Use of server instances and processing elements to define a server
View Patent ↗A server instance, which is a collection of LUNs, containing an operating system, any applications and data storage. A processing element is the physical hardware. The combination is a server as normally understood. Templates are used to define server instances and server types to simplify deploying a server instance to a processing element. A graphical user interface provides the templates where the particular storage groups are identified and then server instances are created from lists of operating systems, applications, and available storage. The management service processor is a PXE server and provides the necessary software to identify the components of the processing element and correlate between the processing element and a server instance. The management service processor then automatically provides software to the processing element to allow it correctly boot. The management service processor manages the interconnection of the processing element and the relevant LUNs.
1. A computer system, comprising:
a processor;
a network interface, coupled to the processor, that provides access to a network; and
memory, coupled to the processor and network interface, that stores code executable by the processor,
wherein the code causes the processor to define and store a server instance that comprises locations on the network of an operating system logical unit number (LUN) and a data LUN; and the server instance forms a server when combined with a processing element; and
wherein a database of LUNs, including available LUNs, is maintained by the code using the processor, the database forming a storage pool, and the code further causes the processor to remove the data LUN associated with the server instance from the available LUNs of the storage pool when defining the server instance.
2. The computer system of claim 1 , wherein the code causes the processor to further define the server instance by including in the server instance a location on the network of an application program LUN to be associated with the server.
3. The computer system of claim 2 , wherein the code further causes the processor to combine the stored server instance with a physical processing element to form the server.
4. The computer system of claim 1 , wherein the code further causes the processor to combine the stored server instance with a physical processing element to form the server.
5. The computer system of claim 1 , wherein each LUN is associated with one or more storage units.
6. The computer system of claim 1 , wherein the code further causes the processor to remove the operating system LUN from the pool when defining the server instance.
7. The computer system of claim 1 , wherein the code further causes the processor to configure the operating system LUN by copying a golden master image to the operating system LUN.
8. A computer system, comprising:
a processor;
a network interface, coupled to the processor, that provides access to a network; and
memory, coupled to the processor and network interface, that stores code executable by the processor,
wherein the code causes the processor to define and store a server instance that comprises locations on the network of an operating system logical unit number (LUN) and a data LUN; and the server instance forms a server when combined with a processing element; and
wherein a database of LUNs, including available LUNs, is maintained by the code using the processor, the database forming a storage pool, and wherein the code further causes the processor to remove the operating system LUN associated with the server instance from the available LUNs of the storage pool when defining the server instance.
9. A machine-readable storage medium comprising software that causes a processor to:
combine the locations on a network of both an operating system logical unit number (LUN) and a data LUN to define a server instance; and
store the server instance,
wherein the server instance forms a server when combined with a processing element; and
wherein a database of LUNs, including available LUNs, is maintained by the software using the processor, the database forming a storage pool, and the software further causes the processor to remove the data LUN associated with the server instance from the available LUNs of the storage pool when defining the server instance.
10. The machine-readable storage medium of claim 9 , wherein the software causes the processor to further define the server instance by including in the server instance a location on the network of an application program LUN to be associated with the server.
11. The machine-readable storage medium of claim 10 , wherein the software further causes the processor to combine the stored server instance with a physical processing element to form the server.
12. The machine-readable storage medium of claim 9 , wherein the software further causes the processor to combine the stored server instance with a physical processing element to form the server.
13. The machine-readable storage medium of claim 9 , wherein the locations on the network of the operating system LUN and the data LUN are both associated with one or more storage units.
14. The machine-readable storage medium of claim 9 ,
wherein the software further causes the processor to remove the operating system LUN from the pool when defining the server instance.
15. A machine-readable storage medium comprising software that causes a processor to:
combine the locations on a network of both an operating system logical unit number (LUN) and a data LUN to define a server instance; and
store the server instance,
wherein the server instance forms a server when combined with a processing element; and
wherein a database of LUNs, including available LUNs, is maintained by the software using the processor, the database forming a storage pool, and wherein the software further causes the processor to remove the operating system LUN associated with the server instance from the available LUNs of the storage pool when defining the server instance.
16. The machine-readable storage medium of claim 9 , wherein the software further causes the processor to configure the operating system LUN by copying a golden master image to the operating system LUN.