Server systems

Abstract

The present invention comprises a system for the control of multiple remote resources. A plurality of user stations, each comprising a keyboard, video screen and a mouse, communicate with a server management unit. The server management unit is comprised of a server chassis, matrix switch and a switch server. Remote resources are each connected to a port of a multiplexer or to a server interface. A user station connects to a remote resource by making a request to the server management unit. The switch server identifies the multiplexer or server interface port to which the resource is connected from a database. A request is made to a remote interface server connected to the multiplexer and server interfaces and the remote interface server connects the appropriate ports of the server management unit and the multiplexer or server interface.

Description

This invention relates to the control of computer systems with multiple resources, for example multiple servers.

There are many client/server systems which make use of a large number of servers; for example Internet Service providers, data warehouses, and software development laboratories. The management, control and maintenance of such multi-server systems can be complex and expensive.

One known arrangement is our FreeVision™ system, which is the subject of WO99/22294. This system enables workstations consisting only of video screen, keyboard and mouse to be connected to control any selected server using only serial signals over category 5 cabling. This system offers considerable advantages, but can only be used where the servers are capable of producing and handling keyboard-video-mouse (KVM) signals. One object of the present invention is to enable the provision of a system in which a user work station can communicate with and control any selected one of a number of “headless” servers which do not themselves provide video format signals.

More generally, the present invention is concerned with enabling a user operating in one format to communicate with a resource (which may be a server or another machine, or a software resource such as a database) operating in another format in a manner which is automatic and transparent to the user.

Accordingly, the present invention provides a data processing system including one or more user stations each capable of sending and receiving data in a first form; a plurality of resources each capable of sending and receiving data in a second form; at least one helper computer arranged to transform data between the first and second forms; and a multiplexer for connecting the helper computer, or one of the helper computers, between a user and a selected resource.

From another aspect, the invention provides a method of operating a data processing system, which system comprises one or more user stations each capable of sending and receiving data in a first form and a plurality of resources each capable of sending and receiving data in a second form; the method comprising:

• • detecting a request from a user station requesting the establishment of a connection with a desired resource;
  • establishing a connection between the user station and a helper computer; and
  • establishing a connection between the helper computer and the desired resource;
  • the helper computer being programmed to transform data between the first and second forms.

Preferred features and advantages of the invention will-be apparent from the following description and claims.

An embodiment of the invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the drawing, in which

FIG. 1 is a schematic block diagram of one system in accordance with the invention.

Referring to FIG. 1, the system includes a number of servers, nine of which are shown at 10. In practice, the system may include several hundred or more servers. The system also includes a number of user stations, one of which is shown at 12. In practice, there might be some tens of users. Each user station comprises a keyboard, a video screen, and a mouse, each of which communicates with an interface 20. The interface 20 permits keyboard-video-mouse (KVM) signals to pass to and from the user 10 via a path 22 using the FreeVision™ protocol.

It is desired to enable any user 12 to be connected with any server 10 in such a way that the user controls the selected server as though its keyboard, video screen and mouse were physically connected direct to the server. In this example, the servers 10 do not produce video signals in a displayable format such as VGA. The invention is based on interposing a helper computer between the user and the selected server to emulate the missing functions. It would, however, be unnecessarily complex and expensive to provide a computer for each server, or for each work station, and therefore a limited number of helper computers (which could be one, but will typically be single figures) is incorporated in the system so as to be efficiently used, as will now be explained.

Each of the servers 10 is connected to a respective port of a serial multiplexer (mux) 28. The serial mux 28 in this example is a fully non-blocking 16-to-many serial mux. It must be able to switch any serial port to any TCP/IP session. Suitable multiplexers to meet these criteria are well known in the art. Also connected to the serial mux 28 are a number of helper PCs, two of which are shown at 30, which in turn are connected to a server interface card 32.

The users 12 are connected via a user interface card 24 to a server management system (SMS) which consists of a switch formed by a matrix switch 27 and a server chassis 34, a switch server 26, and an SQL database 29 for the switch server 26.

The matrix switch 27 enables a given user port on the user interface card 24 to communicate with a given server port on the server interface card 32.

Matrix switches of this nature are known per se, and are available for example from CCC Network Systems of Farnborough, Hants, England and Belfast, Northern Ireland. The matrix switch 27 is similar to that described in WO99/22294.

The switch server 26 is also arranged to communicate by an appropriate protocol, in this embodiment TCP/IP, with the helper PCs 30 and with the serial mux's 28.

In a practical embodiment, there may be a large number of mux's such as 28, each of which will have up to 16 servers connected to it, and can have any of a number of PCs connected via TCP/IP.

When a user requests access to a particular server, the following sequence of events will be performed:

• (1) The switch server 26 identifies from the database 29 the mux 28 to which the requested server is connected.
• (2) The switch server 26 then makes a request for connection.
• (3) According to the availability of each PC, the system attempts to propagate the request to any PC in the pool of PCs.
• (4) Once a free PC has identified itself, the switch server 26 instructs the PC which mux and port to connect to, which connects the appropriate corns ports (provided not in use).
• (5) The selected PC is instructed to start a terminal session with a shell command, which may usefully be stored as a string in the database 29.
• (6) The PC confirms successful command execution, and the switch server 26 connects the user via the user interface card 24, the switch 27, 34, and the appropriate port of the server interface card 32.

To allow communication with the switch server 26, and to enable requests to be propagated amongst the PCs, each of the PCs contains an Ethernet card (or similar networking arrangement). Each PC also has socket listening software to accept requests from the SMS and to allow termination of the session at any time. Upon termination, all links can be broken.

The arrangement described with each PC returning its location or ID allows any number of helper PCs to be connected to the mux. A smaller number of PCs reduces cost and complexity, while a higher number minimises blocking. Expansion is simple, merely requiring an additional PC and additional data in the database. Any PC can connect to any mux via TCP/IP. Thus there is a flexible pool of resources.

The system as thus far described therefore enables any user to be connected to any desired server via a helper PC. The servers 10 in this embodiment are headless servers which do not provide formatted video signals and may not be organised to accept keyboard and mouse signals directly. The helper PC is therefore provided with terminal emulator software, so that the combination of the user workstation 12 and the terminal emulator acts as a fully featured terminal to control the selected server.

FIG. 1 also shows a server 110 which is capable of handling KVM signals, to illustrate that this can be connected directly to a port of the server interface card 34 without the intervention of a helper PC.

In the embodiment shown, the pathways labelled “KVM” carry KVM signals in analogue format. Other channels as shown operate in RS232. In a large system, this greatly simplifies cabling arrangements. However, other data transfer protocols may be used.

Our present preference is to use Linux as the PC operating system, as this avoids licensing restrictions and a large number of Unix terminal emulator programs are freely available. However, this preference is essentially commercial, and it will be appreciated that a wide choice of operating systems and emulator software would be suitable.

Thus, the PC and its installed software enable the user to interface with the server by proxy, and the PC may be referred to as a “proxy helper”. The same basic technique may be used to allow interfacing by proxy with resources other than servers, “resource” in this context being used to mean any machine or database. The proxy helpers could, for example, contain web browsers to interact with web-enabled devices, or custom interfacing software to interact with, for example, air conditioning systems or alarms. The switch server will know from its database the type of resource the user requires access to and will use this information to identify a suitable proxy helper PC from its pool.

In the prior art system of WO99/22294 the helper PC acts as a computer dedicated to navigation of a large multi-user computer system. The user invokes the helper PC, identifies a list of computers he requires access to (known as a profile), and then leaves the helper PC. At this point, the switch server takes over control and allows the user to move between the computers in his profile with no further helper PC involvement. Thus, the prior art system is intentionally invoked by the user, and is used temporarily to create or modify a profile.

In the present invention, the user does not intentionally invoke the proxy helper; this is an automatic action performed by the switch server based on the type of resource the user wishes to interact with. Proxy helpers are allocated on a per-session basis. Thus, the proxy helpers are intelligently utilised by the switch server based on resource type, and the operation is transparent to the user.

The system as described is very flexible and may readily be expanded and altered without requiring much if anything in the way of specialised hardware or software.

Claims

1-15. (canceled)

16. A data processing system comprising: at least one user station; a plurality of resources; at least one remote interface server; and a multiplexer for connecting said remote interface server between said user station and a selected resource.

17. A system according to claim 16, wherein said user station is capable of sending and receiving data in a first form.

18. A system according to claim 17, wherein said resources are capable of sending and receiving data in a second form.

19. A system according to claim 18, wherein said remote interface server converts data between said first and said second forms.

20. A system according to claim 16, including a management unit operable to respond to requests from said user station to establish a connection from said user station to a selected one of said resources via said remote interface server and said multiplexer.

21. A system according to claim 20, wherein said management unit communicates by a network protocol.

22. A system according to claim 20, wherein more than one remote interface server is connected to network protocol connections, said network protocol connections being connected to said multiplexer.

23. A system according to claim 22, wherein said remote interface servers communicate using a network protocol.

24. A system according to claim 16, wherein said multiplexer comprises a non-blocking switch arrangement.

25. A system according to claim 24, wherein said non-blocking switch arrangement is a matrix switch.

26. A system according to claim 25, wherein said matrix switch is controlled by a switch server in accordance with data stored in a database.

27. A system according to claim 16, wherein said resources are servers.

28. A system according to claim 27, wherein said servers are headless servers.

29. A system according to claim 28, wherein said remote interface server is loaded with software for use with said headless servers.

30. A system according to claim 29, wherein said software comprises terminal emulation programs.

31. A system according to claim 29, wherein said software comprises a web browser.

32. A data processing system comprising: one or more user interfaces, each capable of sending and receiving data in a first form; a plurality of remote devices capable of sending and receiving data in a second form; at least one interface server for converting data from said first form to said second form; and a multiplexer for connecting said interface server between said user interface and said remote devices.

33. A system according to claim 32, including a management unit operable to respond to requests from said user interface to establish a connection from said user interface to a selected one of said devices via said remote interface server and said multiplexer.

34. A system according to claim 33, wherein said management unit communicates by a network protocol.

35. A system according to claim 33, wherein more than one interface server is connected to network protocol connections, said network protocol connections being connected to said multiplexer.

36. A system according to claim 35, wherein said interface servers communicate using a network protocol.

37. A system according to claim 32, wherein said multiplexer comprises a non-blocking switch arrangement.

38. A system according to claim 37, wherein said non-blocking switch arrangement is a matrix switch.

39. A system according to claim 38, wherein said matrix switch is controlled by a switch server in accordance with data stored in a database.

40. A system according to claim 32, wherein said remote devices are servers.

41. A system according to 40, wherein said servers are headless servers.

42. A system according to claim 41, wherein said interface server is loaded with software for use with said headless servers.

43. A system according to claim 42, wherein said software comprises terminal emulation programs.

44. A system according to claim 42, wherein said software comprises a web browser.

45. A method for operating a data processing system, said system comprising one or more user stations capable of sending and receiving data in a first form and a plurality of resources capable of sending and receiving data in a second form, said method comprising the steps of: detecting a request from a first user station requesting establishment of communication with a first resource; establishing a first connection between said first user station and a remote interface server; and establishing a second connection between said remote interface server and said first resource wherein said remote interface server receives data from said user station and said first resource; and wherein said remote interface server is configured to convert data between said first form and said second form.

46. A method according to claim 45, wherein said remote interface server is selected from a plurality of remote interface servers.

47. A method according to claim 46, wherein said first connection is via a matrix switch.

48. A method according to claim 47, wherein said second connection is via a multiplexed network containing said resources and said plurality of remote interface servers.