Automated network control

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016352608-A1
Application number	US-201514722006-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	May 26, 2015
Priority date	May 26, 2015
Publication date	Dec 1, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

Embodiments are directed to automatically controlling network and service quality across datacenters. In one scenario, a computer system identifies portions of work that are to be performed within the datacenter. The computer system creates a request for change (request) in a change management system, where the change management system is configured to store and manage the implementation of requests within the datacenter. Then, upon implementation of the created request, the computer system polls the status of the request to determine whether the portions of work identified in the request can now be performed and, upon determining that the portions of work identified in the request can be performed, the computer system performs the portions of work according to the request. Performance of the specified work according to a request allows for workflows to be controlled based on the request.

First claim

We claim:

1 . A method, implemented at a computer system that includes at least one processor, for automatically controlling network and services within a datacenter, the method comprising:
identifying a task that is to be performed within a datacenter; creating a request for change that includes an indication of the identified task, the request being stored and managed by a change manager; upon creating the request, monitoring processing of the created request, the monitoring resulting in one or more portions of telemetry data; analyzing the telemetry data to identify one or more unexpected events related to the processing of the task identified in the request; and upon identifying at least one unexpected event, storing a second request for change generated to address the unexpected event.

2 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising generating an automation workflow that automatically performs the tasks that are to be performed within the datacenter as specified by the request.

3 . The method of claim 2 , further comprising controlling the automation workflow using the request, such that identified tasks are performed or not performed based on the status of the request.

4 . The method of claim 3 , wherein controlling the automation workflow comprises at least one of stopping the automation workflow, pausing the automation workflow and cancelling the automation workflow using the request.

5 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising generating the second request for change that addresses the unexpected event, the second request for change including one or more specific tasks that, when processed, handle the unexpected event.

6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the identified task comprises performing software or firmware upgrades.

7 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
automatically detecting that performance of the identified task has failed; and stopping or pausing the request such that performance of the identified task according to the request will be stopped or paused.

8 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the identified task is performed according to the request in a safe mode that prevents impactful changes.

9 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the identified task is performed according to the request in an impactful mode that allows impactful changes to occur.

10 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising instantiating a portion of functionality on at least one datacenter device that diverts network traffic off of the datacenter device onto another datacenter device.

11 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising reporting the status of the tasks processed as part of the request to at least one entity.

12 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the identified task comprises upgrading from an older software version to a newer software version.

13 . A computer system including:
at least one processor; a work component configured to identify a task that is to be performed within a datacenter; a change management component configured to create a request for change to perform the task, the change management component being configured to store and manage the implementation of requests within the datacenter; a monitoring component that, after determining the request has been created, monitors processing of the request, the monitoring resulting in one or more portions of telemetry data; a telemetry component for analyzing the telemetry data to identify one or more unexpected events related to the processing of the request; and a data store for storing, upon identifying at least one unexpected event, a second request for change generated to address the unexpected event, the second request for change including one or more specific tasks that, when processed, handle the unexpected event.

14 . The computer system of claim 13 , wherein the telemetry data comprises at least one of the following: inspection of alert log data, inspection of device status data, inspection of network traffic performance data, time to alert, time to resolution, time to power up device, time to same performance of data or response time to fix.

15 . The computer system of claim 13 , further comprising generating an indication of expected events prior to implementation of the request for change.

16 . The computer system of claim 13 , further comprising generating one or more alerts upon determining that an unexpected event has occurred.

17 . The computer system of claim 16 , further comprising identifying a time-to-resolution for the unexpected event.

18 . A computer program product for implementing a method for automatically controlling network and service quality across datacenters, the computer program product comprising one or more computer-readable storage media having stored thereon computer-executable instructions that, when executed by one or more processors of a computing system, cause the computing system to perform the method, the method comprising:
identifying a task that is to be performed within a datacenter; accessing a generated request for change that includes an indication of the identified task, the request being stored and managed by a change management service; upon accessing the request, monitoring performance of the created request, the monitoring resulting in one or more portions of telemetry data; analyzing the telemetry data to identify one or more unexpected events related to the processing of the task identified in the accessed request; upon identifying at least one unexpected event, generating a second request for change to address the unexpected event; and storing the second request for change.

19 . The computer program product of claim 17 , further comprising, upon identifying the at least one unexpected event, creating an automation workflow that includes one or more automatically implemented tasks that address the unexpected event.

20 . The computer program product of claim 17 , further comprising identifying a time-to-resolution for the unexpected event and monitoring to determine the actual length of time before the unexpected event is resolved.

Assignees

• Microsoft Technology Licensing Llc

Inventors

• Cornell Daniel R
• Boyd William T
• Linz Raymond Keith
• Meier-Magruder Karin
• Warriner Bennett L
• Riley David S
• Mcdaniels Iii Charles
• Ringer George K

Classifications

• G06Q10/0633 Primary

  Workflow analysis · CPC title

• H04L43/0817

  by checking functioning · CPC title

• H04L43/10 Primary

  Active monitoring, e.g. heartbeat, ping or trace-route · CPC title

• G06Q10/10

  Office automation; Time management · CPC title