Managing configuration updates

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9755900-B2
Application number	US-201313794660-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 11, 2013
Priority date	Mar 11, 2013
Publication date	Sep 5, 2017
Grant date	Sep 5, 2017

Abstract

Approaches are described for managing configuration information updates, or other information in a data center, shared resource environment, or other such electronic environment. A management component is provided that can manage distribution of configuration information, operating system (OS) images, authentication data, or other such information for host machines, servers, or other such devices in a network environment. The management component can further perform a number of actions when deploying configuration information updates, such as performing one or more checks to verify the health of a target switch, deactivating the target switch, shifting traffic to and from the target switch, updating a current configuration of the target switch, verifying the target switch's health after the configuration changes, bringing the target switch back in service, among others.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A computer-implemented method of providing configuration updates to switches in a data center, comprising:
receiving a request to a management component for a data center, the data center including a group of connected switches and one or more host machines associated with the group of connected switches, the group of connected switches organized in at least two layers, each switch in a first layer of the at least two layers being connected to each switch in a second layer of the at least two layers, each switch in the second layer of the at least two layers connected to a network, and each switch in the first layer of the at least two layers connected to at least a portion of the one or more host machines;
determining, based at least in part on information associated with the request, at least one switch in the group of connected switches to receive a configuration update, the at least one switch being coupled to a first host machine of the one or more host machines via a first active network connection;
verifying that the first host machine is coupled to at least two switches in the first layer via a second active network connection based at least in part on a first snapshot of a network topology of the first active network connection and the second active network connection;
shifting network traffic away from the at least one switch;
applying the configuration update to the at least one switch;
validating the configuration update by determining whether the at least one switch operates within a determined range of functional values;
obtaining a second snapshot of the network topology of at least the first active network connection and the second active network connection after the configuration update; and
shifting network traffic to the at least one switch based at least in part on a comparison of the first snapshot and the second snapshot.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising:
generating a list of switches that constitute the group of connected switches;
selecting one or more switches from the list of switches to receive the configuration update; and
applying the configuration update to the selected one or more switches concurrently, wherein applying the configuration update does not disrupt network traffic.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the management component is configured to perform at least one of: execute one or more checks to verify a state of a switch, deactivate the switch, shift traffic to and from the switch, apply configuration information to the switch, verify the switch's state upon applying the configuration information, or reboot the switch.

4. A computer-implemented method, comprising:
receiving a request to update a configuration of a first switch, the first switch having a first active network connection with a first computing device, the first switch being in a logical unit of redundant switches, the logical unit of redundant switches including at least two interconnected layers of switches, a first layer of the at least two interconnected layers of switches being connected to a set of one or more host machines, and a second layer of the at least two interconnected layers being connected to a network;
determining that the first computing device does not have a second active network connection to one or more other switches in the logical unit of redundant switches;
initiating a second active network connection between a second switch in the logical unit of redundant switches and the first computing device based at least in part on a first snapshot of network topology of the first active network connection and the second active network connection;
shifting network traffic away from the first switch;
disconnecting the first active network connection;
applying the update to modify the configuration of the first switch;
performing one or more tests;
obtaining a second snapshot of the network topology of the first active network connection and the second active network connection;
shifting network traffic back to the first switch based at least in part on a comparison of the first snapshot and the second snapshot; and
prior to at least one of shifting network traffic away from the first switch or shifting traffic to the first switch:
determining whether at least one network component referenced by the first switch is available; and
validating the first switch by determining whether the first switch operates within a determined range of functional values.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 4 , further comprising:
initiating, after applying the update to the configuration of the first switch, a new active network connection between the first switch and at least one of the first computing device or at least one other computing device.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 4 , wherein the first switch and the second switch are in a same network layer of a data center.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 4 , further comprising:
receiving a request to update a configuration of the second switch;
detecting a third active network connection between the second switch and a second computing device;
determining if the third active network connection is an only active network connection to the second computing device;
in response to determining that the third active network connection is the only active network connection to the second computing device, initiating a fourth active network connection between the second computing device and at least one other switch, disconnecting the third active network connection, and applying the update to the configuration of the second switch; and
in response to determining that the third active network connection is not the only active network connection to the second computing device, disconnecting the third active network connection and applying the update to the configuration of the second switch.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 4 , wherein the first computing device is a network switch.

9. The computer-implemented method of claim 7 , wherein applying the update to the configuration of the second switch happens after applying the configuration update to the first switch has completed.

10. The computer-implemented method of claim 4 , wherein the first computing device is a host machine.

11. The computer-implemented method of claim 4 , wherein the first snapshot comprises the network topology of the logical unit of redundant switches before applying the update to the configuration of the first switch, wherein the second snapshot of the network topology of the logical unit of redundant switches after applying the update to the configuration of the first switch, the method further comprising:
in response to comparing the first snapshot to the second snapshot, performing at least one of: adjusting connections between the logical unit of redundant switches, rolling back the configuration of the first switch, or reapplying the update to the configuration of the first switch.

12. A system, comprising:
a first network switch in a layer of network switches, the first network switch having a first configuration;
a second network switch in the layer of network switches, the second network switch having a second configuration;
a set of one or more computing devices, a first computing device of the set of one or more computing devices connected to the first network switch using a first active network connection, a second computing device of the set of one or more computing devices connected to the second network switch using a second active network connection;
a processor; and
memory includi

Assignees

• Amazon Tech Inc

Inventors

• Tenginakai Shivaraj
• Chawla Rachit
• Whittaker Colin John
• Haridoss Rajkumar
• Narasimhan Raghavendra Vijayanarasimhan

Classifications

• H04L41/082 Primary

  the condition being updates or upgrades of network functionality · CPC title

• H04L41/0889

  Techniques to speed-up the configuration process · CPC title

• H04L41/0869

  Validating the configuration within one network element · CPC title