Patent Publication Number: US-11023422-B2

Title: Generating snapshot of an integration environment to facilitate replication of the environment

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to information handling systems. More specifically, embodiments of the invention relate to generating a snapshot of an integration environment to facilitate replication of the environment. 
     Description of the Related Art 
     As the value and use of information continues to increase, individuals and businesses seek additional ways to process and store information. One option available to users is information handling systems. An information handling system generally processes, compiles, stores, and/or communicates information or data for business, personal, or other purposes thereby allowing users to take advantage of the value of the information. Because technology and information handling needs and requirements vary between different users or applications, information handling systems may also vary regarding what information is handled, how the information is handled, how much information is processed, stored, or communicated, and how quickly and efficiently the information may be processed, stored, or communicated. The variations in information handling systems allow for information handling systems to be general or configured for a specific user or specific use such as financial transaction processing, airline reservations, enterprise data storage, or global communications. In addition, information handling systems may include a variety of hardware and software components that may be configured to process, store, and communicate information and may include one or more computer systems, data storage systems, and networking systems. 
     One example of an information handling system is a server, which is typically dedicated to running one or more services as a host on a network. The advent of cloud computing in recent years has made the use of servers increasingly common. As a result, it is not unusual for hundreds, if not thousands, of servers to be deployed in a given data center. Historically, servers were locally managed by an administrator through a shared keyboard, video display, and mouse (KVM). Over time, remote management capabilities evolved to allow administrators to monitor, manage, update and deploy servers over a network connection. 
     One example of these capabilities is the use of a remote access controller (RAC), which is operably coupled to, or embedded within, the server and remotely accessed by an administrator via an out-of-band communication link. As an example, the Integrated Dell Remote Access Controller (iDRAC) from Dell, Inc. has its own processor, memory, network connection, and access to the system bus. Integrated into the motherboard of a server, it provides out-of-band management facilities that allow administrators to deploy, monitor, manage, configure, update, troubleshoot and remediate the server from any location, and without the use of agents. It is known to provide remote access controllers with a management application suite which enhance certain system management functionality of the remote access controller. For example, OpenManage Integration for VMware vCenter (Spectre) is a highly complex management application suite for System Management, which are integrated with a remote access controller such as the iDRAC, lifecycle controller (LC), OpenManage Server Administrator (OMSA), VMware vSphere Client, and Web Client. 
     The use of a RAC for remote management of a server in a data center can be advantageous. However, it can also present challenges. For example, attempting to reproduce an issue which is identified by the RAC can be time consuming and sometimes not even possible because a particular customer server setup and environment are not often revealed completely to the remote management for reasons such as to security purposes. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     A system, method, and computer-readable medium are disclosed for reproducing an issue via a remote access controller by providing the remote access controller with a method for allowing a user to take a snapshot (i.e., a representation of the state of all components of an integration environment at a particular point in time) of an integration of the various components administered via a management application suite executing on a remote access controller. In certain embodiments, the management application suite comprises an OpenManage Integration for VMware vCenter. Such a method reduces the time needed to determine a root cause of an issue and assists system managers in properly providing a solution to the issue. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The present invention may be better understood, and its numerous objects, features and advantages made apparent to those skilled in the art by referencing the accompanying drawings. The use of the same reference number throughout the several figures designates a like or similar element. 
         FIG. 1  is a general illustration of components of an information handling system as implemented in the system and method of the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  is a simplified block diagram of a plurality of remote access controllers (RACs) implemented with a corresponding plurality of servers; and 
         FIG. 3  shows a flow chart of the operation of a management application suite reproduction system. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     For purposes of this disclosure, an information handling system may include any instrumentality or aggregate of instrumentalities operable to compute, classify, process, transmit, receive, retrieve, originate, switch, store, display, manifest, detect, record, reproduce, handle, or utilize any form of information, intelligence, or data for business, scientific, control, or other purposes. For example, an information handling system may be a personal computer, a network storage device, or any other suitable device and may vary in size, shape, performance, functionality, and price. The information handling system may include random access memory (RAM), one or more processing resources such as a central processing unit (CPU) or hardware or software control logic, ROM, and/or other types of nonvolatile memory. Additional components of the information handling system may include one or more disk drives, one or more network ports for communicating with external devices as well as various input and output (I/O) devices, such as a keyboard, a mouse, and a video display. The information handling system may also include one or more buses operable to transmit communications between the various hardware components. 
       FIG. 1  is a generalized illustration of an information handling system  100  that can be used to implement the system and method of the present invention. The information handling system  100  includes a processor (e.g., central processor unit or “CPU”)  102 , input/output (I/O) devices  104 , such as a display, a keyboard, a mouse, and associated controllers, a hard drive or disk storage  106 , and various other subsystems, such as a remote access controller (RAC)  108 . In various embodiments, the RAC  108  includes a management application suite reproduction module  118 . In one embodiment, the management application suite reproduction module  118  is operatively coupled to the RAC  108 . In one embodiment, the management application suite reproduction module  118  is embedded in the RAC  108 . In various embodiments, the information handling system  100  also includes network port  110  operable to connect to a network  140 , which is likewise accessible by a service provider server  142 . The information handling system  100  likewise includes system memory  112 , which is interconnected to the foregoing via one or more buses  114 . System memory  112  further comprises operating system (OS)  116  and in various embodiments may also comprise a web browser  120 . 
       FIG. 2  is a simplified block diagram of a plurality of remote access controllers (RACs) implemented with a corresponding plurality of servers in accordance with an embodiment of the invention.  FIG. 2  illustrates one example of an integration environment in which the present invention operates. 
     As shown in  FIG. 2 , server rack ‘ 1 ’  202  includes a network switch ‘ 1 ’  204  and servers  210 . 1  and  210 . 2  through  210 . a , where ‘a’ is an integer index greater than or equal to 2. In one embodiment, the servers  210 . 1  and  210 . 2  through  210 . a  respectively include a host system  212 . 1  and  212 . 2  through  212 . b  and a RACs  216 . 12  and  216 . 2  through  216 . d , where ‘b’ and ‘d’ are integer indexes greater than or equal to 2. In one embodiment, the host systems  212 . 1  and  212 . 2  through  212 . b  are respectively coupled to the RACs  216 . 1  and  216 . 2  through  216 . d  via Universal Serial Bus (USB) links  214 . 1  and  214 . 2  through  214 . c , where ‘c’ is an integer index greater than or equal to 2. In one embodiment, the RACs  216 . 1  and  216 . 2  through  216 . d  are respectively embedded in the servers  210 . 1  and  210 . 2  through  210 . a . In one embodiment, the RACs  216 . 1  and  216 . 2  through  216 . d  respectively include a Network Interface Controller (NIC)  218 . 1  and  218 . 2  through  218 . e , where ‘e’ is an integer index greater than or equal to 2. In one embodiment, the NICs  218 . 1  and  218 . 2  through  218 . e  are used to respectively couple the RACs  216 . 1  and  216 . 2  through  216 . d  to the network switch ‘a’  204 . 
     Server rack ‘ 2 ’  208  likewise includes a network switch ‘ 2 ’  206  and servers  220 . 1  and  220 . 2  through  220 . m , where ‘m’ is an integer index greater than or equal to 2. In one embodiment, the servers  220 . 1  and  220 . 2  through  220 . m  respectively include a host system  222 . 1  and  222 . 2  through  222 . n  and RACs  226 . 1  and  226 . 2  through  226 . p , where ‘n’ and ‘p’ are integer indexes greater than or equal to 2. In one embodiment, the host systems  222 . 1  and  222 . 2  through  222 . b  are respectively coupled to the RACs  226 . 1  and  226 . 2  through  226 . p  via USB links  224 . 1  and  224 . 2  through  224 . o , where ‘o’ is an integer index greater than or equal to 2. In one embodiment, the RACs  226 . 1  and  226 . 2  through  226 . p  are respectively embedded in the servers  220 . 1  and  220 . 2  through  220 . m . In one embodiment, the RACs  226 . 1  and  226 . 2  through  226 . p  respectively include a NIC  228 . 1  and  228 . 2  through  228 . q , where ‘q’ is an integer index greater than or equal to 2. In one embodiment, the NICs  228 . 1  and  228 . 2  through  228 . q  are used to respectively couple the RACs  226 . 1  and  226 . 2  through  226 . p  to the network switch ‘b’  206 . 
     In one embodiment, network switch ‘ 1 ’  201  and network switch ‘ 2 ’  206  are communicatively coupled to respectively exchange data between servers  210 . 1  and  210 . 2  through  210 . a  and servers  220 . 1  and  220 . 2  through  220 . m . In one embodiment, the network switches ‘ 1 ’  204  and ‘ 2 ’  206  are communicatively coupled via router to a link-local network  240 . In one embodiment, the link-local network  240  is also communicatively coupled to an administrator console  242 , which is used by an administrator  244  to administer RACs  216 . 1  and  216 . 2  through  216 . d  and RACs  226 . 1  and  226 . 2  through  226 . p . In one embodiment, each of the RACs  216 . 1  and  216 . 2  through  216 . d  and RACs  226 . 1  and  226 . 2  through  226 . p  are assigned a unique link-local Internet Protocol (IP) address by the administrator  244 . 
     As used herein, a link-local network refers to a private network that uses a private IP address space. These addresses are commonly used enterprise local area networks (LANs) when globally routable addresses are either not mandatory, or are not available for the intended network applications. These addresses are characterized as private because they are not globally delegated and IP packets addressed by them cannot be transmitted onto the public Internet. As the name implies, a link-local network uses link-local addresses, which refers to an IP address that is intended only for communications within a segment, or link, of a local network, or to establish a point-to-point network connection to a host. 
     Routers, such as router  240 , do not forward packets with link-local IP addresses. Link-local IP addresses may be assigned manually by an administrator or by operating system procedures. They may also be assigned using stateless address autoconfiguration. In IPv4, their normal use is typically restricted to the assignment of IP addresses to network interfaces when no external, stateful mechanism of address configuration exists, such as the Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP), or when another primary configuration method has failed. In IPv6, link-local addresses are generally utilized for the internal functioning of various protocol components. 
     Referring to  FIG. 3 , a flow chart of the operation of a management application suite reproduction system  300  is shown. In certain embodiments, the management application suite reproduction system  300  corresponds to the management application suite reproduction module  118 . 
     The management application suite reproduction system  300  begins operation by collecting all debug logs which are generated by the remote access controller  108  at step  310 . In certain embodiments, the debug logs are added to a specific trouble shooting file such as a trouble shooting zip file e.g., DVCPLog.zip) via a remote access controller application program interface (API) and a windows remote management (winRM) Web Services (WS) management protocol. Additional in certain embodiments the debug log includes a system event log (SEL) type log and a lifecycle controller (LC) type log. 
     In certain embodiments, the SEL type log is generated as follows: 
     
       
         
           
               
             
               
                   
               
             
            
               
                 winrm e cimv2/root/dcim/DCIM_SELRecordLog -u:&lt;usr&gt; -p:&lt;pwd&gt; - 
               
               
                 r:https://&lt;iDRACIP&gt;/wsman:443 -auth:basic -encoding:utf-8 
               
               
                 -SkipCACheck - 
               
               
                 SkipCNCheck 
               
               
                   
               
            
           
         
       
     
     Where, winrm is a command which can be executed from any Windows based OS to enable the SEL type Log from a server, usr is the username to access the server, pwd is the password to access the server, and iDRACIP is the iDRAC IP of the server. 
     In certain embodiments, the LC log is generated as follows: 
     
       
         
           
               
             
               
                   
               
             
            
               
                 winrm i ExportLCLog http://schemas.dmtf.org/wbem/wscim/1/cim- 
               
               
                 schema/2/root/dcim/DCIM_LCService?SystemCreationClassName=DCIM_Com 
               
               
                 puterSystem+CreationClassName=DCIM_LCService+SystemName=DCIM:Comp 
               
               
                 uterSystem+Name=DCIM:LCService -u:root -p:calvin - 
               
               
                 r:https://&lt;iDRACIP&gt;/wsman -SkipCNCheck -SkipCACheck -encoding:utf-8 - 
               
               
                 a:basic @{IPAddress=“&lt;LaptopIP&gt;”; 
               
               
                 ShareName=“Projects\Spectre\Trung”;ShareType=“2”; 
               
               
                 Username=“americas\trung_m_tran”;Password=“Password”; 
               
               
                 FileName=“export_lcl1.xml”} 
               
               
                   
               
            
           
         
       
     
     Where, winrm is a command which can be executed from any Windows based OS to enable the LC type Log from a server, usr is the username to access the server, pwd is the password to access the server, and iDRACIP is the iDRAC IP of the server, and LaptopIP is the physical IP of the Laptop. 
     Next, at step  320 , the management application suite reproduction system  300  generates a backup database via the remote access controller API. Next at step  330 , the management application suite reproduction system  300  executes a thread dump operation to dump all of the threads that are currently running in the environment. In certain embodiments, the thread dump operation is performed via a thread dump script (e.g., ThreadsDump.sh). More specifically, in certain embodiments, the thread dump script is set forth as: 
     
       
         
           
               
             
               
                   
               
             
            
               
                 #!/bin/bash 
               
               
                 if [ $# -eq 0 ]; then 
               
            
           
           
               
               
            
               
                   
                 echo &gt;&amp;2 “Usage: jstackSeries &lt;pid&gt; &lt;run_user&gt; [ &lt;count&gt; [ 
               
               
                   
                 &lt;delay&gt; ] ]” 
               
            
           
           
               
               
               
            
               
                   
                 echo &gt;&amp;2 “ 
                 Defaults: count = 10, delay = 0.5 (seconds)” 
               
            
           
           
               
               
            
               
                   
                 exit 1 
               
            
           
           
               
            
               
                 fi 
               
            
           
           
               
               
            
               
                 pid=$1 
                 # required 
               
               
                 user=$2 
                 # required 
               
            
           
           
               
            
               
                 count=${3:−10} # defaults to 10 times 
               
               
                 delay=${4:−0.5) # defaults to 0.5 seconds 
               
               
                 while [ $count -gt 0 ] 
               
               
                 do 
               
            
           
           
               
               
            
               
                   
                 sudo -u $user jstack −1 $pid &gt;jstack.$pid.$(date +%H%M%S.%N) 
               
               
                   
                 sleep $delay 
               
               
                   
                 let count-- 
               
               
                   
                 echo -n “.” 
               
            
           
           
               
            
               
                 done 
               
               
                   
               
            
           
         
       
     
     Next at step  340 , the firmware version of all host is collected. In certain embodiments, the firmware version is collected via a management protocol such as the winRM WS-management protocol. Next at step  350 , all of the software versions of the hosts are collected. In certain embodiments, the software versions of the hosts are collected via a collection script. In certain embodiments, this collection script corresponds to a virtualization software script such as VMware sffw.sh. In certain embodiments, the information regarding the Software and files are stored within the trouble shooting file. Specifically, in certain embodiments, the Software version files are stored as: &lt;hostname&gt;.osversion and &lt;hostname&gt;.fwversion. 
     In certain embodiments, the Software and Firmware version files are generated as follows: 
     
       
         
           
               
               
             
               
                   
                   
               
             
            
               
                   
                 winrm e cimv2/root/dcim/DCIM_SoftwareIdentity -u:&lt;username&gt; 
               
               
                   
                 -p:&lt;pwd&gt; - 
               
               
                   
                 r:https://&lt;iDRACIP&gt;:443/wsman -auth:basic -encoding:utf-8 
               
               
                   
                 -skipCNcheck - 
               
               
                   
                 skipCAcheck 
               
               
                   
                 # /usr/lib/vmware/vm-support/bin/swfw.sh 
               
               
                   
                   
               
            
           
         
       
     
     Where, winrm is a command which can be executed from any Windows based OS, usr is the username to access the server, pwd is the password to access the server, and iDRACIP is the iDRAC IP of the server. 
     After step  350  completes operation, the specific trouble shooting file includes a snapshot of the server environment being managed by the remote access controller. This snapshot reduces the time needed to determine a root cause of an issue that prompted the generation of the snapshot and assists system managers in properly providing a solution to the issue. During this operation, all the software, hardware and firmware versions will be collected. To do so, a GetHost operation is used to collect all the manage hosts and each host will be processed to collect its software, hardware and firmware versions currently installed and being used. 
     As will be appreciated by one skilled in the art, the present invention may be embodied as a method, system, or computer program product. Accordingly, embodiments of the invention may be implemented entirely in hardware, entirely in software (including firmware, resident software, micro-code, etc.) or in an embodiment combining software and hardware. These various embodiments may all generally be referred to herein as a “circuit,” “module,” or “system.” Furthermore, the present invention may take the form of a computer program product on a computer-usable storage medium having computer-usable program code embodied in the medium. 
     Any suitable computer usable or computer readable medium may be utilized. The computer-usable or computer-readable medium may be, for example, but not limited to, an electronic, magnetic, optical, electromagnetic, infrared, or semiconductor system, apparatus, or device. More specific examples (a non-exhaustive list) of the computer-readable medium would include the following: a portable computer diskette, a hard disk, a random access memory (RAM), a read-only memory (ROM), an erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM or Flash memory), a portable compact disc read-only memory (CD-ROM), an optical storage device, or a magnetic storage device. In the context of this document, a computer-usable or computer-readable medium may be any medium that can contain, store, communicate, or transport the program for use by or in connection with the instruction execution system, apparatus, or device. 
     Computer program code for carrying out operations of the present invention may be written in an object oriented programming language such as Java, Smalltalk, C++ or the like. However, the computer program code for carrying out operations of the present invention may also be written in conventional procedural programming languages, such as the “C” programming language or similar programming languages. The program code may execute entirely on the user&#39;s computer, partly on the user&#39;s computer, as a stand-alone software package, partly on the user&#39;s computer and partly on a remote computer or entirely on the remote computer or server. In the latter scenario, the remote computer may be connected to the user&#39;s computer through a local area network (LAN) or a wide area network (WAN), or the connection may be made to an external computer (for example, through the Internet using an Internet Service Provider). 
     Embodiments of the invention are described with reference to flowchart illustrations and/or block diagrams of methods, apparatus (systems) and computer program products according to embodiments of the invention. It will be understood that each block of the flowchart illustrations and/or block diagrams, and combinations of blocks in the flowchart illustrations and/or block diagrams, can be implemented by computer program instructions. These computer program instructions may be provided to a processor of a general purpose computer, special purpose computer, or other programmable data processing apparatus to produce a machine, such that the instructions, which execute via the processor of the computer or other programmable data processing apparatus, create means for implementing the functions/acts specified in the flowchart and/or block diagram block or blocks. 
     These computer program instructions may also be stored in a computer-readable memory that can direct a computer or other programmable data processing apparatus to function in a particular manner, such that the instructions stored in the computer-readable memory produce an article of manufacture including instruction means which implement the function/act specified in the flowchart and/or block diagram block or blocks. 
     The computer program instructions may also be loaded onto a computer or other programmable data processing apparatus to cause a series of operational steps to be performed on the computer or other programmable apparatus to produce a computer implemented process such that the instructions which execute on the computer or other programmable apparatus provide steps for implementing the functions/acts specified in the flowchart and/or block diagram block or blocks. 
     The present invention is well adapted to attain the advantages mentioned as well as others inherent therein. While the present invention has been depicted, described, and is defined by reference to particular embodiments of the invention, such references do not imply a limitation on the invention, and no such limitation is to be inferred. The invention is capable of considerable modification, alteration, and equivalents in form and function, as will occur to those ordinarily skilled in the pertinent arts. The depicted and described embodiments are examples only, and are not exhaustive of the scope of the invention. 
     Consequently, the invention is intended to be limited only by the spirit and scope of the appended claims, giving full cognizance to equivalents in all respects.