Automated clustered computing appliance disaster recovery and synchronization

Abstract

A system and method for automatic disaster recovery and synchronization of computing appliances configured for operation in a cluster. A configuration bundle that includes configuration data, software revision level and a list of system updates is used to recover or duplicate the computing appliance's operation state. Upon entering a clustered configuration, the primary node creates a clustered configuration bundle from individual configuration bundles for the registered nodes in the cluster. The clustered configuration bundle can then be used for disaster recovery or synchronization of any of the registered nodes.

1 . A method for recovering a first node in a cluster, comprising:
 identifying a functional node within the cluster;   creating a configuration bundle using the functional node's current configuration, wherein the configuration bundle includes configuration information corresponding to the functional node's current configuration;   saving the configuration bundle to a first computer-readable medium; and   restoring the first node, wherein restoring includes:
 running a set of initialization code on the first node to achieve a first operational state; 
 reading, while in the first operational state, the configuration bundle from the first computer-readable medium; and 
 rebuilding the first node using the configuration bundle, wherein rebuilding includes moving to a second operational state based at least in part on the configuration information stored in the configuration bundle. 
   
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein running the initialization code occurs automatically upon rebooting the first node if the first node detects the first computer-readable medium. 
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein creating the configuration bundle includes:
 deriving a system database reflective of one or more nodes in the cluster;   reading meta data associated with one or more nodes in the cluster; and   reading one or more configuration files stored on the functional node.   
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein using the configuration bundle includes:
 replicating a system database stored in the configuration bundle on the first node;   reading meta data associated with the first node stored in the configuration bundle; and   applying one or more configuration files stored in the configuration bundle to the first node.   
   
   
       5 . A method for creating a clustered computer system, comprising:
 connecting a first node to a network;   connecting a second node to the network;   sending a configuration bundle from the second node to the first node;   creating a cluster configuration bundle on the first node;   sending a copy of the cluster configuration bundle back to the second node; and   updating the second node with the cluster configuration bundle.   
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein creating the cluster configuration bundle includes:
 merging system databases from the first and second nodes;   compiling meta data associated with the first and second nodes;   building one or more system configuration files associated with the clustered computer system; and   saving one or more node configuration files associated with the first and second nodes.   
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein restoring the second node with the configuration bundle includes:
 replicating a system database stored in the configuration bundle on to the second node;   reading meta data stored in the configuration bundle; and   applying one or more configuration files stored in the configuration bundle to the second node.   
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein updating the second node includes configuring the second node as a redundant node in a high-availability cluster. 
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein updating the second node includes configuring the second node as a load-balancing node in a one-to-many load balancing cluster. 
   
   
       10 . A method for synchronizing configurations within a clustered computer system, comprising:
 selecting a primary node;   registering other nodes in the cluster with the primary node;   creating a cluster configuration bundle on the primary node, wherein the cluster configuration bundle contains cluster configuration data and node configuration data for all registered nodes;   distributing the cluster configuration bundle to all registered nodes; and   updating configuration on all registered nodes based on the distributed cluster configuration bundle.   
   
   
       11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein creating the cluster configuration bundle includes:
 merging system databases from the all the nodes;   compiling meta data associated with all the nodes;   building one or more system configuration files associated with the clustered computer system; and   saving one or more configuration files from each of the nodes.   
   
   
       12 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein updating configuration includes:
 replicating a system database stored in the cluster configuration bundle onto the node;   reading meta data stored in the cluster configuration bundle; and   applying one or more configuration files stored in the cluster configuration bundle to the node.   
   
   
       13 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein registering other nodes includes redundant nodes in a high-availability cluster. 
   
   
       14 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein registering other nodes includes load-balancing nodes in a one-to-many load balancing cluster. 
   
   
       15 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein updating includes running an initialization program on all registered nodes after distributing the cluster configuration bundle. 
   
   
       16 . A clustered computer system, comprising:
 a communication network;   a first node operatively coupled to the communication network;   a second node operatively coupled to the communication network, wherein the first and second node form a cluster;   a first computer-readable medium accessible by the second node, wherein the first computer-readable medium includes:
 a cluster configuration bundle including configuration data corresponding to the first and second nodes; and 
   a second computer-readable medium accessible by the second node, wherein the second computer-readable medium includes:
 an initialization program, wherein the initialization program is configured to use the cluster configuration bundle to restore the second node to a functional state. 
   
   
   
       17 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the configuration data includes:
 a system database;   meta data associated with the computing appliance;   one or more configuration files corresponding to the cluster; and   one or more configuration files corresponding to the first and second nodes.   
   
   
       18 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the configuration data further includes one or more software packages. 
   
   
       19 . The system of  claim 18 , further including a remote server operatively connected to the communication network, wherein the initialization program is further configured to download the one or more software packages from the remote server while restoring the second node. 
   
   
       20 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the first node is a primary node in a high-availability cluster. 
   
   
       21 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the first node is a primary node in a one-to-many load balancing cluster. 
   
   
       22 . A method for adding a new node to a clustered computer system, the method comprising:
 connecting the new node to a network;   identifying a primary node in the clustered computer system;   registering the new node with the primary node, wherein registering includes sending a copy of the new node's configuration bundle to the primary node;   creating a cluster configuration bundle on the primary node, wherein the cluster configuration bundle includes cluster configuration data and individual node configuration data for all registered nodes;   distributing a copy of the cluster configuration bundle to all registered nodes; and   updating configuration on all registered nodes based on the distributed cluster configuration bundle.   
   
   
       23 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein creating the cluster configuration bundle includes:
 merging system databases from the all the nodes;   compiling meta data associated with all the nodes;   building one or more system configuration files associated with the clustered computer system; and   saving one or more configuration files from each of the nodes.   
   
   
       24 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein updating configuration includes:
 replicating a system database stored in the cluster configuration bundle onto the node;   reading meta data stored in the cluster configuration bundle; and   applying one or more configuration files stored in the cluster configuration bundle to the node.   
   
   
       25 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein updating includes running an initialization program on all registered nodes after distributing the cluster configuration bundle. 
   
   
       26 . A computer-readable medium configured to retain configuration settings for a computing appliance, the computer-readable medium comprising:
 a system database associated with the computing appliance;   meta data associated with the computing appliance; and   one or more configuration files associated with the computing appliance.   
   
   
       27 . A computer-readable medium configured to distribute configuration settings for one or more computing appliances within a clustered computer system, the computer-readable medium comprising:
 a system database associated with the clustered computing system;   meta data associated with one or more computing appliances;   one or more configuration files corresponding to configuration of the cluster; and   one or more configuration files corresponding to configuration of the one or more of the computing appliances.