Patent Application
20120254607
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates in general to the field of cluster node computing, and more particularly to a system and method for security levels with cluster communications.
2. Description of the Related Art
Computer systems are sometimes interconnected in loosely coupled nodes to form a “cluster.” High availability clusters provide load sharing, redundancy and more effective performance. A cluster has at least two nodes which cooperate to ensure high availability of services by sharing responsibility for executing applications. If an application on a particular node fails, a high availability cluster automatically detects the fault at a node and restarts the application on another node in a process known as Failover. High availability clusters are an attractive solution for critical databases, file sharing on a network, business applications and customer services, such as e-commerce websites.
In order to provide high availability, cluster nodes communicate to each other regarding liveliness of nodes, critical message exchange and event details. In this manner clustering software executing on the nodes supports “failover” by configuring nodes to before applications start, such as by sharing appropriate file systems and hardware configurations and by having certain applications standing by. Typically, clusters use a “heartbeat” and private connection to monitor the health and status of each node in the cluster. Each node runs a heartbeat daemon and exchanges messages called heartbeats to inform other nodes of its state. In the event of a failure, the heartbeat daemon on a back-up node initiates applications for failover.
If cluster nodes do not interconnect through a secure hardwired interface, cluster security typically calls for encryption/signing of all packets sent between nodes, including heartbeat packets, critical messages and other non-critical messages of more ordinary priority. A difficulty with the use of encryption is that encryption introduces performance delays that can impact cluster operations.
Therefore, a need has arisen for a system and method which selectively encrypts cluster node communications.
In accordance with the present invention, a system and method are provided which substantially reduce the disadvantages and problems associated with previous methods and systems for encrypting cluster node communications. Computing nodes of a cluster selectively communicate some but not all information between each other in an encrypted format based upon one or more predetermined condition that balance cluster security with cluster performance.
More specifically, plural computing nodes communicate heartbeat packets and messages to form a cluster. A security module executing on one or more of the computing nodes selectively communicates predetermined of the information between the nodes in encrypted and unencrypted formats based upon predetermined conditions. For example, heartbeat packets between the computing nodes are always sent in an encrypted format while other messages are selectively sent in unencrypted formats. Messages may be defined as critical and non-critical with critical messages encrypted and non-critical messages unencrypted. Alternatively, messages are selectively sent in an unencrypted format based upon a workload at one or more of the computing nodes, a time period, the type of message, a manual selection by an end user or other predetermined conditions.
The present invention provides a number of important technical advantages. One example of an important technical advantage is that cluster nodes communicate with selectively-set security levels to provide improved cluster performance Selectively setting cluster security levels balances performance and security concerns based upon user requirements. A low security setting that encrypts only heartbeat packets decreases processing delays for communicating critical and non-critical messages so that delays in cluster operations are minimized where the security criticality of an end user's environment allows. A high security setting accepts the risk of performance delays to provide encryption of all messages to help prevent malicious interference with cluster operations. Intermediate security settings allow end user's to balance security and performance risks based upon the type of information in messages and conditions within the cluster environment, such as the processing load at cluster nodes.
The present invention may be better understood, and its numerous objects, features and advantages made apparent to those skilled in the art by referencing the accompanying drawings. The use of the same reference number throughout the several figures designates a like or similar element.
A system and method provides communication between computing nodes of a cluster that balances security of the cluster with performance of the cluster by selectively sending the communications in encrypted and unencrypted formats.
As will be appreciated by one skilled in the art, aspects of the present invention may be embodied as a system, method or computer program product. Accordingly, aspects of the present invention may take the form of an entirely hardware embodiment, an entirely software embodiment (including firmware, resident software, micro-code, etc.) or an embodiment combining software and hardware aspects that may all generally be referred to herein as a “circuit,” “module” or “system.” Furthermore, aspects of the present invention may take the form of a computer program product embodied in one or more computer readable medium(s) having computer readable program code embodied thereon. Any combination of one or more computer readable medium(s) may be utilized. The computer readable medium may be a computer readable signal medium or a computer readable storage medium. A computer readable storage medium may be, for example, but not limited to, an electronic, magnetic, optical, electromagnetic, infrared, or semiconductor system, apparatus, or device, or any suitable combination of the foregoing. More specific examples (a non-exhaustive list) of the computer readable storage medium would include the following: an electrical connection having one or more wires, a portable computer diskette, a hard disk, a random access memory (RAM), a read-only memory (ROM), an erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM or Flash memory), an optical fiber, a portable compact disc read-only memory (CD-ROM), an optical storage device, a magnetic storage device, or any suitable combination of the foregoing. In the context of this document, a computer readable storage medium may be any tangible medium that can contain, or store a program for use by or in connection with an instruction execution system, apparatus, or device.
A computer readable signal medium may include a propagated data signal with computer readable program code embodied therein, for example, in baseband or as part of a carrier wave. Such a propagated signal may take any of a variety of forms, including, but not limited to, electro-magnetic, optical, or any suitable combination thereof. A computer readable signal medium may be any computer readable medium that is not a computer readable storage medium and that can communicate, propagate, or transport a program for use by or in connection with an instruction execution system, apparatus, or device. Program code embodied on a computer readable medium may be transmitted using any appropriate medium, including but not limited to wireless, wireline, optical fiber cable, RF, etc., or any suitable combination of the foregoing.
Computer program code for carrying out operations for aspects of the present invention may be written in any combination of one or more programming languages, including an object oriented programming language such as Java, Smalltalk, C++ or the like and conventional procedural programming languages, such as the “C” programming language or similar programming languages. The program code may execute entirely on the user's computer, partly on the user's computer, as a stand-alone software package, partly on the user's computer and partly on a remote computer or entirely on the remote computer or server. In the latter scenario, the remote computer may be connected to the user's computer through any type of network, including a local area network (LAN) or a wide area network (WAN), or the connection may be made to an external computer (for example, through the Internet using an Internet Service Provider).
Aspects of the present invention are described below with reference to flowchart illustrations and/or block diagrams of methods, apparatus (systems) and computer program products according to embodiments of the invention. It will be understood that each block of the flowchart illustrations and/or block diagrams, and combinations of blocks in the flowchart illustrations and/or block diagrams, can be implemented by computer program instructions. These computer program instructions may be provided to a processor of a general purpose computer, special purpose computer, or other programmable data processing apparatus to produce a machine, such that the instructions, which execute via the processor of the computer or other programmable data processing apparatus, create means for implementing the functions/acts specified in the flowchart and/or block diagram block or blocks. These computer program instructions may also be stored in a computer readable medium that can direct a computer, other programmable data processing apparatus, or other devices to function in a particular manner, such that the instructions stored in the computer readable medium produce an article of manufacture including instructions which implement the function/act specified in the flowchart and/or block diagram block or blocks. The computer program instructions may also be loaded onto a computer, other programmable data processing apparatus, or other devices to cause a series of operational steps to be performed on the computer, other programmable apparatus or other devices to produce a computer implemented process such that the instructions which execute on the computer or other programmable apparatus provide processes for implementing the functions/acts specified in the flowchart and/or block diagram block or blocks.
Referring now to
In the event that network 14 is not a secure network, heartbeat packets 22, critical messages 24 and non-critical messages 26 are all typically communicated with encryption/signing in an encrypted format to prevent interference with operations of cluster 10 by unauthorized or malicious users. However, sending heartbeat packets plus all messages in the encrypted format can lead to performance delays that impact the performance of cluster 10 due to extra steps used for encryption and decryption of the heartbeat packets and messages. In order to balance performance and security within a cluster 10, a client node 28 supports a security interface 30 that allows an end user to adjust security levels used by a security module 32 to communicate information within the cluster 10. Security module 32 allows an end user to set a high security level in which all heartbeat packets and messages are sent in the encrypted format, a medium security level in which all heartbeat packets and critical messages are sent in the encrypted format while non-critical messages are sent in an unencrypted format, and a low security level in which heartbeat packets are sent in the encrypted format while critical and non-critical messages are sent in the unencrypted format. The end user can manually set the security level or can have security module 32 implement the security level based upon predetermined conditions. For example, a security level is automatically implemented based upon the load at one or more of the computing nodes 12, such as to maintain a performance level at the computing nodes 12 by reducing the resources needed for encryption when performance of a computing node 12 falls to a predetermined load. The amount of resources needed for encryption in level 2 may be adjusted by setting definitions for critical versus non-critical messages, such as based upon the type of application associated with the message.
Referring now to
The selected security level is stored in a cluster repository 36, and storage of a security level in cluster repository 36 automatically refreshes the cluster communication daemon 38 to implement the security level. In one embodiment, cluster repository 36 includes logic that detects predetermined conditions and implements a security level associated with the predetermined conditions upon detection, such as implementation of a lower security level if greater than a predetermined load is executing at a computing node of a cluster. Cluster communication daemon 38 reads the cluster security configuration level from security repository 36 and uses an encryption library 40 to apply the selected security level. A kernel extension 42 is informed of the level of security that is applied and uses a crypto library to provide encryption at the kernel so that a cluster symmetric secret key 46 is applied to communications sent through TCP/IP and Ethernet layers 48.
Referring now to
Although the present invention has been described in detail, it should be understood that various changes, substitutions and alterations can be made hereto without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.
