Automated Hardware Inventory Bootstrap for Cloud Data Center Fabric Integration
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Solution Overview
Problem
Manual expansion of data centers in cloud-computing networks is time-consuming, inconsistent, and prone to service interruptions due to the lack of automation in integrating new hardware into the fabric.
Innovation Solution
An automated bootstrap process that verifies the physical topology of non-configured hardware and integrates it into a cloud-computing fabric as a fabric-computing cluster, using self-contained workflows for discovery, validation, and deployment, ensuring consistent and efficient expansion of computing/storage capacity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If manual procedures are used to integrate new hardware into the fabric, then flexibility in handling diverse hardware configurations is maintained, but the process becomes time-consuming, inconsistent, and prone to service interruptions
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs self-discovery and self-validation of hardware components. The automated bootstrap process enables hardware to be automatically detected, configured, and integrated into the fabric without manual intervention, while maintaining consistency through predefined validation rules and templates
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary validation and configuration checks before actual hardware integration. Templates define expected hardware configurations in advance, and the automated process validates physical topology against these templates before committing to integration, preventing service interruptions
2Reliability
If manual configuration steps are performed, then complex hardware topologies can be handled with human judgment, but the process becomes ineffective and inconsistent in results
Solution Approach 1:
The automated bootstrap process incorporates validation feedback loops that compare discovered hardware topology against predefined templates. The system provides feedback on configuration status, validates physical connections, and ensures consistency before integration, eliminating manual inconsistency while maintaining reliability
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses configurable templates that define expected hardware parameters and topology. By changing parameters from manual to automated validation against these templates, the system achieves consistent results across different hardware configurations without sacrificing adaptability
3Productivity
If automated bootstrap process is implemented, then hardware integration becomes efficient and scalable, but the complexity of the deployment process increases
Solution Approach 1:
The automated bootstrap process is segmented into distinct phases: discovery, validation, and deployment. Each phase handles specific tasks independently, making the overall complex process manageable through modular organization. The discovery phase identifies hardware, validation phase checks topology against templates, and deployment phase integrates into fabric
Data Source
AI summary
Methods, systems, and computer-readable media for automatically validating and configuring an inventory of hardware to interact seamlessly with a cloud-computing fabric of a data center are provided. Initially, devices internal to the hardware inventory are located by sending and receiving messages via out-of-band communication channels and network communication channels, respectively. Locating the internal devices involves establishing communication from a user device to the hardware inventory and selecting at least one of the internal devices for conducting a discovery process thereon. The discovery process involves receiving a first network identifier via the out-of-band communication channel and receiving a second network identifier via the network communication channel. When the first and second network identifiers match, the interconnection of the selected device is validated. Otherwise, one or more remedial measures are initiated with respect to the selected device. Validation involves conducting a server boot within the MOS and executing validation and configuration tools.