Aggregate Storage Manager License Distribution
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Solution Overview
Problem
The increasing complexity of managing data storage systems across diverse customer networks poses challenges in licensing and compliance, particularly due to the need for streamlined license handling and efficient data growth management, as existing solutions often require individual licensing of each storage operation cell and lack efficient mechanisms for handling network outages and data growth.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of a multi-cell environment with enhanced storage managers acting as license servers, which manage and distribute licenses at an aggregate level, allowing for global licensed quotas and providing a self-service model for licensing updates, while also accounting for network outages through grace periods and centralized logical license servers for cloud-based services.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If individual licensing of each storage operation cell is implemented, then licensing control and compliance tracking are improved, but administrative complexity and overhead increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple individual cell licenses into a single global license that covers aggregate storage capacity across multiple cells. The license server consolidates licensing management for numerous storage operation cells, allowing customers to manage one global license rather than individually licensing each cell, thereby reducing administrative overhead while maintaining control.
Solution Approach 2:
The global license serves multiple functions simultaneously: it licenses aggregate storage capacity across diverse cells, provides compliance tracking for the entire customer environment, and enables self-service licensing operations. This universal licensing approach replaces the need for separate licensing mechanisms for each individual cell.
2Ease of operation
If aggregate level licensing is implemented, then administrative burden is reduced and licensing is simplified, but granular control over individual cells is lost
Solution Approach 1:
While maintaining aggregate-level licensing for simplicity, the system segments licensing control by allowing customers to designate specific cells as license servers. This segmentation enables differentiated control where certain cells have elevated privileges for license distribution while others operate as child licensees, providing granular control within the aggregate framework.
Solution Approach 2:
The licensing system dynamically adapts to customer needs by allowing reconfiguration of which cell serves as the license server. Customers can upgrade, renew, or modify licenses through self-service operations, and the system dynamically distributes updated licensing information to all relevant cells, providing both simplicity and adaptability.
3Reliability
If network outage tolerance is implemented with grace periods, then operational continuity is improved, but licensing compliance enforcement is delayed
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements grace periods as a cushioning mechanism that allows continued operation during network outages before enforcing license compliance. This beforehand cushioning acknowledges that network failures are unpredictable and provides a buffer period, preventing premature compliance enforcement while maintaining operational continuity during legitimate outage scenarios.
Solution Approach 2:
The license server continuously monitors network connectivity and licensing compliance status, providing feedback to determine when grace periods should be activated or terminated. When network connectivity is restored, the system feedback-drivenly re-evaluates compliance status and enforces licensing requirements appropriately, balancing continuity and precision through continuous monitoring.
Data Source
AI summary
Storage managers are used in data storage management systems for license distribution, compliance, and updates. A licensed quota is managed at an aggregate level applicable to a collective plurality of storage operation cells and not by licensing each individual storage operation cell. A multi-cell environment belonging to a given customer is licensed by using an enhanced storage manager in each cell. One storage manager is a “license server” to the other storage managers or “child licensees.” A licensor issues a global license to the customer's designated license server, which distributes child licenses and manages other licensing aspects. Rather than licensing usage for individual storage operation cells, licensed usage is managed at an aggregate level using the license server and child licensees in a “self-service” model.