Server-based service configuration system and approach
Network service providers are managed using a server-side configuration approach. According to an example embodiment of the present invention, a host network location includes two or more servers that automatically reconfigure their services in response to controller service settings corresponding to each server. Each server reads configuration information provided at a controller such as a domain name server (DNS), and in response, starts a network-based service corresponding to the configuration information. For instance, each of the two or more servers may be adapted to provide mail service via simple mail transfer protocol (SMTP) and web service via hypertext transfer protocol (HTTP). In this regard, when a DNS associates a first one of the servers with HTTP services and a second one of the servers with SMTP services, each server reconfigures its services accordingly, e.g., at a selected configuration time after startup or in response to an initiating event.
1. A system comprising:
a network interface circuit (NIC),
a computer server that includes the NIC and that is configured to be assigned a plurality of Internet Protocol (IP) addresses by a domain name server (DNS), the computer server configured to:
identify services that are assigned to the NIC of the computer server and associated with an IP address of the plurality of IP addresses;
configure itself to provide the services, in response to identifying the services;
identify IP addresses and ports corresponding to the services, each service corresponding to a different application having an interface associated with at least one IP address and port;
listen, on one or more ports corresponding to the identified IP addresses and ports, for a service request;
compare at least one IP address for the service request to the plurality of IP addresses that are assigned to the NIC;
identify at least one of the different applications by comparing an IP address of the interfaces to at least one IP address for the service request; and
start, on the computer server and in response to identifying the at least one of the different applications, the at least one of the different applications.
2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the computer server is further configured not to start other available services in response to IP addresses assigned to the other available services not matching the at least one IP address for the service request.
3. The system of claim 1 , further including the DNS configured to balance service requests for a domain name shared between the computer server and at least one other computer.
4. The system of claim 3 , wherein the DNS is configured to modify a DNS record to balance service requests for a domain name.
5. The system of claim 4 , wherein the DNS is configured to modify the DNS record by adding, to the DNS record, IP addresses assigned to NICs of the computer server and associated with corresponding services.
6. The system of claim 4 , wherein the DNS is configured to provide an IP address to a client based upon a priority indicated within the DNS record.
7. The system of claim 4 , wherein the DNS record includes a transport type.
8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the computer server is further configured to disable, in response to subsequent polling of the DNS, at least one enabled service.
9. The system of claim 1 , wherein the DNS is configured to provide a notification to the computer server in response to a change in configuration of the DNS.
10. The system of claim 9 , wherein the change in configuration of the DNS includes a change to an IP address that is also assigned to the NIC of the computer server.
11. The system of claim 1 , wherein the computer server is further configured to periodically poll the DNS and to enable and disable services in response to changes to services that include an IP address that is assigned to the NIC of the computer server.
12. The system of claim 1 , wherein the NIC includes a card and the NIC and the card are configured and arranged as a network interface card integrated as part of the computer server.
13. A method for providing network-based services, the method comprising:
receiving configuration data as an input to an internet protocol (IP) address service allocation function, the configuration data corresponding to network-based services to be established at each of a plurality of computer servers having a network interface circuit (NIC);
generating server assignment data via a domain name server (DNS) in response to receipt of the configuration data, and providing the server assignment data to the plurality of computer servers;
accessing the configuration data in response to receipt of a communication from a client of the network-based services, the communication including a servicing request for one of the network-based services;
identifying at least one application associated with the service request by comparing at least one IP address for the service request to IP addresses and ports in the configuration data, wherein each service corresponds to a different application having an interface associated with at least one IP address and port; and
provisioning a computer server among the plurality of computer servers to provide the application to the client.
14. The method of claim 13 , including accessing the configuration data in response to polling from the computer server, and reconfiguring the computer server in response to the polling and based on a change in the configuration data.
15. The method of claim 13 , including providing a notification to the computer server that configuration data assigned to the computer server has changed.
16. The method of claim 14 , wherein the computer server is configured to identify services that are assigned to the NIC of the computer server by polling a DNS record of a DNS server and the method further includes the computer server automatically configuring itself to provide the services in response to the polling.
17. The method of claim 14 , further including identifying the configuration data in response to the polling, the configuration data including a transport protocol, an Internet Protocol (IP) address of the computer server, and a port of the computer server that the computer server uses for providing the services.
18. The method of claim 13 , further including periodically polling, by the computer server, the DNS, and, in response, enabling and disabling services responsive to changes to services that include an IP address that is assigned to the NIC of the computer server.
19. The system of claim 1 , wherein the computer server is configured to identify services that are assigned to the NIC of the computer server by polling a DNS record of the DNS server and automatically configures itself to provide the services in response to the polling.
20. The system of claim 19 , wherein the computer server is configured to automatically configure itself by initiating the polling of the DNS record of the DNS server and, in response, obtain and use current configuration data for configuring itself.