Using a graph database of a virtualization infrastructure

• US 9,355,163 B2
• Filed: 06/07/2013
• Issued: 05/31/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 06/07/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Vmware LLC (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: VMware, Inc. (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Inventors: Soundararajan, Vijayaraghavan, Spracklen, Lawrence
• Primary Examiner(s): TRUONG, CAM Y T
• Application Number:
  US13/912,389
• Publication Number:
  US 20140365522A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,089 Days
• Field of Search: 707/770
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/28 Databases characterised by their database models, e.g. relational or object models

Abstract

In a computer-implemented method for providing management of a virtualization infrastructure, a query related to the virtualization infrastructure is received. A graph database of the virtualization infrastructure is accessed, the graph database including nodes associated with members of the virtualization infrastructure and edges associated with relationships of the members of the virtualization infrastructure, wherein the nodes and the relationships include types. An answer to the query is received from the graph database.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for providing management of a virtualization infrastructure, the method comprising:

receiving a query related to the virtualization infrastructure, wherein the virtualization infrastructure is mapped into a social network comprising human members and non-human members, wherein the human members of the social network comprise users corresponding to entities of the virtualization infrastructure and groups of users, wherein the non-human members of the social network comprise components of the virtualization infrastructure, and wherein the components of the virtualization infrastructure comprise a host computing system and a virtual machine hosted by the host computing system, wherein the query is sent through the social network of the virtualization infrastructure, wherein the query is received at a user of the social network associated with a graph database, and wherein the query identifies at least one of;

a type of member of the virtualization infrastructure and a type of relationship of the virtualization infrastructure;

accessing the graph database populated with the members and relationships of the social network of the virtualization infrastructure, the graph database comprising nodes associated with the members of the virtualization infrastructure and edges associated with the relationships of the members of the virtualization infrastructure, wherein the graph database is based on the social network of the virtualization infrastructure, wherein the relationships of the members are in accordance with an inventory structure of the virtualization infrastructure, and wherein the nodes and the relationships comprise types, wherein the members of the virtualization infrastructure comprises at least one host computing system, and at least one virtual machine hosted by the at least one host computing system;

retrieving an answer to the query from the graph database; and

transmitting the answer over the social network from the user of the social network associated with the graph database to a user of the social network associated with a source of the query.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the query is received at a virtualization infrastructure manager.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the query is communicated via a private message to the user of the social network associated with the graph database.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the answer is communicated via a private message to the user of the social network associated with the source of the query.

5. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium having computer-readable program code stored thereon for causing a computer system to perform a method for using a graph database of a virtualization infrastructure, the method comprising:

receiving a query related to the virtualization infrastructure, wherein the virtualization infrastructure is mapped into a social network comprising human members and non-human members, wherein the human members of the social network comprise users corresponding to entities of the virtualization infrastructure and groups of users, wherein the non-human members of the social network comprise components of the virtualization infrastructure, and wherein the components of the virtualization infrastructure comprise a host computing system and a virtual machine hosted by the host computing system, wherein the query is sent through the social network of the virtualization infrastructure, wherein the query is received at a user of the social network associated with the graph database, and wherein the query identifies at least one of;

a type of member of the virtualization infrastructure and a type of relationship of the virtualization infrastructure;

accessing the graph database populated with the members and relationships of the social network of the virtualization infrastructure, the graph database comprising nodes associated with the members of the virtualization infrastructure and edges associated with the relationships of the members of the virtualization infrastructure, wherein the nodes and the relationships comprise types, wherein the graph database is based on the social network of the virtualization infrastructure, and wherein the relationships of the members are in accordance with an inventory structure of the virtualization infrastructure, wherein the entities of the virtualization infrastructure comprises at least one host computing system, and at least one virtual machine hosted by the at least one host computing system;

retrieving an answer to the query from the graph database; and

transmitting the answer over the social network from the user of the social network associated with the graph database to a user of the social network associated with a source of the query.

6. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 5, wherein the query is received at a virtualization infrastructure manager.

7. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 5, wherein the query is communicated via a private message to the user of the social network associated with the graph database.

8. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 5, wherein the answer is communicated via a private message to the user of the social network associated with the source of the query.

9. A computer-implemented method for providing management of a virtualization infrastructure, the method comprising:

receiving a query related to the virtualization infrastructure, wherein the virtualization infrastructure is mapped into a social network comprising human members and non-human members, wherein the human members of the social network comprise users corresponding to entities of the virtualization infrastructure and groups of users, wherein the non-human members of the social network comprise components of the virtualization infrastructure, and wherein the components of the virtualization infrastructure comprise a host computing system and a virtual machine hosted by the host computing system, wherein the query is sent through the social network of the virtualization infrastructure, wherein the query is received at a user of the social network associated with a graph database, and wherein the query identifies at least one of;

a type of member of the virtualization infrastructure; and

a type of relationship of the virtualization infrastructure;

accessing the graph database populated with members and relationships of the social network of the virtualization infrastructure, the graph database comprising nodes associated with the members of the virtualization infrastructure and edges associated with the relationships of the members of the virtualization infrastructure, wherein the relationships of the members are in accordance with an inventory structure of the virtualization infrastructure, wherein the members of the virtualization infrastructure comprises at least one host computing system, and at least one virtual machine hosted by the at least one host computing system, and wherein the nodes comprise types of members and the relationships comprise types of relationships;

retrieving an answer to the query from the graph database; and

transmitting the answer over the social network from the user of the social network associated with the graph database to a user of the social network associated with a source of the query.

10. The computer-implemented method of claim 9, wherein the query is communicated via a private message to the user of the social network associated with the graph database.

11. The computer-implemented method of claim 9, wherein the answer is communicated via a private message to the user of the social network associated with the source of the query.