Patent Application
20130055243
This disclosure generally relates to information handling systems, and more particularly relates to a unified management architecture to support multiple platform as a service workloads.
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.
Cloud computing can be used to deliver different services, such as Infrastructure-as-a-Service (IaaS), Software-as-a-Service (SaaS), and Platform-as-a-Service (PaaS). IaaS can be leveraged by virtualizing an existing physical server into different virtual machines. SaaS can provide a user using a thin client with software and data stored at a remote location. PaaS can deliver a computing platform and related software to provide a user with a functional product or service. PaaS can integrate IaaS and SaaS to provide a specific platform for executing different applications associated with that platform.
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.
The unified platform management system 100 includes developers 102, an administrator 104, workload manager 106, a user 108, and platform-as-a-service (PaaS) virtual machines (VMs) 110, 112, and 114. In an embodiment, the workload manager 106 is located within a server. The workload manager 106 includes a library 116, a processor 118, and a portal 120. The developers 102 are in communication with library 116, which in turn is in communication with the administrator 104 and with the user 108 via the portal 120, with the PaaS VMs 110, 112, and 114, and with the processor 118. The workload manager 106 can be one or more servers having the processor 118, a memory or library 116, the portal 120, and additional resources to provide the administrator 104 and the user 108 with the ability to store, manage, and execute applications or workloads 122-126. The PaaS VMs 110-114 may be virtual machines partitioned on the server of workload manager 106 or on one or more additional servers.
Each of the developers 102 can create the applications or workloads 122, 124, and 126, which can each require a different platform to operate. For example, the applications 122 can be .Net-based applications that run in a Microsoft Windows environment and run in an Azure public cloud, applications 124 can be Java-based workloads running in a VMware application cloud, and applications 126 can be different Java developed applications that use JBoss integrated development environment (IDE).
The administrator 104 of the workload manager 106 can acquire the different applications 122-126 from the developers, and can import the selected application into the library 116 via the portal 120. The administrator 106 can then set up rights and policies for each of the applications 122-126. The rights and policies can include an authentication process for executing a particular instance of an application, allowable targets for the application, limitations on individuals that can be granted access to the applications 122-126, and the like. Allowable targets can be different devices that can execute the applications 122-126 based on whether security requirements allow applications to be run on a public cloud, constrained to a private cloud, or the like. The information about the rights and policies for each of the applications 122-126 can be attached as metadata to the specific application.
The user 108 can access the library 116 via the portal 120, and can view the different applications 122-126. The portal 120 can be a graphical user interface (GUI) to provide the user with the ability to select one of the applications 122-126. The user 108 may only have access to specific applications based on restrictions assigned to the application 122-126. The user 108 can then select an application to execute from the applications 122-126 via the portal 120. The processor 118 can detect the application selected by the user 108, and can determine the platform and resources needed to run the application.
For example, if the user 108 selects application 122, the processor 118 can use the metadata associated with the application to determine that the application needs specific features, such as the features of PaaS VM 110. The processor 118 of the workload manager 106 can then determine whether the PaaS VM 110 is already running, whether the features for PaaS VM 110 should be turned on, or the like. Thus, the processor 118 can either assign the application 122 to be run on the PaaS VM 110 that is already operational, or can create the PaaS VM by turning on necessary features. Similarly, if application 124 or 126 is selected, the processor 118 can assign the application to respective PaaS VM 112 or 114 that are already operational or can create the necessary PaaS VM needed for the application.
The user 108 can then utilize the selected application 122, 124, or 126 without necessarily knowing the PaaS VM 110, 112, or 114 with its specific platform that is running the application. Thus, the workload manager 106 can have access to all of the features, platforms, security, and functionality needed to execute any of the applications 122-126 without each of the applications needing to be designed for the same type of platform.
When the user 108 selects an application 122-126 via the portal 120, the director 212 can communicate with the integration suite 214, the advanced infrastructure manager 216, and the security suite 218, via the API of VIS 202, to access the infrastructure 206 and create one of the PaaS VMs 110-114 for the selected application. The director 212 of the delivery center 204 can determine the features associated with the selected application, such as application 124, and can communicate with the integration suite 214 and the advanced infrastructure manager 216 to enable the features on the PaaS VM 112. The features can be a web server 302, an application server 304, data access information 306, and a platform 308 associated with the application 124 as shown in
The integration suite 214, the advanced infrastructure manager 216, and the security suite 218 can provide the application server 304 for the application 112 as being either Java based or XML based. The application server 304 can provide business and functional components, a session and presentation engine, a transaction and data object engine, workflow and policy engines, and security and authentication. The integration suite 214 and the advanced infrastructure manager 216 can then access the infrastructure 206 to provide the data access 306 for the application 112, as a multi-tenant database, an application catalog, or another specific database. The integration suite 214 and the advanced infrastructure manager 216 can also select the platform 308 for the application as a specific operating system, such as windows or Linux. The security suite 218 can then determine whether the PaaS VM 112 can be provided in a public cloud or in a private cloud based on security features of the application 124. The PaaS VM 112 can then be enabled with all of the features for the application 124 so that an instance of the application can be executed by the user 108 on the PaaS VM.
At block 406, the rights and policies for the first application are included as metadata in the first application, and the rights and policies for the second application are included as metadata in the second application. A selection of an application is received at block 410. At block 412, a determination is made whether features for the selected application are currently running. The features can include a web server, an application server, data access, and platform. If the features for the first application are currently running, the flow continues below at block 416. However, if the features for the selected application are not currently running, a virtual machine having the first platform, and the rights and policies for the selected application is created at block 414. At block 416, an instance of the selected application is provided on the virtual machine. If at new application is selected at block 418, the flow continues as stated above at block 412, otherwise the flow ends at block 420.
According to one aspect, the chipset 510 can be referred to as a memory hub or a memory controller. For example, the chipset 510 can include an Accelerated Hub Architecture (AHA) that uses a dedicated bus to transfer data between first physical processor 502 and the nth physical processor 506. For example, the chipset 510, including an AHA enabled-chipset, can include a memory controller hub and an input/output (I/O) controller hub. As a memory controller hub, the chipset 510 can function to provide access to first physical processor 502 using first bus 504 and nth physical processor 506 using the second host bus 508. The chipset 510 can also provide a memory interface for accessing memory 512 using a memory bus 514. In a particular embodiment, the buses 504, 508, and 514 can be individual buses or part of the same bus. The chipset 510 can also provide bus control and can handle transfers between the buses 504, 508, and 514.
According to another aspect, the chipset 510 can be generally considered an application specific chipset that provides connectivity to various buses, and integrates other system functions. For example, the chipset 510 can be provided using an Intel® Hub Architecture (IHA) chipset that can also include two parts, a Graphics and AGP Memory Controller Hub (GMCH) and an I/O Controller Hub (ICH). For example, an Intel 820E, an 815E chipset, or any combination thereof, available from the Intel Corporation of Santa Clara, Calif., can provide at least a portion of the chipset 510. The chipset 510 can also be packaged as an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC).
The information handling system 500 can also include a video graphics interface 522 that can be coupled to the chipset 510 using a third host bus 524. In one form, the video graphics interface 522 can be an Accelerated Graphics Port (AGP) interface to display content within a video display unit 526. Other graphics interfaces may also be used. The video graphics interface 522 can provide a video display output 528 to the video display unit 526. The video display unit 526 can include one or more types of video displays such as a flat panel display (FPD) or other type of display device.
The information handling system 500 can also include an I/O interface 530 that can be connected via an I/O bus 520 to the chipset 510. The I/O interface 530 and I/O bus 520 can include industry standard buses or proprietary buses and respective interfaces or controllers. For example, the I/O bus 520 can also include a Peripheral Component Interconnect (PCI) bus or a high speed PCI-Express bus. In one embodiment, a PCI bus can be operated at approximately 56 MHz and a PCI-Express bus can be operated at approximately 528 MHz. PCI buses and PCI-Express buses can be provided to comply with industry standards for connecting and communicating between various PCI-enabled hardware devices. Other buses can also be provided in association with, or independent of, the I/O bus 520 including, but not limited to, industry standard buses or proprietary buses, such as Industry Standard Architecture (ISA), Small Computer Serial Interface (SCSI), Inter-Integrated Circuit (I2C), System Packet Interface (SPI), or Universal Serial buses (USBs).
In an alternate embodiment, the chipset 510 can be a chipset employing a Northbridge/Southbridge chipset configuration (not illustrated). For example, a Northbridge portion of the chipset 510 can communicate with the first physical processor 502 and can control interaction with the memory 512, the I/O bus 520 that can be operable as a PCI bus, and activities for the video graphics interface 522. The Northbridge portion can also communicate with the first physical processor 502 using first bus 504 and the second bus 508 coupled to the nth physical processor 506. The chipset 510 can also include a Southbridge portion (not illustrated) of the chipset 510 and can handle I/O functions of the chipset 510. The Southbridge portion can manage the basic forms of I/O such as Universal Serial Bus (USB), serial I/O, audio outputs, Integrated Drive Electronics (IDE), and ISA I/O for the information handling system 500.
The information handling system 500 can further include a disk controller 532 coupled to the I/O bus 520, and connecting one or more internal disk drives such as a hard disk drive (HDD) 534 and an optical disk drive (ODD) 536 such as a Read/Write Compact Disk (R/W CD), a Read/Write Digital Video Disk (R/W DVD), a Read/Write mini-Digital Video Disk (R/W mini-DVD), or other type of optical disk drive.
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. For example, the methods described in the present disclosure can be stored as instructions in a computer readable medium to cause a processor, such as chipset 510, to perform the method. Additionally, the methods described in the present disclosure can be stored as instructions in a non-transitory computer readable medium, such as a hard disk drive, a solid state drive, a flash memory, and the like. 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.
