|
Lokomo Servicenter Components
The heart of the Lokomo Servicenter is the Process
Manager. This software component is in charge of processing
Service Descriptions, maintaining workflow and controlling the
execution of automated tasks.
Lokomo Servicenter
uses software Agents to control and perform automated tasks. Agents
are slim software components installed on the servers in the test
and production environment. They fulfill several functions, like:
-
Task execution
and status report.
The Process Manager sends tasks to an Agent. Examples of tasks
are installing and configuring software components or gathering
usage information. Once a task is complete, the Agent sends back
a status report.
-
Managing and
controlling network and storage components.
These Agents are installed on some of the servers in the
environment but are remotely performing task execution and audit
on the network and storage components.
- Hardware/software audit and server management.
The Agent reports to the Process Manager all changes applied to
the server it is monitoring, which ensures that the
Configuration Management Database (CMDB) is up to date. In
addition to typical SNMP-related things like disk space and
TCP/IP ports in use, it can also be service specific
information.
The Definitive Software Library, DSL, is a
repository of definitive versions of all software packages used by
a service. Master copies of the Service Descriptions are also
stored in the DSL. This storage area may in reality consist of
several, physically distributed, file stores. The DSL is coupled
to the Process Manager to control user access and privileges.
Lokomo Servicenter includes a Configuration
Management Database, CMDB, as a source of information about the
production environment(s). Lokomo Servicenter uses the Agents to
perform an inventory of all the servers installed in the
environment and the CMDB is then populated and maintained
automatically in real-time. Lokomo Servicenter has an API to
interface with existing, legacy CMDB(s) in the data center.
Lokomo Servicenter has a powerful, scalable and
secure distribution system capable of handling LAN, MAN and WAN
environments. The distribution system is used for sending all
necessary software packages and Service Descriptions to all
servers involved in providing the service. Lokomo Servicenter can
also invoke an existing application deployment system to move
files to the target machines. Lokomo Servicenter provides a tool for creating
service descriptions, see Lokomo
Servicenter Information Structure.
Lokomo Servicenter is built with
security in focus. All communication between the Process Manager and
the Agents are encrypted using SSL, relying of client and server
authentication using individual certificates. This ensures that
Agents only receive commands and binary packages from authorized
Process Managers. Moreover, all automated tasks are signed. This
means that the Agents only execute approved tasks. No unknown task
will ever be executed by the Agents.
The distribution system provided by
Lokomo Servicenter also uses certificates to encrypt and
authenticate all communication.
Finally,
all Lokomo Servicenter users are authenticated and assigned roles
and varying privileges. The Process Manager makes sure each user
only view and act on information he or she is allowed to manage.
|
