Connectivity management system client inventory and configuration operation for interconnected connectivity management clients
A system, method, and computer-readable medium are disclosed for performing a data center connectivity management operation. The connectivity management operation includes: providing a plurality of data center assets with a respective plurality of data center asset client modules; establishing a connection between the respective plurality of data center asset client modules and a connectivity management system, the connectivity management system comprising a connectivity management system aggregator; discovering interrelationships of the plurality of data center assets; and, generating a topological map of the plurality of data center assets based upon the interrelationships of the plurality of data center assets.
1. A computer-implementable method for performing a data center connectivity management operation, comprising:
providing a plurality of data center assets with a respective plurality of data center asset client modules;
establishing a connection between the respective plurality of data center asset client modules and a connectivity management system, the connectivity management system comprising a connectivity management system aggregator, the establishing the connection between the data center asset client module and the connectivity management system establishing the connectivity management system client in a trusted and claimed state, the trusted state indicating a channel of communication between the data center asset and the connectivity management system is guaranteed, the claimed state indicating the data center asset can be authenticated and bound to a user;
discovering interrelationships of the plurality of data center assets using the connection between the respective plurality of data center asset client modules and the connectivity management system; and,
generating a topological map of the plurality of data center assets based upon the interrelationships of the plurality of data center assets.
2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
using the topological map of the plurality of data center assets when performing a connectivity management operation.
3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
designating one of the respective plurality of data center asset client modules as a primary data center asset client module; and,
designating others of the respective plurality of data center asset client modules as secondary data center asset client modules.
4. The method of claim 3 , wherein:
the primary data center asset client module provides the connectivity management system with data center asset interconnectivity information; and,
the connectivity management system uses to data center asset interconnectivity information to discover the interrelationships of the plurality of data center assets.
5. The method of claim 4 , wherein:
the primary data center asset client module functions as a proxy to automate configuration and claiming processes associated with the plurality of data center assets.
6. The method of claim 4 , wherein:
the data center asset interconnectivity information includes type-length-value (TLV) information contained within Link Layer Discovery Protocol (LLDP) packets associated with at least some of the plurality of data center assets.
7. A system comprising:
a processor;
a data bus coupled to the processor;
a data center asset client module; and,
a non-transitory, computer-readable storage medium embodying computer program code, the non-transitory, computer-readable storage medium being coupled to the data bus, the computer program code interacting with a plurality of computer operations and comprising instructions executable by the processor and configured for:
providing a plurality of data center assets with a respective plurality of data center asset client modules;
establishing a connection between the respective plurality of data center asset client modules and a connectivity management system, the connectivity management system comprising a connectivity management system aggregator, the establishing the connection between the data center asset client module and the connectivity management system establishing the connectivity management system client in a trusted and claimed state, the trusted state indicating a channel of communication between the data center asset and the connectivity management system is guaranteed, the claimed state indicating the data center asset can be authenticated and bound to a user;
discovering interrelationships of the plurality of data center assets using the connection between the respective plurality of data center asset client modules and the connectivity management system; and,
generating a topological map of the plurality of data center assets based upon the interrelationships of the plurality of data center assets.
8. The system of claim 7 , wherein the instructions executable by the processor are further configured for:
using the topological map of the plurality of data center assets when performing a connectivity management operation.
9. The system of claim 7 , wherein the instructions executable by the processor are further configured for:
designating one of the respective plurality of data center asset client modules as a primary data center asset client module; and,
designating others of the respective plurality of data center asset client modules as secondary data center asset client modules.
10. The system of claim 9 , wherein:
the primary data center asset client module provides the connectivity management system with data center asset interconnectivity information; and,
the connectivity management system uses to data center asset interconnectivity information to discover the interrelationships of the plurality of data center assets.
11. The system of claim 10 , wherein:
the primary data center asset client module functions as a proxy to automate configuration and claiming processes associated with the plurality of data center assets.
12. The system of claim 10 , wherein:
the data center asset interconnectivity information includes type-length-value (TLV) information contained within Link Layer Discovery Protocol (LLDP) packets associated with at least some of the plurality of data center assets.
13. A non-transitory, computer-readable storage medium embodying computer program code, the computer program code comprising computer executable instructions configured for:
providing a plurality of data center assets with a respective plurality of data center asset client modules;
establishing a connection between the respective plurality of data center asset client modules and a connectivity management system, the connectivity management system comprising a connectivity management system aggregator, the establishing the connection between the data center asset client module and the connectivity management system establishing the connectivity management system client in a trusted and claimed state, the trusted state indicating a channel of communication between the data center asset and the connectivity management system is guaranteed, the claimed state indicating the data center asset can be authenticated and bound to a user;
discovering interrelationships of the plurality of data center assets using the connection between the respective plurality of data center asset client modules and the connectivity management system; and,
generating a topological map of the plurality of data center assets based upon the interrelationships of the plurality of data center assets.
14. The non-transitory, computer-readable storage medium of claim 13 , wherein the computer executable instructions are further configured for:
using the topological map of the plurality of data center assets when performing a connectivity management operation.
15. The non-transitory, computer-readable storage medium of claim 14 , wherein the computer executable instructions are further configured for:
designating one of the respective plurality of data center asset client modules as a primary data center asset client module; and,
designating others of the respective plurality of data center asset client modules as secondary data center asset client modules.
16. The non-transitory, computer-readable storage medium of claim 15 , wherein:
the primary data center asset client module provides the connectivity management system with data center asset interconnectivity information; and,
the connectivity management system uses to data center asset interconnectivity information to discover the interrelationships of the plurality of data center assets.
17. The non-transitory, computer-readable storage medium of claim 16 , wherein:
the primary data center asset client module functions as a proxy to automate configuration and claiming processes associated with the plurality of data center assets.
18. The non-transitory, computer-readable storage medium of claim 16 , wherein:
the data center asset interconnectivity information includes type-length-value (TLV) information contained within Link Layer Discovery Protocol (LLDP) packets associated with at least some of the plurality of data center assets.
19. The non-transitory, computer-readable storage medium of claim 13 , wherein:
the computer executable instructions are deployable to a client system from a server system at a remote location.
20. The non-transitory, computer-readable storage medium of claim 13 , wherein:
the computer executable instructions are provided by a service provider to a user on an on-demand basis.