Cloud system order and configuration using customized templates
The present disclosure relates to brokering requests for cloud computing resources between a user and multiple infrastructure providers. According to one embodiment, an infrastructure manager acting as a broker receives a template including configuration information for one or more servers. For each of the plurality of infrastructure providers, the infrastructure manager generates an infrastructure provider-specific specification based on the generic template, transmits the provider-specific specification file to the infrastructure provider, and receives information from the infrastructure provider indicating whether the configuration is valid. The infrastructure receives a selection of one or more of the plurality of infrastructure providers to provision the one or more servers and requests the provisioning of the servers from the selected one or more of the plurality of infrastructure providers. The requests generally use the provider-specific specification files for the selected one or more of the plurality of infrastructure providers.
1. A method for brokering requests for one or more servers from a plurality of infrastructure providers, comprising:
receiving a generic template including configuration information for one or more servers;
for each of the plurality of infrastructure providers:
generating an infrastructure provider-specific specification file based on the generic template, the provider-specific specification file including provider-specific identifiers for computing resources identified in the generic template,
transmitting the provider-specific specification file to the infrastructure provider,
receiving information from the infrastructure provider indicating whether the configuration is valid, and
in response to receiving an indication that the configuration is valid, displaying information about the infrastructure provider to a user for selection;
receiving a selection of one or more of the plurality of infrastructure providers to provision the one or more servers;
requesting the provisioning of the servers from the selected one or more of the plurality of infrastructure providers using the provider-specific specification files for the selected one or more of the plurality of infrastructure providers,
monitoring performance of the provisioned one or more servers;
modifying the configuration information in the generic template to reflect recommended adjustments to the configuration information based on the monitored performance; and
presenting the updated generic template to the user for a subsequent provisioning of one or more servers.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the configuration information specifies a request for hardware and software to be provisioned from the infrastructure provider.
3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the hardware configuration information includes at least a number of servers, processor information, an amount of memory, and an amount of storage requesting to be provisioned as part of a request.
4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
logging performance information from performance monitors loaded onto the servers.
5. The method of claim 4 , further comprising:
generating a recommended configuration based on the logged performance information; and
saving a second template reflecting the recommended configuration.
6. The method of claim 5 , further comprising:
providing the second template to a user; and
receiving a request to provision one or more servers based on the second template.
7. The method of claim 5 , further comprising:
associating a usage model to the second template.
8. The method of claim 7 , further comprising:
receiving, from a user, information about an intended usage model for a server; and
providing the second template to the user if the usage model matches the intended usage model.
9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the generic template is encoded in an interchange format.