Enhanced Software Application Platform

• US 20130124807A1
• Filed: 11/13/2012
• Published: 05/16/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 11/14/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: CA, Inc. (d/b/a CA Technologies) (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: CA, Inc. (d/b/a CA Technologies) (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Inventors: Nielsen, Eric H., Blate, Alex B.
• Granted Patent: US 9,003,141 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 711/162
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1438 Restarting or rejuvenating
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1482 by means of middleware or OS functionality
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/20 using active fault-masking, e.g. by switching out faulty elements or by switching in spare elements
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0619 in relation to data integrity, e.g. data losses, bit errors
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/065 Replication mechanisms
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0665 at area level, e.g. provisioning of virtual or logical volumes
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0689 Disk arrays, e.g. RAID, JBOD
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/45558 Hypervisor-specific management and integration aspects
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/5077 Logical partitioning of resources; Management or configuration of virtualized resources specific details on emulation or internal functioning of virtual machines G06F9/455
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/54 Interprogram communication

Abstract

A system includes information for generating a first appliance based on first appliance information, information for generating a second appliance based on second appliance information, and information for configuring communication between the first appliance and the second appliance. The system further includes at least one processor configured to generate a first volume by copying the first appliance information using a first set of parameters associated with an environment in which the first volume is situated, and generate a second volume by copying the second appliance information using a second set of parameters associated with an environment in which the second volume is situated. The system also includes at least one processor configured to initiate a first appliance instance by executing code from the first volume using information in the third volume, and initiate a second appliance instance by executing code in the second volume using information in a fourth volume.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

at least one non-transitory computer readable storage medium comprising;

first appliance information;

second appliance information, the second appliance information different from the first appliance information; and

first application information comprising;

information for generating a first appliance based on the first appliance information;

information for generating a second appliance based on the second appliance information;

information for configuring communication between the first appliance and the second appliance;

a first identifier associated with a third volume; and

a second identifier associated with a fourth volume;

at least one processor configured to;

generate a first volume using the first application information and a first set of parameters, wherein generating the first volume comprises copying the first appliance information into the first volume, the first set of parameters associated with an environment in which the first volume is situated;

generate a second volume using the second application information and a second set of parameters, wherein generating the second volume comprises copying the second appliance information into the second volume, the second set of parameters associated with an environment in which the second volume is situated;

initiate a first appliance instance by executing code from the first volume using information in the third volume, the third volume configured to store user information, the third volume stored separately from the first volume and the second volume; and

initiate a second appliance instance by executing code in the second volume using information in a fourth volume, the fourth volume configured to store user information, the fourth volume stored separately from the first volume, the second volume, and the third volume.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one processor initiating the first appliance instance comprises:

detecting, using the first identifier, that the third volume does not exist; and

generating the third volume in response to determining that the third volume does not exist.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to store, in the third volume, user information generated in response to executing the code in the first volume.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to:

generate a fifth volume using the first application information and a third set of parameters, wherein generating the fifth volume comprises copying the first appliance information into the fifth volume, the third set of parameters associated with an environment in which the fifth volume is situated, the fifth volume stored separately from the first volume, the second volume, the third volume, and the fourth volume;

generate a sixth volume using the second application information and a fourth set of parameters, wherein generating the sixth volume comprises copying the second appliance information into the sixth volume, the fourth set of parameters associated with an environment in which the sixth volume is situated, the sixth volume stored separately from the first volume, the second volume, the third volume, the fourth volume, and the fifth volume;

initiate a third appliance instance by executing code from the fifth volume using information in a seventh volume, the seventh volume configured to store user information, the seventh volume stored separately from the first volume, the second volume, the third volume, the fourth volume, the fifth volume, and the sixth volume; and

initiate a fourth appliance instance by executing code in the fifth volume using information in an eighth volume, the eighth volume configured to store user information, the eighth volume stored separately from the first volume, the second volume, the third volume, the fourth volume, the fifth volume, the sixth volume, and the seventh volume;

wherein the first appliance instance and the second appliance instance are associated with a first application instance; and

wherein the third appliance instance and the fourth appliance instance are associated with a second application instance.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to:

generate a fifth volume using the first application information and a third set of parameters, wherein generating the fifth volume comprises copying the first appliance information into the fifth volume, the third set of parameters associated with an environment in which the fifth volume is situated, the fifth volume stored separately from the first volume, the second volume, the third volume, and the fourth volume;

generate a sixth volume using the second application information and a fourth set of parameters, wherein generating the sixth volume comprises copying the second appliance information into the sixth volume, the fourth set of parameters associated with an environment in which the sixth volume is situated, the sixth volume stored separately from the first volume, the second volume, the third volume, the fourth volume, and the fifth volume;

generate a seventh volume using the first appliance information, wherein the seventh volume comprises copy of the third volume, the seventh volume stored separately from the first volume, the second volume, the third volume, the fourth volume, the fifth volume, and the sixth volume;

generate an eighth volume using the second appliance information, wherein the eighth volume comprises a copy of the third volume, the eighth volume stored separately from the first volume, the second volume, the third volume, the fourth volume, the fifth volume, the sixth volume, and the seventh volume;

initiate a third appliance instance by executing code from the fifth volume using information in the seventh volume; and

initiate a fourth appliance instance by executing code in the fifth volume using information in the eighth volume.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to:

stop the first appliance instance;

modify the first appliance information;

modify, based on the first application information and the modified first appliance information, the first volume;

initiate the first appliance instance by executing code from the modified first volume using information in the third volume.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein:

the at least one non-transitory computer readable storage medium further comprises;

third appliance information, the third appliance information different from the first appliance information and the second appliance information; and

second application information comprising;

the information for generating the first appliance based on the first appliance information;

information for generating a third appliance based on the third appliance information;

information for configuring communication between the first appliance and the third appliance;

a third identifier associated with a seventh volume; and

a fourth identifier associated with an eighth volume;

the at least one processor is further configured to;

generate a fifth volume using the second application information and a third set of parameters, wherein generating the fifth volume comprises copying the first appliance information into the fifth volume, the third set of parameters associated with an environment in which the fifth volume is situated, the fifth volume stored separately from the first volume, the second volume, the third volume, and the fourth volume;

generate a sixth volume using the second application information and a fourth set of parameters, wherein generating the sixth volume comprises copying the third appliance information into the sixth volume, the fourth set of parameters associated with an environment in which the sixth volume is situated, the sixth volume stored separately from the first volume, the second volume, the third volume, the fourth volume, and the fifth volume;

initiate a third appliance instance by executing code from the fifth volume using information in the seventh volume, the seventh volume configured to store user information, the seventh volume stored separately from the first volume, the second volume, the third volume, the fourth volume, and the sixth volume; and

initiate a fourth appliance instance by executing code in the fifth volume using information in the eighth volume, the eighth volume configured to store user information, the eighth volume stored separately from the first volume, the second volume, the third volume, the fourth volume, the sixth volume, and the seventh volume.

8. A method executed by at least one processor, comprising:

accessing first application information, the first application information comprising;

information for generating a first appliance based on first appliance information;

information for generating a second appliance based on second appliance information different from the first appliance information;

information for configuring communication between the first appliance and the second appliance;

a first identifier associated with a third volume; and

a second identifier associated with a fourth volume;

generating a first volume using the first application information and a first set of parameters, wherein generating the first volume comprises copying the first appliance information into the first volume, the first set of parameters associated with an environment in which the first volume is situated;

generating a second volume using the second application information and a second set of parameters, wherein generating the second volume comprises copying the second appliance information into the second volume, the second set of parameters associated with an environment in which the second volume is situated;

initiating a first appliance instance by executing code from the first volume using information in the third volume, the third volume configured to store user information, the third volume stored separately from the first volume and the second volume; and

initiating a second appliance instance by executing code in the second volume using information in a fourth volume, the fourth volume configured to store user information, the fourth volume stored separately from the first volume, the second volume, and the third volume.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

detecting, using the first identifier, that the third volume does not exist; and

generating the third volume in response to determining that the third volume does not exist.

10. The method of claim 8, further comprising storing, in the third volume, user information generated in response to executing the code in the first volume.

11. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

generating a fifth volume using the first application information and a third set of parameters, wherein generating the fifth volume comprises copying the first appliance information into the fifth volume, the third set of parameters associated with an environment in which the fifth volume is situated, the fifth volume stored separately from the first volume, the second volume, the third volume, and the fourth volume;

generating a sixth volume using the second application information and a fourth set of parameters, wherein generating the sixth volume comprises copying the second appliance information into the sixth volume, the fourth set of parameters associated with an environment in which the sixth volume is situated, the sixth volume stored separately from the first volume, the second volume, the third volume, the fourth volume, and the fifth volume;

initiating a third appliance instance by executing code from the fifth volume using information in a seventh volume, the seventh volume configured to store user information, the seventh volume stored separately from the first volume, the second volume, the third volume, the fourth volume, and the sixth volume; and

initiating a fourth appliance instance by executing code in the fifth volume using information in an eighth volume, the eighth volume configured to store user information, the eighth volume stored separately from the first volume, the second volume, the third volume, the fourth volume, the sixth volume, and the seventh volume;

wherein the first appliance instance and the second appliance instance are associated with a first application instance; and

wherein the third appliance instance and the fourth appliance instance are associated with a second application instance.

12. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

generating a fifth volume using the first application information and a third set of parameters, wherein generating the fifth volume comprises copying the first appliance information into the fifth volume, the third set of parameters associated with an environment in which the fifth volume is situated, the fifth volume stored separately from the first volume, the second volume, the third volume, and the fourth volume;

generating a sixth volume using the second application information and a fourth set of parameters, wherein generating the sixth volume comprises copying the second appliance information into the sixth volume, the fourth set of parameters associated with an environment in which the sixth volume is situated, the sixth volume stored separately from the first volume, the second volume, the third volume, the fourth volume, and the fifth volume;

generating a seventh volume using the first appliance information, wherein the seventh volume comprises copy of the third volume, the seventh volume stored separately from the first volume, the second volume, the third volume, the fourth volume, the fifth volume, and the sixth volume;

generating an eighth volume using the second appliance information, wherein the eighth volume comprises a copy of the third volume, the eighth volume stored separately from the first volume, the second volume, the third volume, the fourth volume, the fifth volume, the sixth volume, and the seventh volume;

initiating a third appliance instance by executing code from the fifth volume using information in the seventh volume; and

initiating a fourth appliance instance by executing code in the fifth volume using information in the eighth volume.

13. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

stopping the first appliance instance;

modifying the first appliance information;

modifying, based on the first application information and the modified first appliance information, the first volume;

initiating the first appliance instance by executing code from the modified first volume using information in the third volume.

14. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

accessing second application information, the second application comprising;

information for generating a first appliance based on first appliance information;

information for generating a third appliance based on third appliance information different from the first appliance information and second appliance information;

information for configuring communication between the first appliance and the third appliance;

a third identifier associated with a seventh volume; and

a fourth identifier associated with an eighth volume;

generating a fifth volume using the second application information and a third set of parameters, wherein generating the fifth volume comprises copying the first appliance information into the fifth volume, the third set of parameters associated with an environment in which the fifth volume is situated, the fifth volume stored separately from the first volume, the second volume, the third volume, and the fourth volume;

generating a sixth volume using the second application information and a fourth set of parameters, wherein generating the sixth volume comprises copying the third appliance information into the sixth volume, the fourth set of parameters associated with an environment in which the sixth volume is situated, the sixth volume stored separately from the first volume, the second volume, the third volume, the fourth volume, and the fifth volume;

initiating a third appliance instance by executing code from the fifth volume using information in the seventh volume, the seventh volume configured to store user information, the seventh volume stored separately from the first volume, the second volume, the third volume, the fourth volume, and the sixth volume; and

initiating a fourth appliance instance by executing code in the fifth volume using information in the eighth volume, the eighth volume configured to store user information, the eighth volume stored separately from the first volume, the second volume, the third volume, the fourth volume, the sixth volume, and the seventh volume.

15. A computer program product comprising:

a computer readable storage medium having computer readable program code embodied therewith, the computer readable program code comprising;

computer readable program code configured to access first application information, the first application information comprising;

information for generating a first appliance based on first appliance information;

information for generating a second appliance based on second appliance information different from the first appliance information;

information for configuring communication between the first appliance and the second appliance;

a first identifier associated with a third volume; and

a second identifier associated with a fourth volume;

computer readable program code configured to generate a first volume using the first application information and a first set of parameters, wherein generating the first volume comprises copying the first appliance information into the first volume, the first set of parameters associated with an environment in which the first volume is situated;

computer readable program code configured to generate a second volume using the second application information and a second set of parameters, wherein generating the second volume comprises copying the second appliance information into the second volume, the second set of parameters associated with an environment in which the second volume is situated;

computer readable program code configured to initiate a first appliance instance by executing code from the first volume using information in the third volume, the third volume configured to store user information, the third volume stored separately from the first volume and the second volume; and

computer readable program code configured to initiate a second appliance instance by executing code in the second volume using information in a fourth volume, the fourth volume configured to store user information, the fourth volume stored separately from the first volume, the second volume, and the third volume.

16. The computer program product of claim 15, further comprising:

computer readable program code configured to detect, using the first identifier, that the third volume does not exist; and

computer readable program code configured to generate the third volume in response to determining that the third volume does not exist.

17. The computer program product of claim 15, further comprising computer readable program code configured to store, in the third volume, user information generated in response to executing the code in the first volume.

18. The computer program product of claim 15, further comprising:

computer readable program code configured to generate a fifth volume using the first application information and a third set of parameters, wherein generating the fifth volume comprises copying the first appliance information into the fifth volume, the third set of parameters associated with an environment in which the fifth volume is situated, the fifth volume stored separately from the first volume, the second volume, the third volume, and the fourth volume;

computer readable program code configured to generate a sixth volume using the second application information and a fourth set of parameters, wherein generating the sixth volume comprises copying the second appliance information into the sixth volume, the fourth set of parameters associated with an environment in which the sixth volume is situated, the sixth volume stored separately from the first volume, the second volume, the third volume, the fourth volume, and the fifth volume;

computer readable program code configured to initiate a third appliance instance by executing code from the fifth volume using information in a seventh volume, the seventh volume configured to store user information, the seventh volume stored separately from the first volume, the second volume, the third volume, the fourth volume, and the sixth volume; and

computer readable program code configured to initiate a fourth appliance instance by executing code in the fifth volume using information in an eighth volume, the eighth volume configured to store user information, the eighth volume stored separately from the first volume, the second volume, the third volume, the fourth volume, the sixth volume, and the seventh volume;

wherein the first appliance instance and the second appliance instance are associated with a first application instance; and

wherein the third appliance instance and the fourth appliance instance are associated with a second application instance.

19. The computer program product of claim 15, further comprising:

computer readable program code configured to generate a fifth volume using the first application information and a third set of parameters, wherein generating the fifth volume comprises copying the first appliance information into the fifth volume, the third set of parameters associated with an environment in which the fifth volume is situated, the fifth volume stored separately from the first volume, the second volume, the third volume, and the fourth volume;

computer readable program code configured to generate a sixth volume using the second application information and a fourth set of parameters, wherein generating the sixth volume comprises copying the second appliance information into the sixth volume, the fourth set of parameters associated with an environment in which the sixth volume is situated, the sixth volume stored separately from the first volume, the second volume, the third volume, the fourth volume, and the fifth volume;

computer readable program code configured to generate a seventh volume using the first appliance information, wherein the seventh volume comprises copy of the third volume, the seventh volume stored separately from the first volume, the second volume, the third volume, the fourth volume, the fifth volume, and the sixth volume;

computer readable program code configured to generate an eighth volume using the second appliance information, wherein the eighth volume comprises a copy of the third volume, the eighth volume stored separately from the first volume, the second volume, the third volume, the fourth volume, the fifth volume, the sixth volume, and the seventh volume;

computer readable program code configured to initiate a third appliance instance by executing code from the fifth volume using information in the seventh volume; and

computer readable program code configured to initiate a fourth appliance instance by executing code in the fifth volume using information in the eighth volume.

20. The computer program product of claim 15, further comprising:

computer readable program code configured to stop the first appliance instance;

computer readable program code configured to modify the first appliance information;

computer readable program code configured to modify, based on the first application information and the modified first appliance information, the first volume;

computer readable program code configured to initiate the first appliance instance by executing code from the modified first volume using information in the third volume.

21. The computer program product of claim 15, further comprising:

computer readable program code configured to access second application information, the second application comprising;

information for generating a first appliance based on first appliance information;

information for generating a third appliance based on third appliance information different from the first appliance information and second appliance information;

information for configuring communication between the first appliance and the third appliance;

a third identifier associated with a seventh volume; and

a fourth identifier associated with an eighth volume;

computer readable program code configured to generate a fifth volume using the second application information and a third set of parameters, wherein generating the fifth volume comprises copying the first appliance information into the fifth volume, the third set of parameters associated with an environment in which the fifth volume is situated, the fifth volume stored separately from the first volume, the second volume, the third volume, and the fourth volume;

computer readable program code configured to generate a sixth volume using the second application information and a fourth set of parameters, wherein generating the sixth volume comprises copying the third appliance information into the sixth volume, the fourth set of parameters associated with an environment in which the sixth volume is situated, the sixth volume stored separately from the first volume, the second volume, the third volume, the fourth volume, and the fifth volume;

computer readable program code configured to initiate a third appliance instance by executing code from the fifth volume using information in the seventh volume, the seventh volume configured to store user information, the seventh volume stored separately from the first volume, the second volume, the third volume, the fourth volume, and the sixth volume; and

computer readable program code configured to initiate a fourth appliance instance by executing code in the fifth volume using information in the eighth volume, the eighth volume configured to store user information, the eighth volume stored separately from the first volume, the second volume, the third volume, the fourth volume, the sixth volume, and the seventh volume.