System and method for service definition packages for use with a cloud computing environment
A system and method for providing service definition packages for use with a cloud computing environment. In accordance with an embodiment, a cloud platform enables provisioning of enterprise software applications (e.g., Fusion Middleware applications) within a cloud environment. In an embodiment, enterprise applications can be packaged as service definition packages (SDP). Each SDP can include an application binary component, a metadata defining the application's service characteristics and requirements, and a plugin that enables the SDP to be installed into the cloud platform. The SDP can also include a virtual assembly that defines a topology and configuration for a set of virtual appliances. The application, as defined by its SDP, can be instantiated as one or more services that are then accessible by other (e.g., customer) applications within the cloud environment.
1. A system for providing service definition packages for use with a cloud computing environment, comprising:
one or more computers including a cloud environment executing thereon;
a platform component that is provided as an installable software suite within the cloud environment, and that supports self-service provisioning for enterprise applications; and
one or more service definition packages, for use with the platform component, wherein each service definition package includes a plug-in for a particular service type, and defines, for a particular enterprise application component, how that particular enterprise application component is deliverable as that particular service type within the platform component;
wherein the system parses each of the one or more service definition packages, and uses the plugin for that service definition package to provision a corresponding enterprise application as the service type associated with the plugin within the platform component; and
wherein each plug-in operates to perform one or more actions selected from the group consisting of monitoring, managing, modifying and deleting, to one or more services instantiated from the particular service type associated with that plugin.
2. The system of claim 1 , wherein each service definition package includes
a binary component of an enterprise application,
a metadata defining service characteristics and requirements of the enterprise application, and
a different plug-in that enables the service definition package to be installed into the cloud platform.
3. The system of claim 2 , wherein the metadata include a name of that service definition package, a service type, and a version number.
4. The system of claim 1 ,
wherein each service definition package includes a virtual assembly that defines a topology and a configuration for a set of virtual appliances.
5. The system of claim 1 , wherein each of the service types is created based on a service definition package, with additional configuration information supplied by a system administrator, wherein the additional configuration information supply values that are specific to an installation of the platform component.
6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more services are accessible by other applications within the cloud environment.
7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of functionalities provided by the plug-in include one or more of elasticity metric gatherers, alerts, patching, upgrade and deletion for the services.
8. A method of providing service definition packages for use with a cloud computing environment, comprising:
providing one or more computers including a cloud environment executing thereon;
providing a platform component that is provided as an installable software suite within the cloud environment, and that supports self-service provisioning for enterprise applications;
providing one or more service definition packages, for use with the platform component, wherein each service definition package includes a plug-in for a particular service type, and defines, for a particular enterprise application component, how that particular enterprise application component is deliverable as that particular service type within the platform component;
parsing each of the one or more service definition packages, and provisioning, via a the plugin for that service definition package, a corresponding enterprise application as the service type associated with the plugin within the platform component;
instantiating one or more services from each service type for use within the cloud environment; and
performing, via the plugin associated with that service type, one or more actions selected from the group consisting of monitoring, managing, modifying and deleting, to one or more services.
9. The method of claim 8 , wherein each service definition package includes
a binary component of an enterprise application,
a metadata defining service characteristics and requirements of the enterprise application, and
a different plug-in that enables the service definition package to be installed into the cloud platform.
10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the metadata include a name of that service definition package, a service type, and a version number.
11. The method of claim 8 ,
wherein each service definition package includes a virtual assembly that defines a topology and a configuration for a set of virtual appliances.
12. The method of claim 8 , wherein each of the service types is created based on a service definition package, with additional configuration information supplied by a system administrator, wherein the additional configuration information supply values that are specific to an installation of the platform component.
13. The method of claim 8 , wherein the one or more services are accessible by other applications within the cloud environment.
14. The method of claim 8 , wherein the plurality of functionalities provided by the plug-in include one or more of elasticity metric gatherers, alerts, patching, upgrade and deletion for the services.
15. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium, including instructions stored thereon which when read and executed by one or more computers cause the one or more computers to perform the steps comprising:
configuring, at one or more computers including a cloud environment executing thereon, a platform component that is provided as an installable software suite within the cloud environment, and that supports self-service provisioning for enterprise applications;
configuring one or more service definition packages, for use with the platform component, wherein each service definition package includes a plug-in for a particular service type, and defines, for a particular enterprise application component, how that particular enterprise application component is deliverable as that particular service type within the platform component;
parsing each of the one or more service definition packages, and provisioning, via a the plugin for that service definition package, a corresponding enterprise application as the service type associated with the plugin within the platform component;
instantiating one or more services from each service type for use within the cloud environment; and
performing, via the plugin associated with that service type, one or more actions selected from the group consisting of monitoring, managing, modifying and deleting, to one or more services.
16. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 15 , wherein each service definition package includes
a binary component of an enterprise application,
a metadata defining service characteristics and requirements of the enterprise application, and
a different plug-in that enables the service definition package to be installed into the cloud platform.
17. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 15 ,
wherein each service definition package includes a virtual assembly that defines a topology and a configuration for a set of virtual appliances.
18. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 15 , wherein each of the service types is created based on a service definition package, with additional configuration information supplied by a system administrator, wherein the additional configuration information supply values that are specific to an installation of the platform component.
19. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 15 , wherein the one or more services are accessible by other applications within the cloud environment.
20. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 15 , wherein the plurality of functionalities provided by the plug-in include one or more of elasticity metric gatherers, alerts, patching, upgrade and deletion for the services.