Method and system for providing inter-cloud services

Abstract

The present application is directed to a distributed-services component of a distributed system that facilitates multi-cloud aggregation using a cloud-connector server and cloud-connector nodes that cooperate to provide services that are distributed across multiple clouds. These services include the transfer of virtual-machine containers, or workloads, between two different clouds and remote management interfaces.

1 . A distributed-services component of a multiple-cloud-computing-facility aggregation, the distributed-service component comprising:
 a cloud-connector server
 that provides an electronic cloud-connector server interface through which a cloud-connector-server user interface is displayed on a remote computer and cloud-connector-server-provided distributed services are accessed from a remote computer, and 
 that provides an electronic cloud-connector-node interface through which the cloud-connector server requests services provided by remote cloud-connector nodes; and 
   two or more cloud-connector nodes, each installed in a different cloud-computing facility that each provides an electronic interface through which the cloud-connector server accesses services provided by the cloud-connector node and that each accesses a cloud-management interface within the cloud-computing facility in which the cloud-connector node is installed.   
     
     
         2 . The distributed-services component of  claim 1  wherein the multiple-cloud-computing-facility aggregation comprises:
 at least one cloud-computing facility managed by a virtual-data-center server; and 
 additional cloud-computing facilities that are operationally and geographically distinct from the at least one cloud-computing facility managed by the virtual-data-center server. 
 
     
     
         3 . The distributed-services component of  claim 1  wherein the multiple-cloud-computing-facility aggregation comprises:
 at least one cloud-computing facility that includes two or more organization virtual data centers managed by a cloud director; and 
 additional cloud-computing facilities that are operationally and geographically distinct from the at least one cloud-computing facility managed by the cloud director. 
 
     
     
         4 . The distributed-services component of  claim 1  wherein the multiple-cloud-computing-facility aggregation comprises:
 at least one cloud-computing facility managed by a management system that is neither a cloud director nor a virtual-data-center management server; and 
 additional cloud-computing facilities that are operationally and geographically distinct from the at least one cloud-computing facility managed by the at least one cloud-computing facility managed by a management system that is neither a cloud director nor a virtual-data-center management server. 
 
     
     
         5 . The distributed-services component of  claim 1  wherein the multiple-cloud-computing-facility aggregation comprises at least two cloud-computing facilities managed by two different types of management systems. 
     
     
         6 . The distributed-services component of  claim 1  wherein each cloud-connector node is a virtual appliance that executes within a management system of a cloud-computing system selected from among a virtual-data-center management server, cloud director, and a management system that is neither a cloud director nor a virtual-data-center management server. 
     
     
         7 . The distributed-services component of  claim 6  wherein a cloud-connector node comprises:
 an application program interface through which the cloud-connector server requests services provided by the cloud-connector node; 
 an authorization service that authorizes access to the cloud-connector node and to services provided by the cloud-connector node; 
 service routines that, when executed in response to a request received through the application program interface, carry out the request and provide a response to the request; 
 a database that stores configuration data for the cloud-connector node; 
 adapters that provide access by the cloud-connector node to a file system and a management interface of a cloud-computing-facility management system; and 
 a messaging protocol and network transfer services that together provide for transfer of data files to remote cloud-connector nodes. 
 
     
     
         8 . The distributed-services component of  claim 7  wherein the cloud-connector node wherein the messaging protocol and network transfer services provide for checkpoint-restart of interrupted or failed data-transfer operations. 
     
     
         9 . The distributed-services component of  claim 7  wherein the cloud-connector node provides, through the application program interface, a login service, a parameterized service request that invokes a particular parameter-specified service, a data-upload service that receives and stores data transmitted to the cloud-connector node by the cloud-connector server, a file-transfer service that, when requested by the cloud-connector server, transfers a file from the cloud-connector node to a different cloud-connector node; and a file-transfer service that, when requested by the cloud-connector server, transfers a file from a different cloud-connector node to the cloud-connector node. 
     
     
         10 . The distributed-services component of  claim 7  wherein the application program interface is accessed by the cloud-connector server through the representational state transfer protocol via a hypertext transfer protocol proxy server. 
     
     
         11 . A cloud-connector node that executes within a cloud-computing facility and that is managed by a remote cloud-connector server, the cloud-connector node comprising a virtual appliance within a management system of the cloud-computing facility and further comprising:
 an application program interface through which the remote cloud-connector server requests services provided by the cloud-connector node;   an authorization service that authorizes access to the cloud-connector node and to services provided by the cloud-connector node;   service routines that, when executed in response to a request received through the application program interface, carry out the request and provide a response to the request;   a database that stores configuration data for the cloud-connector node;   adapters that provide access, by the service routines within the cloud-connector node, to a file system and a management interface of a cloud-computing-facility management system; and   a messaging protocol and network transfer services that together provide for transfer of data files to remote cloud-connector nodes.   
     
     
         12 . The cloud-connector node of  claim 11  wherein the cloud-connector node is installed in a virtual-data-center server that manages a virtual data center within the cloud-computing facility. 
     
     
         13 . The cloud-connector node of  claim 11  wherein the cloud-connector node is installed in a cloud director that manages organization virtual data centers within the cloud-computing facility. 
     
     
         14 . The cloud-connector node of  claim 11  wherein the cloud-connector node is installed in a management system that is neither a cloud director nor a virtual-data-center management server, the management system managing the cloud-computing facility. 
     
     
         15 . The cloud-connector node of  claim 11  wherein the cloud-connector server is located within a cloud-computing facility that is geographically and operationally remote from the cloud-computing facility within which the cloud-connector node executes. 
     
     
         16 . The cloud-connector node of  claim 11  wherein the cloud-connector node wherein the messaging protocol and network transfer services provide for checkpoint-restart of interrupted or failed data-transfer operations. 
     
     
         17 . The cloud-connector node of  claim 11  wherein the cloud-connector node provides, through the application program interface, a login service, a parameterized service request that invokes a particular parameter-specified service, a data-upload service that receives and stores data transmitted to the cloud-connector node by the cloud-connector server, a file-transfer service that, when requested by the cloud-connector server, transfers a file from the cloud-connector node to a different cloud-connector node; and a file-transfer service that, when requested by the cloud-connector server, transfers a file from a different cloud-connector node to the cloud-connector node. 
     
     
         18 . The cloud-connector node of  claim 11  wherein the application program interface is accessed by the cloud-connector server through the representational state transfer protocol via a hypertext transfer protocol proxy server. 
     
     
         19 . The cloud-connector node of  claim 11  that, together with the cloud-connector server and additional remote cloud-connector nodes in operationally distinct cloud-computing facilities, comprises a distributed-services component of a multiple-cloud-computing-facility aggregation. 
     
     
         20 . A method for providing distributed services within multiple, operationally distinct cloud-computing facilities, the method comprising:
 installing, within one of the multiple, operationally distinct cloud-computing facilities, a cloud-connector server that provides an electronic cloud-connector server interface through which a cloud-connector-server user interface is displayed on a remote computer and cloud-connector-server-provided distributed services are accessed from a remote computer and that provides an electronic cloud-connector-node interface through which the cloud-connector server requests services provided by remote cloud-connector nodes; and   installing two or more cloud-connector nodes, each in a different cloud-computing facility, that each provides an electronic interface through which the cloud-connector server accesses services provided by the cloud-connector node and that each accesses a cloud-management interface within the cloud-computing facility in which the cloud-connector node is installed.   
     
     
         21 . A computer-readable data-storage device that stores digitally encoded computer instructions that carry out a method that provides distributed services within multiple, operationally distinct cloud-computing facilities, the method comprising:
 installing, within one of the multiple, operationally distinct cloud-computing facilities, a cloud-connector server that provides an electronic cloud-connector server interface through which a cloud-connector-server user interface is displayed on a remote computer and cloud-connector-server-provided distributed services are accessed from a remote computer and that provides an electronic cloud-connector-node interface through which the cloud-connector server requests services provided by remote cloud-connector nodes; and   installing two or more cloud-connector nodes, each in a different cloud-computing facility, that each provides an electronic interface through which the cloud-connector server accesses services provided by the cloud-connector node and that each accesses a cloud-management interface within the cloud-computing facility in which the cloud-connector node is installed.