ROM (EPROM), or an electrically erasable programmable ROM (EEPROM).

17. The computer-readable, non-transient medium of claim 15, wherein the ROM is housed in a network interface of the first computing device.

18. The computer-readable, non-transient medium of claim 15, wherein the computer-executable modules are comprised within firmware.

19. The computer-readable, non-transient medium of claim 15, wherein the computer-executable modules are executed within a preboot execution environment (PXE).

20. The computer-readable, non-transient medium of claim 15, wherein the workflow processing module is further configured to, in response to an indication that the at least one computing resource is not available, enter a defined state.

21. The computer-readable, non-transient medium of claim 15, wherein the workflow processing module is further configured to, if the resource control computing device associated with the at least one computing resource is unavailable, request authorization to access the at least one computing resource from a proxy controller computing device associated with the resource control computing device.