Systems and methods of group automation for multi-chassis management
In accordance with embodiments of the present disclosure, a system may include a plurality of chassis, each chassis comprising a plurality of information handling systems and a private inter-chassis network configured to couple the plurality of chassis to one another. Each chassis of the plurality of chassis may be configured to advertise a message to the private inter-chassis network, the message comprising information regarding such chassis. The plurality of chassis may detect the presence of each other based on messages advertised from each chassis and the plurality of chassis may nominate a lead chassis from the plurality of chassis to serve as a single point of management of the system.
1. A system comprising:
a plurality of chassis, each chassis comprising a plurality of information handling systems; and
a private inter-chassis network configured to couple the plurality of chassis to one another;
wherein:
each chassis of the plurality of chassis is configured to advertise, via a chassis management controller of such chassis, a message to the private inter-chassis network, the message comprising information regarding a hardware configuration of such chassis and a physical location of such chassis within the system, wherein the message is advertised via multicast Domain Name Service (mDNS);
the plurality of chassis are configured to detect, via respective chassis management controllers thereof, the presence of each other based on the messages advertised from each chassis; and
the plurality of chassis are configured to nominate a lead chassis from the plurality of chassis to serve as a single point of management of the system, wherein the lead chassis is nominated based on application of one or more nomination rules to the respective hardware configurations of each chassis and the respective physical locations of each chassis within the system, and wherein the lead chassis is further configured to initiate a secured handshake process with each of the other of the plurality of chassis to establish trust with the other of the plurality of the chassis based on factory-installed certificates present on each of the plurality of chassis.
2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of chassis are disposed within a rack, and wherein the physical location of the chassis within the system is a position within the rack.
3. A method comprising:
advertising, by respective chassis management controllers of each chassis of a plurality of chassis, wherein each chassis comprises a plurality of information handling systems, a message regarding such chassis to a private inter-chassis network configured to couple the plurality of chassis to one another, the message comprising information regarding a hardware configuration of such chassis and a physical location of such chassis within the system, wherein the message is advertised via multicast Domain Name Service (mDNS);
detecting, by the respective chassis management controllers of each chassis, the presence of each other based on the messages advertised from each chassis; and
nominating, by the plurality of chassis, a lead chassis from the plurality of chassis to serve as a single point of management of a system comprising the plurality of chassis, wherein the lead chassis is nominated based on application of one or more nomination rules to the respective hardware configurations of each chassis and the respective physical locations of each chassis within the system, and wherein the lead chassis is further configured to initiate a secured handshake process with each of the other of the plurality of chassis to establish trust with the other of the plurality of the chassis based on factory-installed certificates present on each of the plurality of chassis.
4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the plurality of chassis are disposed within a rack, and wherein the physical location of the chassis within the system is a position within the rack.
5. A chassis management controller configured to:
advertise a message regarding a chassis comprising the chassis management controller to a private inter-chassis network configured to couple the chassis to one or more other chassis, wherein the message includes information regarding a hardware configuration of the chassis and a physical location of such chassis, wherein the message is advertised via multicast Domain Name Service (mDNS);
detect the presence of the one or more other chassis based on messages advertised from each of the one or more other chassis; and
in concert with one or more management controllers integral to the one or more other chassis, nominate a lead chassis from a plurality of chassis comprising the chassis and the one or more other chassis to serve as a single point of management of a system comprising the plurality of chassis, wherein the lead chassis is nominated based on application of one or more nomination rules to the respective hardware configurations of each chassis and the respective physical locations of each chassis, and wherein the lead chassis is further configured to initiate a secured handshake process with each of the other of the plurality of chassis to establish trust with the other of the plurality of the chassis based on factory-installed certificates present on each of the plurality of chassis.
6. The chassis management controller of claim 5 , wherein the plurality of chassis are disposed within a rack, and wherein the physical location of the chassis within the system is a position within the rack.