Switch Intermediary for Centralized VDC Resource Monitoring
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Solution Overview
Problem
Data center managers face challenges in optimizing resource utilization and ensuring application integrity and availability, as current solutions require manual and disruptive processes for collecting and viewing hardware resource information across multiple virtual device contexts (VDCs), which are time-consuming and lack a centralized view.
Innovation Solution
A system where a switch collects and relays resource information across all VDCs, allowing an attached appliance to poll and receive statistics without manual changes, enabling centralized monitoring and efficient resource management through defined polling intervals and validation of requests against the current system state.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of information
If manual processes are used to collect and view hardware resource information across multiple VDCs, then data center managers can obtain resource information, but the process is time-consuming and disruptive
Solution Approach 1:
An intermediary mechanism is introduced between the appliance and multiple VDCs to automatically collect and relay resource information. The switch acts as a mediator that receives polling requests from the appliance, gathers resource information from all VDCs, and relays it back to the appliance, eliminating manual information collection processes.
Solution Approach 2:
The system enables self-service by allowing the appliance to automatically poll for and receive resource information without requiring manual intervention. The switch autonomously collects information from multiple VDCs and relays it to the appliance based on polling requests, making the information retrieval process automated and non-disruptive.
2Loss of information
If manual intervention is used to collect resource information across VDCs, then information can be gathered, but operational efficiency is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The system establishes continuous information flow by enabling the appliance to poll for resource information at regular intervals. The switch continuously collects and relays resource information from all VDCs to the appliance, ensuring uninterrupted visibility into resource utilization without manual intervention.
Solution Approach 2:
The switch serves as an intermediary that automates the information gathering process across multiple VDCs. It receives polling requests, collects resource information from all relevant VDCs, and relays the consolidated information to the appliance, significantly improving operational efficiency compared to manual collection methods.
3Ease of operation
If a centralized view of resource information is implemented, then data center management is improved, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The switch is enhanced with multi-functionality to serve both its traditional networking role and the additional function of collecting and relaying resource information from multiple VDCs. This universal approach consolidates information management capabilities within an existing device rather than adding separate specialized systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The switch acts as a centralized intermediary that provides a unified view of resource information across all VDCs through a single polling interface. The appliance interacts with the switch as a single point of contact, simplifying data center management despite the underlying complexity of multiple VDCs.
4Loss of information
If resource information is collected across all VDCs, then centralized monitoring is enabled, but manual changes are required
Solution Approach 1:
The appliance performs self-service by automatically initiating polling requests to the switch to retrieve resource information from all VDCs. The switch autonomously collects and relays the information without requiring manual configuration or intervention, enabling easy access to centralized resource monitoring.
Solution Approach 2:
The system establishes continuous automated information retrieval where the appliance periodically polls the switch for resource information. This ongoing automated process eliminates the need for manual changes or interventions to access updated resource data across all VDCs.
Data Source
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AI summary
A method is provided in one example embodiment and includes transmitting from an appliance connected to a first virtual device context ("VDC") instantiated on a network device a request for statistics associated with selected ones of a plurality of VDCs implemented on the network device, wherein the plurality of VDCs includes the first VDC and wherein the appliance is connected to the first VDC via a management link; and receiving at the appliance the requested statistics associated with the plurality of VDCs. The method may further comprise receiving at the appliance a configuration message, wherein the configuration message identifies at least one of the selected ones of the plurality of VDCs for which statistics are to be provided, at least one type of statistic to be provided for the selected ones of the VDCs, and a polling interval at which statistics are to be collected from the selected VDCs.