Method and system for simplifying distributed server management
First Claim
1. A method comprising:
- providing through a graphical user interface (GUI) a representation of a plurality of servers as a single virtual server, the representation of the single virtual server implemented by a virtual server client and a plurality of virtual server agents, each server of the plurality of servers running a respective virtual server agent of the plurality of virtual server agents, and a first server of the plurality of servers having an operating system that differs from a second server of the plurality of servers;
receiving via the GUI a system call that requests a service from an operating system of at least one of the plurality of servers, the system call being provided via the GUI by a user with an authenticated identity for the GUI;
transmitting the system call to a first respective virtual server agent for the first server and to a second respective virtual server agent for the second server;
the first respective virtual server agent selecting a first local user identity for the first server based on a role associated with the authenticated identity;
the second respective virtual server agent selecting a second local user identity for the second server based on the role associated with the authenticated identity; and
executing the system call using the first local user identity on the first server and using the second local user identity on the second server.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method and system for managing a large number of servers and their server components distributed throughout a heterogeneous computing environment is provided. In one embodiment, an authenticated user, such as a IT system administrator, can securely and simultaneously control and configure multiple servers, supporting different operating systems, through a “virtual server.” A virtual server is an abstract model representing a collection of actual target servers. To represent multiple physical servers as one virtual server, abstract system calls that extend execution of operating-system-specific system calls to multiple servers, regardless of their supported operating systems, are used. A virtual server is implemented by a virtual server client and a collection of virtual server agents associated with a collection of actual servers.
241 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A method comprising:
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providing through a graphical user interface (GUI) a representation of a plurality of servers as a single virtual server, the representation of the single virtual server implemented by a virtual server client and a plurality of virtual server agents, each server of the plurality of servers running a respective virtual server agent of the plurality of virtual server agents, and a first server of the plurality of servers having an operating system that differs from a second server of the plurality of servers; receiving via the GUI a system call that requests a service from an operating system of at least one of the plurality of servers, the system call being provided via the GUI by a user with an authenticated identity for the GUI; transmitting the system call to a first respective virtual server agent for the first server and to a second respective virtual server agent for the second server; the first respective virtual server agent selecting a first local user identity for the first server based on a role associated with the authenticated identity; the second respective virtual server agent selecting a second local user identity for the second server based on the role associated with the authenticated identity; and executing the system call using the first local user identity on the first server and using the second local user identity on the second server. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A system comprising:
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a virtual server management system running a virtual server client; and a plurality of servers each running a respective virtual server agent, wherein a first server of the plurality of servers has an operating system that differs from a second server of the plurality of servers, wherein the virtual server management system includes instructions that, when executed by at least one processor, cause the virtual server management system to perform operations including; receiving via a graphical user interface (GUI) a system command that requests a service from an operating system of at least one of the plurality of servers, the system command being provided via the GUI by a user with an authenticated identity for the virtual server management system, and transmitting, by the virtual server client, the system command to at least some of the plurality of servers, and wherein each respective virtual server agent includes instructions that, when executed by at least one processor of its respective server of the plurality of servers, cause the respective virtual server agent to perform operations including; receiving the system command, mapping the authenticated identity to a local user identity for the respective server of the plurality of servers, the mapping being based on a role associated with the authenticated identity, and executing the system command on the respective server using the local user identity. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification