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

• US 9,152,461 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:
  US13/332,070
• Time in Patent Office: 1,386 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2209/503 Resource availability
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/50 Allocation of resources, e.g. of the central processing unit [CPU]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/5027 the resource being a machine, e.g. CPUs, Servers, Terminals
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 10/00 Energy efficient computing, e.g. low power processors, power management or thermal management

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 comprising:

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

receiving, from a workflow controller computing device, a resource dependent workflow comprising a plurality of workflow stages for configuring the computing device, each of the plurality of workflow stages associated with access to at least one computing resource, wherein the workflow controller computing device is configured to instruct a plurality of computing devices, including the computing device, to attempt to implement the resource dependent workflow without guaranteeing access to the at least one computing resource on which implementation of each workflow stage depends; and

for each of the plurality of workflow stages;

determining the at least one computing resource on which implementation of the 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 plurality of computing devices to the at least one computing resource during attempted implementation of the workflow stage of the resource dependent workflow by the plurality of computing devices 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, wherein grant of access to the at least one computing resource is determined in accordance with historical information regarding a plurality of computing devices implementing the resource dependent workflow;

if the received indication indicates that access to the at least one computing resource is granted, processing the 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 the received indication indicates that access to the at least one computing resource is denied, delaying the processing of the workflow stage.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein delaying the processing of the workflow stage includes executing at least one responsive action.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 2, wherein the at least one responsive action comprises repeatedly transmitting a signal indicating that the processing of the workflow stage has been delayed.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 2, wherein the at least one responsive action includes causing a reduction in resource usage.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 2, wherein the at least one responsive action includes causing a reduction in power.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein delaying the processing of the workflow stage includes entering a defined state.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 6, wherein the defined state is indicated by the resource control computing device.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 6, wherein the defined state is corresponds to at least one of pending, parking, or dormant.

9. A computer-implemented method for managing resource dependent workflows, the method comprising:

receiving, during initialization of a computing device, a request from the computing device for authorization to access a computing resource on which at least one workflow stage of a resource dependent workflow is dependent, wherein the resource dependent workflow corresponds to a routine for configuring the computing device, and wherein the computing resource comprises a storage device storing an operating system, a portion of the operating system, one or more applications, one or more updates, or one or more device drivers;

obtaining historical information regarding availability of the computing resource during implementation of the at least one workflow stage by a historical set of computing devices implementing the resource dependent workflow;

determining whether to grant authorization to the computing device to access the computing resource based at least in part on an allocation of the computing resource to a plurality of computing devices, including the computing device, implementing the at least one workflow stage, the allocation determined, in part, on the historical information;

if it is determined that the computing device is granted authorization to access the computing resource, transmitting to the computing device instructions to process the at least one workflow stage at least in part by accessing the computing resource, wherein processing the at least one workflow stage comprises 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 it is determined that the computing device is denied authorization to access the computing resource, transmitting to the computing device an indication that authorization to access the computing resource is denied and instructions to delay implementation of the at least one workflow stage.

10. The computer-implemented method of claim 9, wherein the received request is received via a proxy controller computing device.

11. The computer-implemented method of claim 9, wherein determining whether to grant authorization to the computing device to access the computing resource includes determining a number of distinct computing devices that have requested authorization to access to the computing resource.

12. The computer-implemented method of claim 9, wherein transmitting to the computing device a instructions to process the at least one workflow stage at least in part by accessing the computing resource may only occur if the number of computing devices accessing the computing resources is below a maximum number of computing devices that may access the computing resource.

13. The computer-implemented method of claim 12 further comprises, subsequent to transmitting to the computing device instructions to process the at least one workflow stage at least in part by accessing the computing resource:

determining an updated number of computing devices accessing the computing resource;

if the determined updated number of computing devices is above the threshold level, increasing the maximum number of computing devices that may access the computing resource.

14. The computer-implemented method of claim 9 further comprising updating the historical information based on the determination of whether to grant authorization to the computing device to access the computing resource.

15. A system comprising:

a computing device in communication with a workflow controller device configured to instruct a plurality of computing devices, including the computing device, to attempt to implement a resource dependent workflow comprising at least one workflow stage for configuring the computing device without guaranteeing access to at least one computing resource on which implementation of at least one workflow stage depends, the computing device, prior to loading a target operating system, configured to;

receive, from the workflow controller computing device, the resource dependent workflow; and

for each of the at least one workflow stages;

determine the at least one computing resource on which implementation of the 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 plurality of computing devices to the at least one computing resource during attempted implementation of the workflow stage by the plurality of computing devices, 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, wherein grant of access to the at least one computing resource is determined based on an allocation access to the at least one computing resource to the plurality of computing devices, the allocation reflective of previous implementation of the workflow stage by a historical set of computing devices;

if the received indication indicates that access to the at least one computing resource is granted, process the 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 the received indication indicates that access to the at least one computing resource is denied, pause processing of the workflow stage.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the first computing device is further configured to, subsequent to processing the workflow stage, receive an instruction to process a next workflow stage.

17. The system of claim 15, wherein pausing the processing of the workflow stage comprises executing at least one responsive action.

18. The system of claim 15, wherein pausing the processing of the workflow stage comprises entering a defined state.

19. A system comprising:

at least one resource control device associated with at least one computing resource on which a workflow stage of a resource dependent workflow is dependent, wherein the at least one computing resource comprises a storage device storing an operating system, a portion of the operating system, one or more applications, one or more updates, or one or more device drivers, wherein the at least one resource control device is in communication with a computing device of a plurality of computing devices attempting to implement the resource dependent workflow, and wherein the at least one resource control device is configured to;

receive, during initialization of a first computing device of the plurality of computing devices, a request from the first computing device for authorization to access the at least one computing resource, wherein the request is received in conjunction with the computing device processing the workflow stage, wherein the workflow stage corresponds to at least a portion of a routine for configuring the computing device;

obtain information regarding previous implementation of the workflow stage by a historical set of computing devices;

determine whether to grant authorization to the computing device to access the at least one computing resource based at least in part on an allocation of the at least one computing resource to the plurality of computing devices, the allocation determined, in part, on the information regarding previous implementation of the workflow stage by the historical set of computing devices;

if it is determined that the computing device is granted authorization to access the at least one computing resource, transmit to the computing device instructions to process the workflow stage at least in part by accessing the at least one computing resource, wherein processing the at least one workflow stage comprises 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 it is determined that the computing device is denied authorization to access the at least one computing resource, transmit to the computing device instructions to delay the workflow stage.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the at least one resource control device is further configured to determine a number of distinct computing devices that are predicted to request access to the at least one computing resource, the prediction of access based on the information regarding previous implementation of the workflow stage by the historical set of computing devices.

21. The system of claim 19, wherein the at least one resource control device is further configured to determine an availability of at least one of bandwidth, processing power, electrical power, non-persistent memory or persistent memory of the at least one computing resource.

22. The system of claim 19, wherein the at least one resource control device is further configured to determine a future predicted availability of at least one of bandwidth, processing power, electrical power, non-persistent memory or persistent memory of the at least one computing resource.

23. The system of claim 19, wherein the instructions to at least temporarily halt the workflow stage comprise instructions to execute at least one responsive action.

24. The system of claim 19, wherein the at least one responsive action comprises repeatedly transmitting a signal indicating that the processing of the workflow stage has been delayed.

25. The system of claim 19, wherein the at least one responsive action comprises entering into a defined state.