IP Library Granted Patent US 9,967,326
Granted Patent B2
US 9,967,326 · App. 14/940,481 · Granted May 8, 2018

Information handling system application decentralized workload management

Inventors: Robert Ari Hirschfeld (Rollingwood, TX); Gregory Scott Althaus (Austin, TX)
Assignee: Dell Products L.P.
H04L67/10G06F9/5044G06F9/5072G06F9/5077
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,967,326
App. No.
14/940,481
Filed
Nov 13, 2015
Granted
May 8, 2018
Kind
B2
Art Unit
2447
USPC
709/226
Abstract

A cloud application management infrastructure models biological swarm behaviors to assign application resources to physical processing resources in a decentralized manner. A balanced and highly automated management of cloud infrastructure has a predictable and reliable response to changing resource loads by using a limited local rule set to define how application instances interact with available resources. Digital pheromone signals at physical resources are applied locally by a swarm module to determine if the physical resources provide an acceptable environment for an application and, if not, the application swarms to other environments until a suitable environment is found.

Claims (50)

1. A system comprising:

plural information handling systems interfaced by a network, each information handling system having processing resources configured to run plural virtual machines;

plural virtual machines executing on each of the information handling system;

a list stored on each information handling system, the list defining a processing environment with one or more factors at the information handling system; and

plural agents, each agent assigned to a distinct virtual machine, each virtual machine having a distinct agent, each agent operable to retrieve the processing environment from the lists of the plural information handling systems through the network and to determine in a decentralized manner locally at the agent's information handling system a selected of the plural processing resources for executing the virtual machine, each agent further operable to write one or more processing environment factors to the list of the agent's information handling system;

wherein each agent determines an information handling system on which to execute the agent's associated virtual machine at least in part by monitoring reports of failures by virtual machines to start at the plural information handling systems, weighting desirability of the plural information handling system resources and sorting the weights to select one of the plural information handling systems having a least cost.

2. The information handling system of claim 1 wherein the list comprises an allergen factor, the agent responding to the presence of an allergen factor in the list by moving the virtual machine to a different processing resource.

3. The information handling system of claim 1 wherein the list comprises an aggregate value, the agent responding to an aggregation value of greater than a predetermined value by moving the virtual machine to a different processing resource.

4. The information handling system of claim 1 wherein the list comprises an aggregate value, the agent responding to an aggregation value of less than a predetermined value by moving the virtual machine to a different processing resource.

5. The information handling system of claim 1 wherein the list comprises a pheromone factor associated with a predetermined type of virtual machine, the agent responding to the lack of the pheromone factor in the list by moving the virtual machine to a different processing resource.

6. The information handling system of claim 1 wherein the agent responds to an aggregate value of the pheromone factor in the list of greater than a predetermined valued by moving the virtual machine to a different processing resource.

7. The information handling system of claim 1 wherein each virtual machine generates one or more predetermined pheromone factors to add to the list of the processing resource that executes the virtual machine.

8. The information handling system of claim 7 wherein each virtual machine comprises plural applications, each application generating one or more predetermined pheromone factors.

9. A method for decentralized assignment of each of plural virtual machines to each of plural processing resources interfaced through a network, the method comprising:

listing factors at each of the plural processing resources of the virtual machines running on the processing resource;

evaluating the factors listed at each of the processing resources with an agent distinctly assigned to each virtual machine, the agent determining in a decentralized manner whether to execute the virtual machine at the processing resource or to move the virtual machine through the network to a different processing resource, each agent retrieving through the network the factors of the plural processing resources to apply to determine movement of the virtual machine from the agent's processing resource, the factors including at least:

alerts received from other virtual machines of failed initiations at processing resources;

a list of available processing resources;

weights assigned by the agent for each processing resource of the list;

a sorted list of the weights; and

identification from the list of a least cost processing resource to initiate the virtual machine.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein the factor comprises an allergen, the method further comprising:

determining the allergen applies to the virtual machine; and

moving the virtual machine to a different processing resource in response to the determining.

11. The method of claim 9 wherein the factor comprises an aggregate of factors having less than a predetermined value, the method further comprising:

determining the aggregate applies to the virtual machine; and

moving the virtual machine to a different processing resource in response to the determining.

12. The method of claim 9 wherein the factor comprises an aggregate of factors having greater than a predetermined value, the method further comprising:

determining the aggregate applies to the virtual machine; and

moving the virtual machine to a different processing resource in response to the determining.

13. The method of claim 9 further comprising:

searching for a predetermined factor stored at the processing resource;

failing to locate the factor at the processing resource; and

responding to the failing by moving the virtual machine from the processing resource through the network to another of the processing resources having the predetermined factor.

14. The method of claim 9 further comprising:

searching for a predetermined factor at the processing resource;

locating the predetermined factor at the processing resource; and

responding to the locating by initiating the virtual machine at the processing resource.

15. The method of claim 14 further comprising:

determining that the predetermined factor has an aggregate greater than a predetermined value; and

responding to the determining by moving the virtual machine from the processing resource through the network to a different processing resource.

16. The method of claim 9 further comprising:

executing the virtual machine at the processing resource; and

in response to the executing, adding a factor associated with the container to the listing of factors.

17. A system for allocating a virtual machine to a processing resource of plural processing resources interfaced through a network, the system comprising:

non-transitory memory storing instructions including:

a list of environment factors at each processing resource, the environment factors defining an operating environment for each processing resource;

an agent distinct to each virtual machine and operable to analyze the environment factors of a processing resource to authorize or reject execution of the virtual machine at the processing resource, the agent further operable to retrieve the environment factors of distal processing resources to determine a processing resource to authorize execution of the virtual machine if the agent rejects the processing resource, the environment factors including at least reports sent through the network of failed initiations of virtual machines at processing resources by agents at the processing resources, the environment factors applied at the agent to sort processing resources by cost, the agent selecting a processing resource to initiate the virtual machine based upon the cost.

18. The system of claim 17 wherein the environment factors comprise an allergen, the agent automatically rejecting execution of the virtual machine at the processing resource.

19. The system of claim 17 wherein the environment factors comprise a pheromone, the agent automatically rejecting the execution of the container at the processing resource in the absence of the pheromone.

Assignments (14)
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS PREVIOUSLY RECORDED AT REEL/FRAME (053546/0001) Recorded Jun 23, 2022
From: THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A., AS NOTES COLLATERAL AGENT
To: DELL MARKETING L.P. (ON BEHALF OF ITSELF AND AS SUCCESSOR-IN-INTEREST TO CREDANT TECHNOLOGIES, INC.); DELL INTERNATIONAL L.L.C.; DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; DELL USA L.P.; EMC CORPORATION; DELL MARKETING CORPORATION (SUCCESSOR-IN-INTEREST TO FORCE10 NETWORKS, INC. AND WYSE TECHNOLOGY L.L.C.); EMC IP HOLDING COMPANY LLC
Reel/Frame 071642/0001 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS PREVIOUSLY RECORDED AT REEL/FRAME (045455/0001) Recorded May 20, 2022
From: THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A., AS NOTES COLLATERAL AGENT
To: DELL MARKETING CORPORATION (SUCCESSOR-IN-INTEREST TO ASAP SOFTWARE EXPRESS, INC.); DELL MARKETING L.P. (ON BEHALF OF ITSELF AND AS SUCCESSOR-IN-INTEREST TO CREDANT TECHNOLOGIES, INC.); DELL USA L.P.; DELL INTERNATIONAL L.L.C.; DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; DELL MARKETING CORPORATION (SUCCESSOR-IN-INTEREST TO FORCE10 NETWORKS, INC. AND WYSE TECHNOLOGY L.L.C.); EMC CORPORATION (ON BEHALF OF ITSELF AND AS SUCCESSOR-IN-INTEREST TO MAGINATICS LLC); EMC IP HOLDING COMPANY LLC (ON BEHALF OF ITSELF AND AS SUCCESSOR-IN-INTEREST TO MOZY, INC.); SCALEIO LLC
Reel/Frame 061753/0001 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS PREVIOUSLY RECORDED AT REEL/FRAME (040136/0001) Recorded Apr 26, 2022
From: THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A., AS NOTES COLLATERAL AGENT
To: DELL MARKETING CORPORATION (SUCCESSOR-IN-INTEREST TO ASAP SOFTWARE EXPRESS, INC.); DELL MARKETING L.P. (ON BEHALF OF ITSELF AND AS SUCCESSOR-IN-INTEREST TO CREDANT TECHNOLOGIES, INC.); DELL USA L.P.; DELL INTERNATIONAL L.L.C.; DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; DELL MARKETING CORPORATION (SUCCESSOR-IN-INTEREST TO FORCE10 NETWORKS, INC. AND WYSE TECHNOLOGY L.L.C.); EMC CORPORATION (ON BEHALF OF ITSELF AND AS SUCCESSOR-IN-INTEREST TO MAGINATICS LLC); EMC IP HOLDING COMPANY LLC (ON BEHALF OF ITSELF AND AS SUCCESSOR-IN-INTEREST TO MOZY, INC.); SCALEIO LLC
Reel/Frame 061324/0001 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Nov 3, 2021
From: CREDIT SUISSE AG, CAYMAN ISLANDS BRANCH
To: ASAP SOFTWARE EXPRESS, INC.; AVENTAIL LLC; CREDANT TECHNOLOGIES, INC.; DELL USA L.P.; DELL INTERNATIONAL, L.L.C.; DELL MARKETING L.P.; DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; DELL SOFTWARE INC.; DELL SYSTEMS CORPORATION; EMC CORPORATION; EMC IP HOLDING COMPANY LLC; FORCE10 NETWORKS, INC.; MAGINATICS LLC; MOZY, INC.; SCALEIO LLC; WYSE TECHNOLOGY L.L.C.
Reel/Frame 058216/0001 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Apr 22, 2020
From: CREDANT TECHNOLOGIES INC.; DELL INTERNATIONAL L.L.C.; DELL MARKETING L.P.; DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; DELL USA L.P.; EMC CORPORATION; FORCE10 NETWORKS, INC.; WYSE TECHNOLOGY L.L.C.; EMC IP HOLDING COMPANY LLC
To: THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A.
Reel/Frame 053546/0001 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Mar 21, 2019
From: CREDANT TECHNOLOGIES, INC.; DELL INTERNATIONAL L.L.C.; DELL MARKETING L.P.; DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; DELL USA L.P.; EMC CORPORATION; FORCE10 NETWORKS, INC.; WYSE TECHNOLOGY L.L.C.; EMC IP HOLDING COMPANY LLC
To: THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A.
Reel/Frame 049452/0223 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Sep 21, 2016
From: ASAP SOFTWARE EXPRESS, INC.; AVENTAIL LLC; CREDANT TECHNOLOGIES, INC.; DELL USA L.P.; DELL INTERNATIONAL L.L.C.; DELL MARKETING L.P.; DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; DELL SOFTWARE INC.; DELL SYSTEMS CORPORATION; EMC CORPORATION; EMC IP HOLDING COMPANY LLC; FORCE10 NETWORKS, INC.; MAGINATICS LLC; MOZY, INC.; SCALEIO LLC; SPANNING CLOUD APPS LLC; WYSE TECHNOLOGY L.L.C.
To: CREDIT SUISSE AG, CAYMAN ISLANDS BRANCH, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 040134/0001 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Sep 21, 2016
From: ASAP SOFTWARE EXPRESS, INC.; AVENTAIL LLC; CREDANT TECHNOLOGIES, INC.; DELL USA L.P.; DELL INTERNATIONAL L.L.C.; DELL MARKETING L.P.; DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; DELL SOFTWARE INC.; DELL SYSTEMS CORPORATION; EMC CORPORATION; EMC IP HOLDING COMPANY LLC; FORCE10 NETWORKS, INC.; MAGINATICS LLC; MOZY, INC.; SCALEIO LLC; SPANNING CLOUD APPS LLC; WYSE TECHNOLOGY L.L.C.
To: THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A., AS NOTES COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 040136/0001 →
RELEASE OF REEL 037848 FRAME 0001 (TL) Recorded Sep 14, 2016
From: BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
To: DELL SOFTWARE INC.; DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; WYSE TECHNOLOGY L.L.C.
Reel/Frame 040028/0152 →
RELEASE OF REEL 037848 FRAME 0210 (NOTE) Recorded Sep 14, 2016
From: BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
To: DELL SOFTWARE INC.; DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; WYSE TECHNOLOGY L.L.C.
Reel/Frame 040031/0725 →
RELEASE OF REEL 037847 FRAME 0843 (ABL) Recorded Sep 13, 2016
From: BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
To: DELL SOFTWARE INC.; DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; WYSE TECHNOLOGY L.L.C.
Reel/Frame 040017/0366 →
SUPPLEMENT TO PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT (ABL) Recorded Feb 18, 2016
From: DELL SOFTWARE INC.; DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; WYSE TECHNOLOGY L.L.C.
To: BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
Reel/Frame 037847/0843 →
SUPPLEMENT TO PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT (TERM LOAN) Recorded Feb 18, 2016
From: DELL SOFTWARE INC.; DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; WYSE TECHNOLOGY L.L.C.
To: BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 037848/0001 →
SUPPLEMENT TO PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT (NOTES) Recorded Feb 18, 2016
From: DELL SOFTWARE INC.; DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; WYSE TECHNOLOGY L.L.C.
To: THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A., AS NOTES COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 037848/0210 →
Continuity (2)
Continuation 13079170 · Apr 4, 2011
Related Publication 20160072877A1 · Mar 10, 2016