Virtualization system provision

• US 9,253,037 B2
• Filed: 11/25/2014
• Issued: 02/02/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 01/09/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dell Products LP (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Dell Products LP (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Inventors: Chaganti, Ravikanth
• Primary Examiner(s): Aguilera, Todd
• Application Number:
  US14/553,210
• Publication Number:
  US 20150195132A1
• Time in Patent Office: 434 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 15/177 Initialisation or configuration control processor initialisation G06F9/4405
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2009/45575 Starting, stopping, suspending or resuming virtual machine instances
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2009/45579 I/O management, e.g. providing access to device drivers or storage
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2009/45583 Memory management, e.g. access or allocation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/61 Installation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/44505 Configuring for program initiating, e.g. using registry, configuration files
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/45558 Hypervisor-specific management and integration aspects
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/5077 Logical partitioning of resources; Management or configuration of virtualized resources specific details on emulation or internal functioning of virtual machines G06F9/455
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0806 for initial configuration or provisioning, e.g. plug-and-play

Abstract

A method for providing a virtualization system includes receiving a plurality of virtualization system requirements from a customer that include a plurality of information handling systems (IHSs), at least one storage, and a plurality of configuration details. A primary IHS and a secondary IHS are designated, and configuration data, an application interface, and a primary IHS operating system are provided on the primary IHS. Following physical connection of the plurality of the IHSs and in response to activation of the primary IHS, a primary IHS first boot process initiates the application interface that then automatically activates the secondary IHS and uses the configuration data to automatically configure the at least one storage. In response to activation of the secondary IHS, a secondary IHS operating system on the secondary IHS initiates a secondary IHS first boot process that automatically configures virtualization software installed on the secondary IHS.

Claims

1. A virtualization system, comprising:

at least one storage;

a plurality of information handling systems (IHSs) that are operable to be coupled to the storage, the plurality of IHSs comprising a primary IHS and at least one secondary IHS;

a primary IHS non-transitory computer-readable medium located in the primary IHS, the primary IHS non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising;

configuration data;

an application interface; and

a primary IHS operating system comprising a primary IHS first boot process;

wherein, following receipt of the primary IHS, the at least one secondary IHS, and the at least one storage by a customer and physical connection of the primary IHS, the at least one secondary IHS, and the at least one storage together by the customer subsequent to the receipt, and in response to powering on of the primary IHS by the customer subsequent to the physical connection of the primary IHS, the at least one secondary IHS, and the at least one storage, the primary IHS first boot process on the primary IHS operating system is configured to automatically initiate the application interface and, in response, the application interface is configured to automatically power on the at least one secondary IHS and use the configuration data to automatically configure the at least one storage by automatically creating at least one storage element; and

a secondary IHS non-transitory computer-readable medium located in the at least one secondary IHS, the secondary IHS non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising;

virtualization software; and

a secondary IHS operating system comprising a secondary IHS first boot process;

wherein the secondary IHS first boot process is configured, in response to powering on of the at least one secondary IHS by the primary IHS, to automatically configure the virtualization software by automatically creating at least one virtual machine element and automatically associating the at least one virtual machine element with the at least one storage element.

2. The virtualization system of claim 1, wherein the configuration data comprises information on a number of storage logical unit numbers (LUNs) to be created for the at least one secondary IHS.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the configuration data comprises information on a number of virtual machine (VM) containers that will be located on the at least one secondary IHS.

4. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a storage management port in the at least one storage.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the configuration data comprises information on a default internet protocol (IP) address for the storage management port in the at least one storage.

6. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a remote access controller in the at least one secondary IHS.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the configuration data comprises information on a default IP address for the remote access controller in the at least one secondary IHS.

8. A virtualization provider system, comprising:

a communication system;

a processing system coupled to the communication system; and

a non-transitory memory coupled to the processing system and including instructions that, when executed by the processing system, cause the processing system to;

receive a plurality of virtualization system requirements through the communication system from a customer, wherein the plurality of virtualization system requirements comprise a plurality of information handling system (IHS) requirements, at least one storage requirement, and a plurality of configuration details;

designate a primary IHS and at least one secondary IHS from the plurality of IHS requirements, and at least one storage from the at least one storage requirement;

provide configuration data related to the plurality of configuration details, an application interface, and a primary IHS operating system on the primary IHS such that, following receipt of the primary IHS, the at least one secondary IHS, and the at least one storage by the customer and physical connection of the primary IHS, the at least one secondary IHS, and the at least one storage together by the customer subsequent to the receipt, and in response to powering on of the primary IHS by the customer subsequent to the physical connection of the primary IHS, the at least one secondary IHS, and the at least one storage, a primary IHS first boot process on the primary IHS operating system is configured to automatically initiate the application interface and, in response, the application interface is configured to automatically power on the at least one secondary IHS and use the configuration data to automatically configure the at least one storage by automatically creating at least one storage element; and

install, prior to the receipt by the customer, virtualization software and a secondary IHS operating system on the at least one secondary IHS, wherein the secondary IHS operating system comprises a secondary IHS first boot process that is configured, in response to powering on of the at least one secondary IHS by the primary IHS, to automatically configure the virtualization software by automatically creating at least one virtual machine element and automatically associating the at least one virtual machine element with the at least one storage element.

9. The virtualization provider system of claim 8, wherein the configuration data comprises information on a number of storage logical unit numbers (LUNs) to be created for the at least one secondary IHS.

10. The virtualization provider system of claim 8, wherein the configuration data comprises information on a number of virtual machine (VM) containers that will be located on the at least one secondary IHS.

11. The virtualization provider system of claim 8, wherein the at least one storage includes a storage management port.

12. The virtualization provider system of claim 11, wherein the configuration data comprises information on a default internet protocol (IP) address for the storage management port in the at least one storage.

13. The virtualization provider system of claim 8, wherein the at least one secondary IHS includes a remote access controller.

14. The virtualization provider system of claim 13, wherein the configuration data comprises information on a default IP address for the remote access controller in the at least one secondary IHS.

15. A virtualization provisioning network, comprising:

a network;

a customer system including at least one processor, wherein the customer system that his coupled to the network, operated by a customer, and configured to;

define a plurality of virtualization system requirements that include a plurality of information handling system (IHS) requirements, at least one storage requirement, and a plurality of configuration details; and

send the plurality of virtualization system requirements over the network; and

a virtualization provider system including at least one processor, wherein the virtualization provider system is coupled to the network and configured to;

receive the plurality of virtualization system requirements from the customer system;

designate a primary IHS and at least one secondary IHS from the plurality of IHS requirements, and at least one storage from the at least one storage requirement;

provide configuration data related to the plurality of configuration details, an application interface, and a primary IHS operating system on the primary IHS such that, following receipt of the primary IHS, the at least one secondary IHS, and the at least one storage by the customer and physical connection of the primary IHS, the at least one secondary IHS, and the at least one storage together by the customer subsequent to the receipt, and in response to powering on of the primary IHS by the customer subsequent to the physical connection of the primary IHS, the at least one secondary IHS, and the at least one storage, a primary IHS first boot process on the primary IHS operating system is configured to automatically initiate the application interface and, in response, the application interface is configured to automatically power on the at least one secondary IHS and use the configuration data to automatically configure the at least one storage by automatically creating at least one storage element; and

install, prior to the receipt by the customer, virtualization software and a secondary IHS operating system on the at least one secondary IHS, wherein the secondary IHS operating system comprises a secondary IHS first boot process that is configured, in response to powering on of the at least one secondary IHS by the primary IHS, to automatically configure the virtualization software by automatically creating at least one virtual machine element and automatically associating the at least one virtual machine element with the at least one storage element.

16. The virtualization provisioning network of claim 15, wherein the customer system is configured to define the plurality of virtualization system requirements by:

communicating over the network with the virtualization provider system to receive a website that comprises at least one web page that is configured to receive the plurality of virtualization system requirements from the customer.

17. The virtualization provisioning network of claim 15, wherein the configuration data comprises information on a number of storage logical unit numbers (LUNs) to create for the at least one secondary IHS, a number of virtual machine (VM) containers that will be located on the at least one secondary IHS, a default internet protocol (IP) address for a storage management port in the at least one storage, and a default internet protocol (IP) address for a remote access controller in the at least one secondary IHS.

18. The virtualization provisioning network of claim 15, wherein the installing the primary IHS operating system further comprises the virtualization provider system:

modifying a default first boot process of the primary IHS operating system to create the primary IHS first boot process that is configured to automatically initiate the application interface following physical connection of the plurality of IHSs and the at least one storage and in response to powering on of the primary IHS.

19. The virtualization provisioning network of claim 15, wherein the installing the secondary IHS operating system further comprises virtualization provider system:

modifying a default first boot process of the secondary IHS operating system to create the secondary IHS first boot process that is configured to automatically configure the virtualization software in response to powering on of the at least one secondary IHS.

20. The virtualization provisioning network of claim 15, wherein the virtualization provider system is configured to provide the primary IHS, the at least one secondary IHS, and the at least one storage to the customer along with instructions on how to physically connect the primary IHS, the at least one secondary IHS, and the at least one storage.