Reconfiguring interrelationships between components of virtual computing networks

• US 9,270,523 B2
• Filed: 02/28/2012
• Issued: 02/23/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 02/28/2012
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Lingafelt, Charles S., Murray, James W., Swantek, James T., Worley, James S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Wilson, Yolanda L
• Application Number:
  US13/406,847
• Publication Number:
  US 20130227338A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,456 Days
• Field of Search: 714/4.1, 714/57, 715/736
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/2002 where interconnections or communication control functionality are redundant flexible arrangements for bus networks involving redundancy H04L12/40176
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/28 characterised by path configuration, e.g. LAN [Local Area Networks] or WAN [Wide Area Networks] wireless communication networks H04W ; arrangements for dividing the transmission path H04W40/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/4641 Virtual LANs, VLANs, e.g. virtual private networks [VPN] LAN interconnection over a bridge based backbone H04L12/462; encapsulation techniques H04L12/4633; routing of packets H04L45/00; packet switches H04L49/00; virtual private networks for security H04L63/0272
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0654 using network fault recovery ring fault isolation or reconfiguration in loop networks without recovery actions by a network management system H04L12/437
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0668 by dynamic selection of recovery network elements, e.g. replacement by the most appropriate element after failure
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/12 Discovery or management of network topologies
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/22 comprising specially adapted graphical user interfaces [GUI]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/40 using virtualisation of network functions or resources, e.g. SDN or NFV entities
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/02 Topology update or discovery
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/28 using route fault recovery

Abstract

Embodiments of the present invention relate to an approach for reconfiguring interrelationships between components of virtual computing networks (e.g., a grid computing network, a local area network (LAN), a cloud computing network, etc.). In a typical embodiment, a set of information pertaining to a set of components associated with a virtual computing network is received in a computer memory medium or the like. Based on the set of information, a graphical representation (e.g., hierarchical tree) depicting the set of interrelationships between the set of components is generated. When a failure in the virtual computing network is detected, at least one of the set of interrelationships between the set of components is reconfigured based on the graphical representation and the set of rules to address the failure.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for reconfiguring interrelationships between a set of components of a virtual computing network, comprising:

receiving, in a computer memory medium, a set of information pertaining to an entirety of the set of components associated with the virtual computing network, the set of components comprising a set of physical servers, a set of ports, a set of virtual switches and a set of virtual machines (VMs), and the set of information describing a set of interrelationships between the set of components and including a configuration table of each of a set of switches in the virtual computing network and virtual machine information from a virtualization engine on each of the set of physical servers;

generating, based on the set of information, a graphical representation depicting a visual representation of each of the set of components and a visual link illustrating each interrelationship of the set of interrelationships between individual components of the set of components, the graphical representation comprising a hierarchical tree comprising a set of nodes, each node of the set of nodes in the hierarchical tree corresponding to a component in the set of components, the hierarchical tree being formed by;

making, for each virtual local area network (VLAN) in the switch configuration table, a first layer node in the hierarchical tree;

making, for each of the set of ports in the virtual computing network, a second layer node and a link to a corresponding first layer node;

making, for each of the set of virtual switches in the virtual computing network, a third layer node and a link to a corresponding second layer node; and

making, for each of the set of virtual machines in the virtual computing network, a fourth layer node and a link to a corresponding third layer node;

detecting a failure in the virtual computing network resulting in an inability to access a virtual machine of the set of virtual machines; and

automatically reconfiguring, responsive to the failure, at least one of the set of interrelationships between the set of components based on at least one visual link in the graphical representation and a predetermined set of rules, the reconfiguring including at least one of;

coupling a virtual switch associated with the virtual machine with a different physical port or coupling the virtual machine with a different virtual switch that is coupled with a different physical port.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, the set of information being obtained from the set of virtual switches, and the set of information comprising at least one of the following:

a set of routing tables, a virtual computing network configuration port mapping, or a Media Address Control (MAC) address to a set of Internet Protocol (IP) tables.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 2, the set of information being further obtained from the set of physical servers, and the set of information further comprising at least one of the following:

a set of mappings between the set of VMs and the set of switches, a set of mappings between the set switches and the set of ports, or a set of mappings interbetween the set of ports.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, the virtual computing network comprising a virtual local area network (VLAN), and the set of ports comprising at least one virtual port and at least one physical port.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, the set of rules comprising an ordered set of criteria for determining which interrelationships between the set of components to reconfigure so that the set of components remains accessible despite the failure.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, the failure comprising a failure of a communication link between at least two of the set of components.

7. A system for reconfiguring interrelationships between a set of components of a virtual computing network, comprising:

a memory medium comprising instructions;

a bus coupled to the memory medium; and

a processor coupled to the bus that when executing the instructions causes the system to;

receive, in a computer memory medium, a set of information pertaining to an entirety of the set of components associated with the virtual computing network, the set of components comprising a set of physical servers, a set of ports, a set of virtual switches and a set of virtual machines (VMs), and the set of information describing a set of interrelationships between the set of components and including a configuration table of each of a set of switches in the virtual computing network and virtual machine information from a virtualization engine on each of the set of physical servers;

generate, based on the set of information, a graphical representation depicting a visual representation of each of the set of components and a visual link illustrating each interrelationship of the set of interrelationships between individual components of the set of components, the graphical representation comprising a hierarchical tree comprising a set of nodes, each node of the set of nodes in the hierarchical tree corresponding to a component in the set of components, the hierarchical tree being formed by;

making, for each virtual local area network (VLAN) in the switch configuration table, a first layer node in the hierarchical tree;

making, for each of the set of ports in the virtual computing network, a second layer node and a link to a corresponding first layer node;

making, for each of the set of virtual switches in the virtual computing network, a third layer node and a link to a corresponding second layer node; and

making, for each of the set of virtual machines in the virtual computing network, a fourth layer node and a link to a corresponding third layer node;

detect a failure in the virtual computing network resulting in an inability to access a virtual machine of the set of virtual machines; and

automatically reconfigure, responsive to the failure, at least one of the set of interrelationships between the set of components based on at least one visual link in the graphical representation and a predetermined set of rules, the reconfiguring including at least one of;

coupling a virtual switch associated with the virtual machine with a different physical port or coupling the virtual machine with a different virtual switch that is coupled with a different physical port.

8. The system of claim 7, the set of information being obtained from the set of virtual switches, and the set of information comprising at least one of the following:

a set of routing tables, a virtual computing network configuration port mapping, or a Media Address Control (MAC) address to a set of Internet Protocol (IP) tables.

9. The system of claim 8, the set of information being further obtained from the set of virtual servers, and the set of information further comprising at least one of the following:

a set of mappings between the set of VMs and the set of switches, a set of mappings between the set switches and the set of ports, or a set of mappings interbetween the set of ports.

10. The system of claim 7, the virtual computing network comprising a virtual local area network (VLAN), and the set of ports comprising at least one virtual port and at least one physical port.

11. The system of claim 7, the set of rules comprising an ordered set of criteria for determining which interrelationships between the set of components to reconfigure so that the set of components remains accessible despite the failure.

12. The system of claim 7, the failure comprising a failure of a communication link between at least two of the set of components.

13. A computer program product for reconfiguring interrelationships between a set of components of a virtual computing network, the computer program product comprising a computer readable storage device, and program instructions stored on the computer readable storage device, to:

receive, in a computer memory medium, a set of information pertaining to an entirety of the set of components associated with the virtual computing network, the set of components comprising a set of physical servers, a set of ports, a set of virtual switches and a set of virtual machines (VMs), and the set of information describing a set of interrelationships between the set of components and including a configuration table of each of a set of switches in the virtual computing network and virtual machine information from a virtualization engine on each of the set of physical servers;

generate, based on the set of information, a graphical representation depicting a visual representation of each of the set of components and a visual link illustrating each interrelationship of the set of interrelationships between individual components of the set of components, the graphical representation comprising a hierarchical tree comprising a set of nodes, each node of the set of nodes in the hierarchical tree corresponding to a component in the set of components, the hierarchical tree being formed by;

making, for each virtual local area network (VLAN) in the switch configuration table, a first layer node in the hierarchical tree;

making, for each of the set of ports in the virtual computing network, a second layer node and a link to a corresponding first layer node;

making, for each of the set of virtual switches in the virtual computing network, a third layer node and a link to a corresponding second layer node; and

making, for each of the set of virtual machines in the virtual computing network, a fourth layer node and a link to a corresponding third layer node;

detect a failure in the virtual computing network resulting in an inability to access a virtual machine of the set of virtual machines; and

automatically reconfigure, responsive to the failure, at least one of the set of interrelationships between the set of components based on at least one visual link in the graphical representation and a predetermined set of rules, the reconfiguring including at least one of;

coupling a virtual switch associated with the virtual machine with a different physical port or coupling the virtual machine with a different virtual switch that is coupled with a different physical port.

14. The computer program product of claim 13, the set of information being obtained from the set of virtual switches, and the set of information comprising at least one of the following:

a set of routing tables, a virtual computing network configuration port mapping, or a Media Address Control (MAC) address to a set of Internet Protocol (IP) tables.

15. The computer program product of claim 14, the set of information being further obtained from the set of virtual servers, and the set of information further comprising at least one of the following:

a set of mappings between the set of VMs and the set of switches, a set of mappings between the set switches and the set of ports, or a set of mappings interbetween the set of ports.

16. The computer program product of claim 13, the virtual computing network comprising a virtual local area network (VLAN), and the set of ports comprising at least one virtual port and at least one physical port.

17. The computer program product of claim 13, the set of rules comprising an ordered set of criteria for determining which interrelationships between the set of components to reconfigure so that the set of components remains accessible despite the failure.

18. The computer program product of claim 13, the failure comprising a failure of a communication link between at least two of the set of components.

19. A method for deploying a system for reconfiguring interrelationships between a set of components of a virtual computing network, comprising:

deploying a computer infrastructure being operable to;

receive, in a computer memory medium, a set of information pertaining to an entirety of the set of components associated with the virtual computing network, the set of components comprising a set of physical servers, a set of ports, a set of virtual switches and a set of virtual machines (VMs), and the set of information describing a set of interrelationships between the set of components and including a configuration table of each of a set of switches in the virtual computing network and virtual machine information from a virtualization engine on each of the set of physical servers;

generate, based on the set of information, a graphical representation depicting a visual representation of each of the set of components and a visual link illustrating each interrelationship of the set of interrelationships between individual components of the set of components, the graphical representation comprising a hierarchical tree comprising a set of nodes, each node of the set of nodes in the hierarchical tree corresponding to a component in the set of components, the hierarchical tree being formed by;

making, for each virtual local area network (VLAN) in the switch configuration table, a first layer node in the hierarchical tree;

making, for each of the set of ports in the virtual computing network, a second layer node and a link to a corresponding first layer node;

making, for each of the set of virtual switches in the virtual computing network, a third layer node and a link to a corresponding second layer node; and

making, for each of the set of virtual machines in the virtual computing network, a fourth layer node and a link to a corresponding third layer node;

detect a failure in the virtual computing network resulting in an inability to access a virtual machine of the set of virtual machines; and

automatically reconfigure, responsive to the failure, at least one of the set of interrelationships between the set of components based at least one visual link in on the graphical representation and a predetermined set of rules, the reconfiguring including at least one of;

coupling a virtual switch associated with the virtual machine with a different physical port or coupling the virtual machine with a different virtual switch that is coupled with a different physical port.