Data upgrade framework for distributed systems

• US 10,579,366 B2
• Filed: 09/16/2013
• Issued: 03/03/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 09/16/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nicira Incorporated (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Nicira Incorporated (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Inventors: Stribling, Jeremy
• Primary Examiner(s): Wathen, Brian W
• Application Number:
  US14/028,174
• Publication Number:
  US 20150082322A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,360 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/65 Updates security arrangements therefor G06F21/57
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/656 while running
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/541 via adapters, e.g. between incompatible applications

Abstract

Techniques for facilitating data upgrades in a distributed system are provided. In one embodiment, a first instance of a distributed application executing on a first node of a distributed system can receive a message from a second instance of the distributed application executing on a second node of the distributed system. The first instance of the distributed application can then determine, via logic included in application code generated by an interface definition language (IDL) compiler, whether the message can be natively understood. If the message cannot be natively understood, the first instance of the distributed application can invoke a translation service for translating the message.

Claims

1. A method for facilitating data upgrades in a distributed system, the method comprising:

before updating a first instance of a distributed application executing on a first node of the distributed system from an older version to a new version, deploying a translation service, which is packaged with a first plugin for translating message formats from the new version to the older version and a second plugin for translating message formats from the older version to the new version, on the first node, wherein the translation service is separate from the first instance of the distributed application;

receiving, by the first instance of the distributed application executing on the first node of the distributed system, a message from a second instance of the distributed application executing on a second node of the distributed system;

determining, by the first instance, whether the message can be natively understood, the determining being performed via logic that is included in interface description language (IDL)-generated code of the distributed application; and

if the message cannot be natively understood, invoking, by the first instance, the translation service deployed on the first node to use the first plugin for translating the message from the new version to the older version or to use the second plugin for translating the message from the older version to the new version.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the message is received in serialized form, and wherein the logic is included in a deserialization function of the IDL-generated code.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the logic is created via a program that post processes the IDL-generated code.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the logic is created as part of a process of generating the IDL-generated code.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein determining whether the message can be natively understood comprises:

determining a message type identifier and a message version number included in the message; and

comparing the message type identifier and the message version number with an expected message type identifier and an expected message version number associated with the first instance.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein the message is a top-level message that includes one or more nested messages, and wherein the message type identifier and the message version number are associated solely with the top-level message.

7. The method of claim 5 wherein the second instance of the distributed application is configured to verify that the message includes the message type identifier and the message version number prior to transmitting the message.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein, if the message can be natively understood, the message is processed by the first instance without translation.

9. The method of claim 1 further comprising, subsequently to the invoking:

selecting, by the translation service, a plugin from a plurality of plugins registered with the translation service, the selected plugin being suitable for translating the message; and

invoking, by the translation service, the selected plugin.

10. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium having stored thereon computer software corresponding to a distributed application, the computer software embodying a method that, when executed on a first node of a distributed system, comprises:

before updating the computer software executing on the first node of the distributed system from an older version to a new version, deploying a translation service, which is packaged with a first plugin for translating message formats from the new version to the older version and a second plugin for translating message formats from the older version to the new version, on the first node, wherein the translation service is separate from the computer software;

receiving a message from an instance of the distributed application executing on a second node of the distributed system;

determining, via logic included in interface description language (IDL)-generated code, whether the message can be natively understood; and

if the message version number cannot be natively understood, invoking the translation service deployed on the first node to use the first plugin for translating the message from the new version to the older version or to use the second plugin for translating the message from the older version to the new version.

11. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 10 wherein the message is received in serialized form, and wherein the logic is included in a deserialization function of the IDL-generated code.

12. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 10 wherein the logic is created via a program that post processes the IDL-generated code.

13. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 10 wherein the logic is created as part of a process of generating the IDL-generated code.

14. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 10 wherein determining whether the message can be natively understood comprises:

determining a message type identifier and a message version number included in the message; and

comparing the message type identifier and the message version number with an expected message type identifier and an expected message version number.

15. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 14 wherein the message is a top-level message that includes one or more nested messages, and wherein the message type identifier and the message version number are associated solely with the top-level message.

16. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 14 wherein the instance of the distributed application executing on the second node is configured to verify that the message includes the message type identifier and the message version number prior to transmitting the message.

17. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 10 wherein, if the message can be natively understood, the message is processed without translation.

18. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 10 wherein, subsequently to the invoking, the translation service:

selects a plugin from a plurality of plugins registered with the translation service, the selected plugin being suitable for translating the message; and

invokes the selected plugin.

19. A computer system comprising:

a processor; and

a non-transitory computer readable medium having stored thereon computer software corresponding to a distributed application, the computer software causing the processor to, upon being executed;

before updating the computer software from an older version to a new version, deploying a translation service, which is packaged with a first plugin for translating message formats from the new version to the older version and a second plugin for translating message formats from the older version to the new version, on the computer system, wherein the translation service is separate from the computer software;

receive a message from an instance of the distributed application executing on another computer system;

determine, via logic included in interface description language (IDL)-generated code, whether the message can be natively understood; and

if the message cannot be natively understood, invoke the translation service deployed on the first node to use the first plugin for translating the message from the new version to the older version or to use the second plugin for translating message formats the message from the older version to the new version.

20. The computer system of claim 19 wherein the message is received in serialized form, and wherein the logic is included in a deserialization function of the IDL-generated code.

21. The computer system of claim 19 wherein the logic is created via a program that post processes the IDL-generated code.

22. The computer system of claim 19 wherein the logic is created as part of a process of generating the IDL-generated code.

23. The computer system of claim 19 wherein determining whether the message can be natively understood comprises:

determining a message type identifier and a message version number included in the message; and

comparing the message type identifier and the message version number with an expected message type identifier and an expected message version number.

24. The computer system of claim 23 wherein the message is a top-level message that includes one or more nested messages, and wherein the message type identifier and the message version number are associated solely with the top-level message.

25. The computer system of claim 23 wherein the instance of the distributed application executing on said another computer system is configured to verify that the message includes the message type identifier and the message version number prior to transmitting the message.

26. A method for facilitating data upgrades in a distributed system, the method comprising:

before updating a first instance of a distributed application executing on a first node of the distributed system from an older version to a new version, deploying a translation service, which is packaged with a first plugin for translating message formats from the new version to the older version and a second plugin for translating message formats from the older version to the new version, on the first node, wherein the translation service is separate from the first instance of the distributed application;

receiving, by the first instance of the distributed application executing on the first node of the distributed system, a message from a second instance of the distributed application executing on a second node of the distributed system;

determining, by the first instance, whether the message can be natively understood, the determining being performed via logic that is included in interface description language (IDL)-generated code of the distributed application;

if the message cannot be natively understood, invoking, by the first instance, the translation service deployed on the first node to use the first plugin for translating the message from the new version to the older version or to use the second plugin for translating the message from the older version to the new version,

wherein determining whether the message can be natively understood comprises;

determining a message type identifier and a message version number included in the message; and

comparing the message type identifier and the message version number with an expected message type identifier and an expected message version number associated with the first instance, wherein the message is a top-level message that includes one or more nested messages, wherein the message type identifier and the message version number are associated solely with the top-level message and wherein the second instance of the distributed application is configured to verify that the message includes the message type identifier and the message version number prior to transmitting the message.