Hyper-Converged Host Pool OS Version Consistency
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional virtual computing environments are complex and cumbersome to manage, requiring high skill levels for configuring hosts and maintaining workload domains, especially due to their distributed nature.
Innovation Solution
A pre-configured hyper-converged computing device manages hosts allocable to workload domains, maintaining a pool of unallocated hosts with standardized operating system versions, allowing for seamless allocation and updating to ensure consistency across domains.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If conventional virtual computing environments are used, then hosts and virtual machines can be deployed, but the management becomes complex and cumbersome requiring high skill levels
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a workload domain manager as an intermediary component that sits between the distributed hosts and the management interface. This manager abstracts the complexity of host configuration and workload allocation, providing a simplified management layer that handles the intricate details of host provisioning, OS version management, and workload domain maintenance, thereby reducing the skill level required for effective management
Solution Approach 2:
The system segments the virtual computing environment into distinct workload domains, each with standardized operating system versions. By dividing the distributed host infrastructure into manageable domains with consistent configurations, the patent reduces overall management complexity while maintaining the ability to deploy and manage multiple virtual machines across the infrastructure
2Productivity
If hosts are allocated to workload domains, then service delivery is enabled, but consistency across hosts must be maintained which complicates management
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements preliminary action by pre-configuring hosts with standardized operating system versions before they are allocated to workload domains. The workload domain manager maintains a pool of pre-prepared hosts that already meet the consistency requirements, so when hosts need to be allocated, they are ready-to-deploy with the correct configurations, eliminating the need for complex post-allocation consistency management
Solution Approach 2:
The system manages host consistency by controlling the operating system version parameter. When a host is allocated to a workload domain, the system ensures the host's OS version matches the domain's required version. If needed, the system automatically updates or replaces hosts to maintain parameter consistency, thereby simplifying the management of host uniformity across the distributed environment
3Adaptability or versatility
If distributed virtual computing environment is used, then computing resources are flexible, but workload management becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The workload domain manager serves as a universal control mechanism that can manage multiple workload domains across the distributed infrastructure through a single interface. This multi-functional manager handles diverse tasks including host provisioning, OS version management, workload allocation, and domain maintenance, thereby making the distributed computing resources easier to manage while preserving their flexibility and adaptability
Data Source
AI summary
In a computer-implemented method for managing hosts of a pre-configured hyper-converged computing device, a pre-configured hyper-converged computing device comprising a plurality of hosts is managed, where the plurality of hosts is allocable to workload domains, where unallocated hosts of the plurality of hosts is maintained within a pool of unallocated hosts, and where the plurality of hosts each have an operating system version. An unallocated host of the pool of unallocated hosts is determined as having an operating system version that is outside of a range of supported operating system versions. The operating system version of the unallocated host is updated to an operating system version within the range of supported operating system versions.