Patent Application
20100275200
This disclosure relates generally to information handling systems, and more particularly relates to an interface for virtual machine administration in a virtual desktop infrastructure.
As the value and use of information continues to increase, individuals and businesses seek additional ways to process and store information. One option is an information handling system. An information handling system generally processes, compiles, stores, and/or communicates information or data for business, personal, or other purposes. Because technology and information handling needs and requirements can vary between different applications, information handling systems can also vary regarding what information is handled, how the information is handled, how much information is processed, stored, or communicated, and how quickly and efficiently the information can be processed, stored, or communicated. The variations in information handling systems allow for information handling systems to be general or configured for a specific user or specific use such as financial transaction processing, airline reservations, enterprise data storage, or global communications. In addition, information handling systems can include a variety of hardware and software components that can be configured to process, store, and communicate information and can include one or more computer systems, data storage systems, and networking systems.
A virtual desktop infrastructure (VDI) solution enables virtualized personal computers (PCs) and computer desktops to run as virtual client desktops on virtualization servers located inside a data center. These virtualization servers host and connect the virtual client desktop to, in many cases, a thin client. A thin client is an endpoint for attaching user peripherals, such as the monitor, mouse, and keyboard.
It will be appreciated that for simplicity and clarity of illustration, elements illustrated in the Figures have not necessarily been drawn to scale. For example, the dimensions of some of the elements are exaggerated relative to other elements. Embodiments incorporating teachings of the present disclosure are shown and described with respect to the drawings presented herein, in which:
The use of the same reference symbols in different drawings indicates similar or identical items.
The following description in combination with the Figures is provided to assist in understanding the teachings disclosed herein. The following discussion will focus on specific implementations and embodiments of the teachings. This focus is provided to assist in describing the teachings and should not be interpreted as a limitation on the scope or applicability of the teachings. However, other teachings can certainly be utilized in this application.
Server cluster network 100 includes client nodes 102, a LAN or WAN node 104, server nodes 106, and a control node 108. The servers 106 include virtual machines 110, a virtualization layer 112, and a virtual resource manager 114. The control node 108 includes a virtual data center manager 116 and a virtual machine manager 118. The client nodes 102 are coupled to the LAN or WAN node 104, which in turn is coupled to the server nodes 106, such as Server Node A, Server Node B, and Server Node C, and to the control node 108.
The servers 106 can perform any server function and may comprise, for example, data servers, application servers, or web servers. Each of the server nodes 106 will be referred to herein as physical nodes or servers to contrast these nodes with the virtual machines 110 running on each of the servers. The virtualization layer 112 separates the hardware and software of the physical server that supports the virtual machines 110 running on the server 106. The virtualization layer 112 includes the hardware of the server 106, the operating system of the server, and the virtual system software that runs on the operating system of the server and supports each virtual machine 110 of the server. As indicated in each of the servers 106, the virtual machine 110 is supported by and communicates with the virtualization layer 112.
The virtual resource manager 114 controls the amount of physical resources of the server 106 that are being allocated to each of the virtual machines 110 hosted by the server. These physical resources that are rationed by the virtual resource manager 114 include the processing capacity of the processor or processors of the server 106 and the memory of the server 106. The virtual resource manager 114 also maintains a record of the resource utilization requirements of each virtual machine 110 of the associated server 106. The resource requirement of each virtual machine 110 of a server 106 is the maximum amount of resources that, depending on the operational status of the virtual machine, could be consumed by the virtual machine. The virtual resource manager 114 is also able to identify the total resource utilization of the server 106. The total resource utilization of a server 106 is a snapshot of the resource utilization of the server. The total resource utilization of a server 106 can be expressed as a percentage of the maximum possible resource utilization of the server. Each virtual machine 110 is able to exchange data with the virtual resource manager 114 of the server 106. Also, each virtual machine 110 and the virtual resource manager 114 of the server 106 communicate with the virtualization layer 112 of the server.
The virtual data center manager 116 of the control node 108 operates in a centrally accessible location in server cluster network 100 and receives from each of the virtual resource managers 114 of each of the servers 106 (a) the resource utilization requirements of each of the virtual machines 110 within server cluster network and (b) the total resource utilization of each server. The resource utilization requirements of each virtual machine 110 and the total resource utilization of each server 106 comprise a global resource map that identifies for the virtual data center manager 116 the resources required by each of the virtual machines and the resources currently being consumed by each of the physical servers of the computer network. The virtual machine manager 118 communicates with the virtual data center manager 116 and upon receiving a command from virtual data center manager, is operable to migrate a virtual machine 110 from a first physical server to a second physical server.
The clients 102 can be endpoints of the VDI 200 for attaching user peripherals, such as a monitor, a mouse, and/or a keyboard. The connection brokers 202 can provide the clients 102 with access to the virtualization servers 106, the storage database 204, and the virtual machines 110. The virtualization servers 106 can perform the processing functions for the clients 102 via the virtual machines 110, and each of the virtual machines can be assigned to one of the clients. The virtual desktop interface 206 can perform maintenance on the virtual machines 110, can assign different virtual machines to different clients 102, can provide trouble tickets to information technology (IT) administrators, and the like. If a trouble ticket is submitted, the IT administrator can review the trouble ticket and then can access the virtual client desktop and the virtualization servers to correct the problem with the virtual client desktop. The IT administrator can also set different request authorization levels in the virtual desktop interface 206. For example, the different request authorization levels can be which requests associated with the clients 102 and the virtual machines 110 can be handled by the user via the client 102 and the virtual desktop interface 206, and which requests can be approved by the IT administrator of the VDI 200. The different requests can be implemented automatically in the virtual desktop interface 206 through hardware, software, or any combination of hardware and software.
A user can log into the client 102 and can use the client to access the virtualization servers 106 and the storage database 204 via one of the connection brokers 202. The client 102 can only access the resources of the virtualization servers 106 and the storage database 204 available through the virtual machine 110 assigned to the client. The virtual machine 110 can be displayed as a desktop image on the client 102. The desktop image can include the applications, the storage, and the processing capacity available to the virtual machine 110 of the client 102. Thus, as the user logs into the client 102, the desktop image of the virtual machine 110 can be displayed to the user.
The user can make an upgrade request to the virtual desktop interface 206 such that the client 102 can be allocated more resources, such as higher processing, more memory reservations, and the like. Depending on the upgrade request, the virtual desktop interface 206 can either allow the upgrade automatically, or can submit an upgrade ticket to be reviewed for approval by the IT administrator. For example, if the computing power of the current virtual machine 110 is not sufficient, the user may want to switch to a different virtual machine having more processing power. In this situation, the virtual desktop interface 206 can submit an upgrade ticket to be approved by the IT administrator. However, if the upgrade request is for a larger memory reservation of the storage database 204, the virtual desktop interface 206 can automatically roll over the client 102 to a new virtual machine 110 that is allocated the necessary amount of storage space with approval from the IT administrator.
The user can also access the virtual desktop interface 206 to request a snapshot of the current desktop image for the client 102. The virtual desktop interface 206 can store the desktop image as a separate virtual machine 110 of the virtualization servers 106. Thus, the virtual desktop interface 206 uses the snapshot to create a new virtual machine 110 with the same resource requirements of the server 106, such as the same processing capacity and the same memory reservations, as the current virtual machine. After having a stored snapshot of the desktop image, if the desktop image becomes damaged, the user may use the virtual desktop interface 206 to discard the current desktop image and to roll over to the previously saved snapshot of the client desktop image without losing data.
The desktop image may become corrupted or otherwise encounter a problem that prevents the user from accessing the virtualization server 106 through the virtual machine 110. In this situation, the user can make a maintenance request for the desktop image of the client 102. The maintenance request can be sent from the client 102 to the virtual desktop interface 206. Depending on the maintenance request, the virtual desktop interface 206 can either fix the problem with the desktop image, or can submit a trouble ticket to be reviewed for approval by the IT administrator. For example, if the maintenance request is for a new desktop image associated with the a different virtual machine 110, the virtual desktop interface 206 can automatically discard the virtual machine associated with the client and can assign a new virtual machine and desktop image with the same resources to the client 102 or can roll the desktop image over to a stored desktop image snapshot.
The user of the client 120 can either make a maintenance request via the maintenance menu 318 of the menu tool bar 302 or by pressing the select button 322 of the maintenance buttons 306. The user can use the directional arrows 324 to highlight one of the options within the selection menu 326. Upon highlighting the desired option, the user can press the select button 322 and send the request to the virtual desktop interface 206. Alternatively, the user can utilize a mouse or another pointing device to drop down the maintenance menu 314. The user can then select one of the options within the maintenance menu 314, and then send the request to the virtual desktop interface 206.
The authorization of the snapshot is received prior to storing the snapshot at block 412. At block 414, a problem is detected with the first user virtual machine desktop. The first user virtual desktop is discarded in response to detecting the problem with the first user virtual machine desktop at block 416. At block 418, a second user virtual machine desktop is started up upon discarding the first user virtual machine desktop. An additional resources request is received at block 420. At block 422 the client is switched to a virtual machine containing additional resources in response to the additional resource request.
In a networked deployment, the computer system may operate in the capacity of a server or as a client user computer in a server-client user network environment, or as a peer computer system in a peer-to-peer (or distributed) network environment. The computer system 600 can also be implemented as or incorporated into various devices, such as a personal computer (PC), a tablet PC, a set-top box (STB), a personal digital assistant (PDA), a mobile device, a palmtop computer, a laptop computer, a desktop computer, a communications device, a wireless telephone, a land-line telephone, a control system, a camera, a scanner, a facsimile machine, a printer, a pager, a personal trusted device, a web appliance, a network router, switch or bridge, or any other machine capable of executing a set of instructions (sequential or otherwise) that specify actions to be taken by that machine. In a particular embodiment, the computer system 600 can be implemented using electronic devices that provide voice, video or data communication. Further, while a single computer system 600 is illustrated, the term “system” shall also be taken to include any collection of systems or sub-systems that individually or jointly execute a set, or multiple sets, of instructions to perform one or more computer functions.
The computer system 600 may include a processor 602, e.g., a central processing unit (CPU), a graphics processing unit (GPU), or both. Moreover, the computer system 600 can include a main memory 604 and a static memory 606 that can communicate with each other via a bus 608. As shown, the computer system 600 may further include a video display unit 610, such as a liquid crystal display (LCD), an organic light emitting diode (OLED), a flat panel display, a solid state display, or a cathode ray tube (CRT). Additionally, the computer system 600 may include an input device 612, such as a keyboard, and a cursor control device 614, such as a mouse. The computer system 600 can also include a disk drive unit 616, a signal generation device 618, such as a speaker or remote control, and a network interface device 620.
In a particular embodiment, as depicted in
In an alternative embodiment, dedicated hardware implementations such as application specific integrated circuits, programmable logic arrays and other hardware devices can be constructed to implement one or more of the methods described herein. Applications that may include the apparatus and systems of various embodiments can broadly include a variety of electronic and computer systems. One or more embodiments described herein may implement functions using two or more specific interconnected hardware modules or devices with related control and data signals that can be communicated between and through the modules, or as portions of an application-specific integrated circuit. Accordingly, the present system encompasses software, firmware, and hardware implementations.
In accordance with various embodiments of the present disclosure, the methods described herein may be implemented by software programs executable by a computer system. Further, in an exemplary, non-limited embodiment, implementations can include distributed processing, component/object distributed processing, and parallel processing. Alternatively, virtual computer system processing can be constructed to implement one or more of the methods or functionality as described herein.
The present disclosure contemplates a computer-readable medium that includes instructions 624 or receives and executes instructions 624 responsive to a propagated signal, so that a device connected to a network 626 can communicate voice, video or data over the network 626. Further, the instructions 624 may be transmitted or received over the network 626 via the network interface device 620.
While the computer-readable medium is shown to be a single medium, the term “computer-readable medium” includes a single medium or multiple media, such as a centralized or distributed database, and/or associated caches and servers that store one or more sets of instructions. The term “computer-readable medium” shall also include any medium that is capable of storing, encoding or carrying a set of instructions for execution by a processor or that cause a computer system to perform any one or more of the methods or operations disclosed herein.
In a particular non-limiting, exemplary embodiment, the computer-readable medium can include a solid-state memory such as a memory card or other package that houses one or more non-volatile read-only memories. Further, the computer-readable medium can be a random access memory or other volatile re-writable memory. Additionally, the computer-readable medium can include a magneto-optical or optical medium, such as a disk or tapes or other storage device to capture carrier wave signals such as a signal communicated over a transmission medium. A digital file attachment to an e-mail or other self-contained information archive or set of archives may be considered a distribution medium that is equivalent to a tangible storage medium. Accordingly, the disclosure is considered to include any one or more of a computer-readable medium or a distribution medium and other equivalents and successor media, in which data or instructions may be stored.
Although only a few exemplary embodiments have been described in detail above, those skilled in the art will readily appreciate that many modifications are possible in the exemplary embodiments without materially departing from the novel teachings and advantages of the embodiments of the present disclosure. Accordingly, all such modifications are intended to be included within the scope of the embodiments of the present disclosure as defined in the following claims. In the claims, means-plus-function clauses are intended to cover the structures described herein as performing the recited function and not only structural equivalents, but also equivalent structures.
