Automated Blade Server Failover via Virtual Address Assignment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current blade server failover systems in data centers require manual and complex processes to replace failed blades with new ones accessing remote storage, lacking an automatic solution that doesn't rely on third-party proxies.
Innovation Solution
A system management server manages blade server failover by powering off the failing blade, identifying a replacement from a pool of standby blades, assigning and enabling its network and storage addresses, and powering on the replacement blade, using a blade server management module to automate the process.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If manual process is used to replace failed blade servers, then redundancy and fault tolerance can be maintained, but the process becomes complex and time-consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-configuring standby blade servers with the necessary virtual addresses (WWN, WWID, MAC addresses) and storage mappings before failover is needed. When a blade fails, the system can immediately activate a pre-prepared standby server without requiring manual reconfiguration, thus maintaining reliability while reducing process complexity and time
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements self-service through automated failover detection and execution. The management system automatically detects blade failures, selects appropriate standby servers, and performs the failover process without human intervention. This eliminates the need for manual operations while maintaining system redundancy and fault tolerance
2Ease of operation
If third party proxy is used to manage remote storage, then storage access can be administered, but the process requires manual intervention and external dependencies
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the storage management functionality from the third-party proxy and integrates it directly into the blade server system. By incorporating storage address management and remote storage access capabilities within the system itself, it eliminates external dependencies and enables fully automated failover without requiring manual intervention or external proxy services
3Reliability
If virtual addresses are assigned to blade servers, then storage and network access can be maintained, but address assignment becomes complex during replacement
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies universality by creating a standardized address management system that handles all types of virtual addresses (WWN, WWID, MAC addresses) through a single unified process. The standby blade servers are pre-configured with universal address templates that can be automatically assigned during failover, eliminating the need for complex manual address assignment while ensuring continuous data processing and access
Data Source
AI summary
Failover of blade servers in a data center including powering off a failing blade server by a system management server through a blade server management module (‘BSMM’) managing the failing blade server, the failing blade server characterized by a machine type, one or more network addresses, and one or more storage addresses, the addresses being virtual addresses; identifying, by the system management server from a pool of standby blade servers, a replacement blade server, the replacement blade server managed by a BSMM; assigning, by the system management server through the BSMM managing the replacement blade server, the one or more network addresses and the one or more storage addresses of the failing blade server to the replacement blade server, including enabling in the replacement blade server the assigned addresses; and powering on the replacement blade server by the system management server through the BSMM managing the replacement blade server.