Virtual Server Identification Data for Physical-Virtual Dependency Tracking
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional configuration data management systems struggle to relate data from physical and virtual servers effectively, as they cannot directly specify the dependency between virtual and physical servers due to the virtual server's behavior mimicking the physical server, making it difficult to manage and track virtual server operations, especially when automated log-in is not feasible for security reasons.
Innovation Solution
A configuration data management system that generates unique virtual server identification data within the server virtualization function of the physical server, allowing this data to be referenced by the operating system of the virtual server and used to relate configuration data from both physical and virtual servers, enabling their effective management without relying on management logs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If virtual servers are configured to behave like physical servers, then the virtual servers can function seamlessly within the system, but the dependency between virtual and physical servers cannot be directly specified from the outside
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a configuration data management server as an intermediary that collects configuration data from both physical servers and virtual servers, and maintains dependency relationships between them. This mediator enables external systems to understand the dependency relationships without requiring virtual servers to expose their internal virtualization status, thus resolving the contradiction between seamless operation and dependency visibility.
2Productivity
If automated log-in is implemented to collect data from virtual servers, then data collection becomes efficient, but security risks increase and complexity increases due to different OS login methods
Solution Approach 1:
The patent enables virtual servers to autonomously provide their configuration data to the management server through standardized interfaces, eliminating the need for automated log-in. Each virtual server independently exposes its configuration information (OS, application, resource usage) via controlled data collection points, achieving efficient data collection without security compromises or OS-specific complexity.
3Loss of information
If server virtualization integrated management function is used, then virtual server operations can be tracked, but the system complexity increases and operations become troublesome when servers are added or removed
Solution Approach 1:
The patent designs a universal configuration data management server that handles multiple functions: collecting data from physical servers, collecting data from virtual servers, maintaining dependency relationships, and providing search capabilities. This multi-functional approach consolidates what would otherwise require separate management functions, reducing overall system complexity while maintaining comprehensive tracking capabilities.
4Loss of information
If configuration data from both physical and virtual servers is collected and related, then comprehensive system management is achieved, but the difficulty of detecting and measuring increases due to the need to establish relationships between data sources
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a feedback mechanism where the configuration data management server actively maintains and updates dependency relationships between physical and virtual servers based on collected configuration data. The system continuously monitors changes in server configurations and automatically adjusts the recorded relationships, making the complex relationship establishment process automated and manageable rather than manual and error-prone.
Data Source
AI summary
In a system in which a physical server and a virtual server exist mixedly, data collected from the physical server and data collected from the virtual server are related and managed. Virtual server identification data which indicates the virtual server uniquely is generated in a network system to which the physical server belongs, to the virtual server which operates in a server virtualization function. The generated virtual server identification data can be referred to from an OS in the virtual server. The configuration data of the virtual server and the configuration data of the physical server are collected including the virtual server identification data. The configuration data of the virtual server and the configuration data of the physical server are related by using the virtual server identification data.