System and method for distributed management of shared computers

• US 7,406,517 B2
• Filed: 11/01/2004
• Issued: 07/29/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 10/24/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Zhigu Holdings Limited
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Tabbara, Bassam, Hunt, Galen C., Welland, Robert V., Hydrie, Aamer, Stutz, David S., Levi, Steven P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Kang; Paul H
• Application Number:
  US10/978,873
• Publication Number:
  US 20050097147A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,366 Days
• Field of Search: 709/223, 709/224, 709/220, 709/249, 709/229, 709/226, 709223- 4, 714/2, 714/4
• US Class Current: 709/224
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/042 comprising distributed management centres cooperatively managing the network
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0659 by isolating or reconfiguring faulty entities
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0661 by reconfiguring faulty entities
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/06 for supporting key management in a packet data network cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for key management H04L9/08
• 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 multi-tiered server management architecture is employed including an application development tier, an application operations tier, and a cluster operations tier. In the application development tier, applications are developed for execution on one or more server computers. In the application operations tier, execution of the applications is managed and sub-boundaries within a cluster of servers can be established. In the cluster operations tier, operation of the server computers is managed without concern for what applications are executing on the one or more server computers and boundaries between clusters of servers can be established. The multi-tiered server management architecture can also be employed in co-location facilities where clusters of servers are leased to tenants, with the tenants implementing the application operations tier and the facility owner (or operator) implementing the cluster operations tier.

Claims

1. A computer implemented method comprising:

establishing boundaries between a first cluster of computers for a first entity and a second cluster of computers for a second entity housed at a co-location facility, wherein the boundaries are established by a cluster operations management console at the co-location facility;

establishing sub-boundaries within the first cluster, wherein the sub-boundaries are defined by an application operation management console located remote of the co-location facility;

monitoring hardware operations and software operations of the first cluster, wherein the hardware operation of the first cluster is monitored by the cluster operations management console and the software operation of the first cluster is independently monitored by the application operation management console;

detecting a hardware failure in one of the computers in the first cluster at the cluster operation management console; and

performing an act, in response to detecting the hardware failure, to correct the hardware failure.

2. A computer implemented method as recited in claim 1, wherein the act comprises notifying a co-location facility administrator of the failure.

3. A computer implemented method as recited in claim 1, wherein the act comprises resetting the computer that includes the hardware that failed.

4. A computer implemented method as recited in claim 1, wherein the hardware operation includes one or more of:

mass storage device operation, memory device operation, and network interface operation, and processor operation.

5. A computer implemented method as recited in claim 1, further comprising configuring each computer in the first cluster to impose boundaries preventing a plurality of other computers that are not part of the first cluster from accessing the one or more computers in the first cluster.

6. One or more computer-readable memories containing a computer program that is executable by a processor to perform the method recited in claim 1.

7. A computer implemented method comprising:

establishing boundaries between a first cluster of computers for a first entity and a second cluster of computers for a second entity housed at a co-location facility, wherein the boundaries are established by a cluster operations management console at the co-location facility;

establishing sub-boundaries within the first cluster, wherein the sub-boundaries are defined by an application operation management console located remote of the co-location facility;

monitoring hardware operation and software operations of the first cluster of computers, wherein the hardware operation of the first cluster is monitored by the cluster operations management console and the software operation of the first cluster is independently monitored by the application operation management console;

detecting a software failure in one of the computers in the first cluster at the application operation management console; and

performing an act, in response to detecting the software failure, to correct the software failure.

8. A computer implemented method as recited in claim 7, wherein the act comprises notifying an administrator of the failure.

9. A computer implemented method as recited in claim 7, wherein the act comprises resetting the computer that executes the software that failed.

10. A computer implemented method as recited in claim 7, further comprising configuring the sub-boundaries prevent a first one or more computers within the first cluster from accessing a second one or more computers within the first cluster.

11. A computer implemented method as recited in claim 7, further comprising managing loading of a software component on one of the computers in the first cluster.

12. A computer implemented method as recited in claim 7, wherein the software failure comprises one or more of:

a hung application process, a hung thread, and an error in execution of an application process.

13. A computer implemented method as recited in claim 7, wherein the monitoring, detecting, and performing are implemented in a remote computer, and further comprising using public key cryptography to securely communicate between the remote computer and each computer in the first cluster of computers.

14. One or more computer-readable memories containing a computer program that is executable by a processor to perform the method recited in claim 7.

15. One or more computer-readable media having stored thereon a computer program that, when executed by one or more processors, causes the one or more processors to perform acts including:

establishing boundaries between a first cluster of computers for a first entity and a second cluster of computers for a second entity housed at a co-location facility, wherein the boundaries are established by a cluster operations management console at the co-location facility;

establishing sub-boundaries within the first cluster, wherein the sub-boundaries are defined by an application operation management console located remote of the co-location facility;

monitoring hardware operation and software operations of the first cluster of computers, wherein the hardware operation of the first cluster is monitored by the cluster operations management console and the software operation of the first cluster is independently monitored by the application operation management console;

taking corrective action in response to a failure in operation of software executing on one of the computers in the first cluster.

16. One or more computer-readable media as recited in claim 15, wherein the corrective action comprises notifying an administrator of the failure.

17. One or more computer-readable media as recited in claim 15, wherein the corrective action comprises resetting the computer that executes the software that failed.

18. One or more computer-readable media as recited in claim 15, wherein the failure in operation of the software comprises one or more of:

a hung application process, a hung thread, and an error in execution of an application process.