Boot Operating Systems from Storage Area Network Devices
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Solution Overview
Problem
Loading and booting operating systems on new computer servers is time-consuming, often requiring on-site administration and taking significant time, which limits server usage in data centers, especially when multiple operating systems or virtual machines need to be installed or upgraded.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a system that uses a provisioning server to manage the installation and upgrade of operating systems via storage area network (SAN) devices, utilizing converged network adapters and switches to efficiently download and boot operating systems from SAN devices, allowing for simultaneous installation across multiple servers and reducing the time required for the process.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If operating systems are loaded and booted on-site using traditional methods, then installation can be performed manually, but the process takes significant time and requires on-site administration
Solution Approach 1:
The system enables self-service automated installation where servers automatically download and install operating systems from SAN devices without requiring on-site administrator intervention. The provisioning server handles the entire process automatically, allowing servers to provision themselves with the needed OS images.
Solution Approach 2:
Operating system images are pre-loaded onto SAN devices before servers need them. The provisioning server prepares OS images in advance and makes them available on SAN devices, so when a server needs an OS, it's already ready for immediate download and installation, eliminating the time-consuming manual transfer process.
2Adaptability or versatility
If multiple operating systems need to be installed on multiple servers simultaneously, then deployment flexibility increases, but the time required for loading and booting increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments the OS deployment process into independent parallel operations. Multiple servers can simultaneously download different OS images from the SAN device without interfering with each other. The provisioning server manages multiple installation tasks concurrently, allowing linear scaling of deployment speed with the number of servers.
Solution Approach 2:
The SAN device serves multiple functions: it acts as both a storage device for OS images and a boot device for servers. The same SAN infrastructure supports multiple different OS types and versions, providing universal deployment capability across diverse server requirements without needing separate infrastructure for each OS type.
3Adaptability or versatility
If standard Ethernet protocols are used to transfer large operating system files, then network compatibility is maintained, but transfer speed is insufficient for large file sizes
Solution Approach 1:
The SAN device acts as an intermediary between the provisioning server and the target servers. OS images are first transferred to the SAN device using high-speed storage protocols, then servers download from the SAN device. This intermediary approach allows the use of optimized storage protocols for the bulk transfer while maintaining standard Ethernet compatibility for server communication.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the protocol parameters by using storage-optimized protocols (like Fibre Channel or iSCSI) for transferring large OS images between the provisioning server and SAN device, while maintaining standard Ethernet protocols for server-to-SAN communication. This parameter change enables high-speed transfer for large files while preserving network compatibility.
4Reliability
If a first server experiences failure or requires upgrading, then a second server can be activated, but loading OS software on the second server takes considerable time
Solution Approach 1:
OS images are pre-loaded onto the SAN device in advance, so when a replacement server needs to be activated, the OS is already available on the SAN device. The replacement server can immediately download and install the OS without waiting for manual transfer or compilation, enabling rapid failover and minimizing downtime.
Data Source
AI summary
Methods and apparatus are disclosed to install and boot computer servers with operating system software stored in boot logical units (LUNs) of a storage area network device. For each converged network adapter (CNA) in each computer server, provisioning server boot support is enabled to download operating system images by using a first computer communication protocol. Storage boot support is enabled to map a boot logical unit (LUN) in a targeted storage area network device to the converged network adapter and computer server. The boot LUN is mapped to a storage function of a converged network adapter port of the CNA. The computer server is then booted with the operating system that was stored in the boot LUN.