System and method for providing data and application continuity in a computer system

• US 10,110,667 B2
• Filed: 06/05/2017
• Issued: 10/23/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 04/08/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: RPS Canada Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Geminare Incorporated
• Inventors: Geist, Joshua B.
• Primary Examiner(s): Katsikis, Kostas J
• Application Number:
  US15/614,494
• Publication Number:
  US 20170272510A1
• Time in Patent Office: 505 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/23 Reliability checks, e.g. acknowledgments or fault reporting
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/10 for controlling access to devices or network resources
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/01 Protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/10 in which an application is distributed across nodes in the network software deployment G06F8/60; multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/46
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1095 Replication or mirroring of data, e.g. scheduling or transport for data synchronisation between network nodes
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1097 for distributed storage of data in networks, e.g. transport arrangements for network file system [NFS], storage area networks [SAN] or network attached storage [NAS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/40 for recovering from a failure of a protocol instance or entity, e.g. service redundancy protocols, protocol state redundancy or protocol service redirection management of faults, events, alarms or notifications in data switching networks H04L41/06

Abstract

A system and method for providing or maintaining data and application continuity in a computer system. According to an embodiment, the system comprises a communication interface for a client system, a network layer for receiving data from the client system, a hardware infrastructure for creating instances of the client system for replicating data, and an applications module for executing one or more applications on the replicated data. According to a further aspect, the system includes a portal interface configured for providing a remote user with control, audit and other functions associated with the user'"'"'s system configuration.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a physical server running a replication engine and a logic, wherein the replication engine includes the logic, wherein the replication engine is configured to create a virtual server on the physical server, wherein the virtual server being configured for replicably storing a set of data received from a client via the physical server such that a data continuity for the client is provided, wherein the physical server is operably unaffiliated with the client, wherein the logic being configured to run a first application on the set of data received from the client, wherein the first application corresponding to a second application running on the set of data on the client, wherein the physical server is configured to switch the virtual server with the client in response to a failover event such that the first application switches with the second application, wherein the failover event corresponds to the client;

wherein the client is a first client and further comprising;

a control platform including at least one of a configuration logic, a reporting logic, a logging logic, a network definition logic, a server definition logic, or an archive logic, wherein the configuration logic includes a rule-based architecture for generating a configuration definition associated with the first client, wherein the rule-based architecture is configured to be responsive to an input from a second client, wherein the first client is associated with the second client, wherein the rule-based architecture is stored within a library that contains a rule for an automation of at least one of an application, a computing system, or a server as defined, wherein the control platform is configured to directly call hardware and software components within the virtual server based on the input from the second client, wherein the physical server is operably unaffiliated with the second client.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the set of data includes a set of active data.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the virtual server is programmed to receive the set of data asynchronously.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the replication engine is a first engine, wherein the client is programmed to run a second replication engine, wherein the second replication engine is programmed to be interchangeable with a plurality of forms of replication engines.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the replication engine is programmed for a swap out.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the virtual server is programmed to receive the set of data asynchronously, wherein the virtual server is programmed to operate independently of the client, wherein the replication logic is a first replication logic, wherein the client is programmed to run a second replication logic, wherein the first replication logic is programmed to receive the set of data from the second replication logic, wherein the virtual server is created based on a definition received from the second replication logic, wherein the second replication logic is programmed to generate the definition.

7. A system comprising:

a first physical server configured to;

host a virtual server programmed to receive a set of active data from a second physical server and replicate the set of active data in real-time, wherein the first physical server is operably unaffiliated with the second physical server;

present a page to a client workstation, wherein the page depicts an input element programmed to receive a user input, wherein the client workstation is operably affiliated with the second physical server;

receive the user input from the client workstation;

configure the virtual server based on the user input; and

switch the virtual server with the second physical server based on the user input in response to a failover event, wherein the failover event corresponds to the second physical server;

wherein the client workstation is a first client workstation and further comprising;

a control platform including at least one of a configuration logic, a reporting logic, a logging logic, a network definition logic, a server definition logic, or an archive logic, wherein the configuration logic includes a rule-based architecture for generating a configuration definition associated with the first client workstation, wherein the rule-based architecture is configured to be responsive to an input from a second client workstation, wherein the first client workstation is associated with the second client workstation, wherein the rule-based architecture is stored within a library that contains a rule for an automation of at least one of an application, a computing system, or a server as defined, wherein the control platform is configured to directly call hardware and software components within the virtual server based on the input from the second client workstation, wherein the physical server is operably unaffiliated with the second client workstation.

8. A method comprising:

hosting, by a first physical server, a virtual server programmed to receive a set of active data from a second physical server and replicate the set of active data in real-time, wherein the first physical server is operably unaffiliated with the second physical server;

presenting, by the first physical server, a page to a client workstation, wherein the page depicts an input element programmed to receive a user input, wherein the client workstation is operably affiliated with the second physical server;

receiving, by the first physical server, the user input from the client workstation;

configuring, by the first physical server, the virtual server based on the user input; and

switching, by the first physical server, the virtual server with the second physical server based on the user input in response to a failover event, wherein the failover event corresponds to the second physical server;

wherein the client workstation is a first client workstation and further comprising;

a control platform including at least one of a configuration logic, a reporting logic, a logging logic, a network definition logic, a server definition logic, or an archive logic, wherein the configuration logic includes a rule-based architecture for generating a configuration definition associated with the first client workstation, wherein the rule-based architecture is configured to be responsive to an input from a second client workstation, wherein the first client workstation is associated with the second client workstation, wherein the rule-based architecture is stored within a library that contains a rule for an automation of at least one of an application, a computing system, or a server as defined, wherein the control platform is configured to directly call hardware and software components within the virtual server based on the input from the second client workstation, wherein the physical server is operably unaffiliated with the second client workstation.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the virtual server is programmed to operate independently of the second physical server.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the virtual server is programmed to asynchronously receive the set active data from the second physical server.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein the presenting is over a virtual private network router.

12. The method of claim 8, wherein the virtual server is programmed to receive the set of active data from a replication logic running on the second physical server.

13. The method of claim 8, wherein the set of active data includes a plurality of files in a plurality of application formats, wherein the application formats are different from each other.

14. The method of claim 8, wherein the page is a first page, wherein the input element is a first element, wherein the client workstation is a first client workstation communicating on a first virtual local area network, wherein the virtual server is a first virtual server, wherein the user input is a first user input, wherein the failover event is a first failover event, and further comprising:

hosting, by the first physical server, a second virtual server associated with a third physical server, wherein the first physical server hosts the first virtual server and the second virtual server simultaneously;

presenting, by the first physical server, a second page to a second client workstation communicating on a second local area network, wherein the second page depicts a second input element, wherein the second input element is programmed to receive a second user input;

receiving, by the first physical server, the second user input from the second client workstation;

configuring, by the first physical server, the second virtual server based on the second user input; and

switching, by the first physical server, the second virtual server with the third physical server based on the second user input in response to a second failover event.

15. The method of claim 8, wherein the configuring includes calling a hardware component directly, wherein the second physical server includes the hardware component.

16. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

generating, by the first physical server, a configuration for the second physical server based on the user input, wherein the configuring is based on the configuration.

17. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

presenting, by the first physical server, a status of the set of active data as replicated to the client workstation.

18. The method of claim 8, wherein the user input is a first user input, and further comprising:

receiving, by the first physical server, a second user input from the client workstation;

searching, by the first physical server, the set of active data as replicated based on the second user input; and

presenting, by the first physical server, a result for the searching to the client workstation.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the searching is over a defined time period.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein the second user input includes a data type, wherein the result is based on the data type.

21. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

interpreting, by the first physical server, the set of active data as replicated and archived based on a rule, wherein the user input includes the rule; and

presenting, by the first physical server, a report to the client workstation based on the interpreting.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the interpreting includes comparing the set of active data as replicated with a set of data on the second physical server, wherein the set of active data is sourced from the set of data, wherein the report is informative of a degree of replication of the set of data.

23. The method of claim 21, further comprising:

stamping, by the first physical server, the report with a date stamp;

archiving, by the first physical server, the report with the date stamp; and

making, the by the first physical server, the report with the date stamp searchable, wherein the presenting is based on the making.

24. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

generating, by the first physical server, a colored indicator of a status of the virtual server;

presenting, by the first physical server, the colored indicator to the client workstation.

25. The method of claim 8, wherein the configuring is logged on the first physical server.

26. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

writing, by the first physical server, a state of the virtual server periodically into an action log.

27. The method of claim 26, further comprising:

reading, by the first physical server, the action log;

identifying, by the first physical server, a corrective action based on the reading;

generating, by the first physical server, a message informative of the corrective action; and

presenting, by the first physical server, the message on the client workstation.

28. The method of claim 8, wherein the user input is a first user input, and further comprising:

receiving, by the first physical server, a second user input from the client workstation, wherein the second user input includes a set of symbols and a rule;

associating, by the first physical server, the rule with the set of symbols and the virtual server;

facilitating, by the first physical server, a communication based on the set of symbols responsive to the rule being triggered on the first physical server.

29. The method of claim 8, wherein the virtual server replicates the set of active data based on a block level replication technique.

30. The method of claim 8, wherein the virtual server replicates the set of active data based on at least one of a compression type parameter, a timing parameter, or a location parameter.

31. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

creating, by the first physical server, the virtual server based on a server definition formed from a logic executed via the second physical server, wherein the hosting is based on the creating.

32. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

hosting, by the first physical server, a control logic for the virtual server after a validation thereof, wherein the control logic enables a control action for the virtual server, wherein the control action enables at least one of a pause of the virtual server, a start of the virtual server, a stop of the virtual server, an image of the virtual server, a rebuilding of the virtual server, a run in a failover state of the virtual server, or a failback of the virtual server.

33. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

archiving, by the first physical server, the set of active data from the virtual server to a third server according to an archive definition formed based on a logic executed on the second physical server.

34. The method of claim 33, wherein the archiving defines at least one of an information level or a time-line at which data should be archived which is at least one of balanced or factored against a data management capability of the third server.

35. The method of claim 33, wherein the first physical server defines a rule for the set of active data as archived on the third server based on a logic executed on the second physical server.

36. The method of claim 35, wherein the rule defines at least one of how long the set of active data as archived should be kept on the third server or how much of the set of active data as archived should be kept on the third server.

37. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

enabling, by the first physical server, the client workstation to test a virtual private network connectivity between the second physical server and the first physical server based on a packet sent through a virtual private network tunnel to the virtual server.

38. The method of claim 8, wherein the virtual server does not replicate an application layer within the second physical server.

39. The method of claim 8, wherein the virtual server replicates based on a replication engine that is swappable.

40. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

copying, by the first physical server, the set of active data as replicated onto a third server as the virtual server replicates the set of active data.