Method and system for patch automation for management servers

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9513895-B2
Application number	US-201213665218-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 31, 2012
Priority date	Oct 31, 2012
Publication date	Dec 6, 2016
Grant date	Dec 6, 2016

Abstract

A method for automatically patching a management server in a distributed network. The method includes receiving an instruction to patch an unpatched management server. Retrieving, from a software repository, a patch file comprising a patch for the unpatched management server, where the unpatched management server is configured to manage a distributed application in the distributed network, and where the unpatched management server is located on a node of the distributed network. Establishing a connection with a management agent located on the node, where the management agent is configured to communicate with the unpatched management server over the network and manage a part of the distributed application that is located on the node. Sending, over the connection, the patch file to the management agent. Receiving, by the management agent, the patch file. Applying, by the management agent, the patch to the unpatched management server to obtain a patched management server.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for automatically patching a management server in a distributed network, comprising:
receiving, at a management server patcher (MSP), an instruction to patch an unpatched management server from an administrative server;
retrieving, from a software repository, a patch file comprising a patch for the unpatched management server,
wherein the unpatched management server is configured to manage a distributed application located in the distributed network, and to distribute and apply a plurality of patches to the distributed application,
wherein the unpatched management server is located on a node of the distributed network, and
wherein the patch for the unpatched management server is different from any of the plurality of patches that the unpatched management server is configured to distribute and apply to the distributed application;

establishing, by the MSP, a connection with a management agent located on the node, wherein the management agent is configured to communicate with the unpatched management server;
sending, over the connection, the patch file to the management agent;
receiving, by the management agent, from the MSP, the patch file;
before applying the patch to the unpatched management server:
creating a duplicate management server;
shifting an operational load of the unpatched management server to the duplicate management server; and
taking the unpatched management server offline;

applying, after taking the unpatched management server offline, by the management agent, the patch to the unpatched management server to obtain a patched management server that, based on the application of the patch, is configured to manage the distributed application differently than the unpatched management server;
bringing the patched management server online when the patch is successful; and
shifting the operational load from the duplicate management server to the patched management server.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein establishing the connection with the management agent comprises: using an MSP agent client interface of the MSP, and wherein the unpatched management server communicates with the management agent using an interface that is the same as the MSP agent client interface.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein establishing the connection with the management agent comprises:
establishing trust with the management agent, wherein establishing trust comprises:
retrieving, from the software repository, an encrypted key, wherein the encrypted key is created when the management agent is installed,
decrypting the encrypted key to obtain an unencrypted key, and
sending the unencrypted key to the management agent to establish trust.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the node is one of a plurality of nodes of the distributed network, and wherein the plurality of nodes comprises a plurality of management servers, wherein the management server is one of the plurality of management servers.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the plurality of management servers are patched concurrently.

6. The method of claim 4 , wherein the plurality of management servers are patched sequentially.

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising
staging, by the management agent, the patch file on the node;
creating, on the node, an execution environment in which to extract and apply the patch; and
extracting, from the patch file, the patch.

8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
checking, by the management agent, if an additional file is required to apply the patch to the unpatched management server;
retrieving, by the management agent, the additional file necessary for the application of the patch; and
staging, by the management agent, the additional file on the node.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein applying, by the management agent, the patch to the unpatched management server comprises:
notifying the MSP that patching was successful.

10. The method of claim 2 further comprising:
detecting, by the management agent, that application of the patch has failed; and
reverting, in response to detection of failure, the management server to an unpatched state.

11. The method of claim 10 further comprising:
sending, by the management agent, a failure notification to the MSP using the MSP interface.

12. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
receiving, from the node, a first failure notification, wherein the node is one of a plurality of nodes;
instructing other nodes of the plurality of nodes to abort the application of the patch; and
attempting to patch the management server a second time.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein attempting to patch the management server a second time comprises:
retrieving a second patch file from the software repository; and
distributing the second patch file to the node.

14. The method of claim 12 , further comprising:
receiving, from one of the plurality of nodes, a second failure notification; and
returning, in response to the second failure notification, a failure condition.

15. A distributed network, comprising:
a first node, comprising:
a processor and a memory;
an unpatched management server comprising an agent client layer and configured to manage a distributed application and to distribute and apply a plurality of patches to the distributed application;
a management agent, configured to:
establish a connection with the agent client layer;
receive, via the connection, a patch file;
before applying the patch to the unpatched management server:
create a duplicate management server;
shift an operational load of the unpatched management server to the duplicate management server; and
take the unpatched management server offline;

apply after taking the unpatched management server offline, a patch contained within the patch file to the unpatched management server to obtain a patched management server,
wherein the patch for the unpatched management server is different from any of the plurality of patches that the unpatched management server is configured to distribute and apply to the distributed application, and
wherein the patched management server, based on the application of the patch, is configured to manage the distributed application differently than the unpatched management server;

bring the patched management server online when the patch is successful; and
shift the operational load from the duplicate management server to the patched management server; and

a management server patcher (MSP), comprising:
an MSP agent client layer, configured to establish a connection with the management agent in an identical manner to the agent client layer;
a secure services layer, configured to communicate with a repository software repository and an administrative server; and
a patcher module, configured to:
receive, via the secure services layer, instructions to distribute the patch file from the administrative server;
retrieve, via the secure services layer, the patch file from the software repository; and
distribute the patch file to the node using the connection between the MSP agent client layer and the management agent.

16. The distributed network of claim 15 , wherein the MSP is located on the node.

17. The distributed network of claim 15 , wherein the node is one of a plurality of nodes.

18. A non-transitory computer readable medium, comprising instructions to:
receive, at a management server patcher (MSP), an instruction to patch an unpatched management server from an administrative server;
retrieve, from a s

Assignees

• Oracle Int Corp

Inventors

• Inamdar Sonali

Classifications

• G06F8/65 Primary

  Updates (security arrangements therefor G06F21/57) · CPC title