Methods and apparatus for determining low latency network connectivity in computing systems

Abstract

An example apparatus comprises service manager circuitry to provide a service option to a user of a virtualized computing component, the service option including a first option to request inventory data and a second option to deploy a data collector agent, obtain a request corresponding to the second option, the request including two or more locations to deploy the data collector agent, and deploy the data collector agent at the two or more locations, and network connectivity selector circuitry to obtain a second request corresponding to the second option, determine connectivity factors for the data collector agent, and determine to collect inventory data from the data collector agent based on the connectivity factors.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A non-transitory computer readable storage medium comprising computer readable instructions that, when executed, cause at least one processor to at least:
 provide a service option to a user of a virtualized computing component, the service option including a first option to request inventory data and a second option to deploy a data collector agent;   obtain a request corresponding to the second option, the request including two or more locations to deploy the data collector agent;   deploy the data collector agent at the two or more locations;   obtain a second request corresponding to the second option;   determine connectivity factors for the data collector agent; and   determine to collect inventory data from the data collector agent based on the connectivity factors.   
     
     
         2 . The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of  claim 1 , wherein the computer readable instructions, when executed, cause the at least one processor to collect inventory data from the data collector agent at one of the two or more locations. 
     
     
         3 . The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of  claim 1 , wherein the computer readable instructions, when executed, cause the at least one processor to:
 provide the data collector agent with an internet protocol address;   trigger the data collector agent to send network commands to the internet protocol address;   obtain network command responses; and   determine the connectivity factors based on the network command responses.   
     
     
         4 . The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of  claim 3 , wherein the computer readable instructions, when executed, cause the at least one processor to identify information in the network command responses that correspond to connectivity parameters. 
     
     
         5 . The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of  claim 4 , wherein the computer readable instructions, when executed, cause the at least one processor to assign the connectivity parameters with weighted values, the weighted values based on an importance factor that determines an importance of one connectivity parameter relative to other connectivity parameters. 
     
     
         6 . The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of  claim 1 , wherein the data collector agent is to collect inventory data from a managing server, the managing server including a virtual data center management server application that provides a control point for management and operation, resource provisioning, and performance evaluation of virtual machines hosted by the managing server. 
     
     
         7 . The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of  claim 6 , wherein the connectivity factors are indicative of a network latency or a network throughput of a network connecting the data collector agent and the managing server. 
     
     
         8 . An apparatus comprising:
 service manager circuitry to:
 provide a service option to a user of a virtualized computing component, the service option including a first option to request inventory data and a second option to deploy a data collector agent; 
 obtain a request corresponding to the second option, the request including two or more locations to deploy the data collector agent; and 
 deploy the data collector agent at the two or more locations; and network connectivity selector circuitry to:
 obtain a second request corresponding to the second option; 
 determine connectivity factors for the data collector agent; and 
 determine to collect inventory data from the data collector agent based on the connectivity factors. 
 
   
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein the network connectivity selector circuitry is to collect inventory data from the data collector agent at one of the two or more locations. 
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein the network connectivity selector circuitry is to: 
 provide the data collector agent with an internet protocol address;   trigger the data collector agent to send network commands to the internet protocol address;   obtain network command responses; and   determine the connectivity factors based on the network command responses.   
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein the network connectivity selector circuitry is to identify information in the network command responses that correspond to connectivity parameters. 
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein the network connectivity selector circuitry is to assign the connectivity parameters with weighted values, the weighted values based on an importance factor that determines an importance of one connectivity parameter relative to other connectivity parameters. 
     
     
         13 . The apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein the data collector agent is to collect inventory data from a managing server, the managing server including a virtual data center management server application that provides a control point for management and operation, resource provisioning, and performance evaluation of virtual machines hosted by the managing server. 
     
     
         14 . The apparatus of  claim 13 , wherein the connectivity factors are indicative of a a network latency or a network throughput of a network connecting the data collector agent and the managing server. 
     
     
         15 . A server to distribute first software on a network, the server comprising:
 at least one storage device including second instructions; and   at least one processor to execute the second instructions to transmit first instructions over the network, the first instructions, when executed, to cause at least one device to:
 provide a service option to a user of a virtualized computing component, the service option including a first option to request inventory data and a second option to deploy a data collector agent; 
 obtain a request corresponding to the second option, the request including two or more locations to deploy the data collector agent; 
 deploy the data collector agent at the two or more locations; 
 obtain a second request corresponding to the second option; 
 determine connectivity factors for the data collector agent; and 
 determine to collect inventory data from the data collector agent based on the connectivity factors. 
   
     
     
         16 . The server of  claim 15 , wherein the at least one device is to collect inventory data from the data collector agent at one of the two or more locations. 
     
     
         17 . The server of  claim 15 , wherein the at least one device is to:
 provide the data collector agent with an internet protocol address;   trigger the data collector agent to send network commands to the internet protocol address;   obtain network command responses; and   determine the connectivity factors based on the network command responses.   
     
     
         18 . The server of  claim 17 , wherein the at least one device is to identify information in the network command responses that correspond to connectivity parameters. 
     
     
         19 . The server of  claim 18 , wherein the at least one device is to assign the connectivity parameters with weighted values, the weighted values based on an importance factor that determines an importance of one connectivity parameter relative to other connectivity parameters. 
     
     
         20 . The server of  claim 15 , wherein the data collector agent is to collect inventory data from a managing server, the managing server including a virtual data center management server application that provides a control point for management and operation, resource provisioning, and performance evaluation of virtual machines hosted by the managing server.