US6571283B1
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Method for server farm configuration optimization
Assignee: Unisys Corp
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Filing: 1999-12-29
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Granted: 2003-05-27
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Expires: 2019-12-29
Abstract
Abstract A method and an estimator program for estimating the optimum Server Farm size and the availability of the Server Farm for a given Redundancy Factor and a given particular number of clients.
Inventors
- 👤 Lev Smorodinsky
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-29 23:23
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06F; G06F11/00; G06F11/008; H; H04; H04L; H04L9/00; H04L9/40; H04L67/00; H04L67/01; H04L67/10; H04L67/1001; H04L67/10015
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 19
Claim 1
Independent Claim
183 words
An estimator program that performs method steps for estimating the optimum operating Server Farm designed to serve a particular number of clients “n” comprising the steps of: (a) inputting a group of parameters involving at least one parameter involving at least one parameter for Single Server Farm cost evaluation and at least one parameter for downtime cost evaluation; wherein said step (a) of inputting said group of parameters includes the steps of: (a1) selecting for input said particular number of clients “n” for utilizing said Server Farm; (a2) selecting for input one parameter for said single Server Farm cost evaluation; (a3) selecting for input one parameter for said downtime cost evaluation; (b) selecting at least one Server Farm optimization parameter and its domain which indicates the values that the Server Farm optimization parameter may assume; (c) selecting a Server Farm optimization criterion that is a function of at least three arguments: (i) said Single Server Farm cost evaluation; (ii) said downtime cost evaluation; (iii) said Server Farm optimization parameter; (d) using an optimization technique to find the optimum value of the optimization parameter.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
183 words
An estimator program that performs method steps for estimating the optimum operating Server Farm designed to serve a particular number of clients “n” comprising the steps of: (a) inputting a group of parameters involving at least one parameter involving at least one parameter for Single Server Farm cost evaluation and at least one parameter for downtime cost evaluation; wherein said step (a) of inputting said group of parameters includes the steps of: (a1) selecting for input said particular number of clients “n” for utilizing said Server Farm; (a2) selecting for input one parameter for said single Server Farm cost evaluation; (a3) selecting for input one parameter for said downtime cost evaluation; (b) selecting at least one Server Farm optimization parameter and its domain which indicates the values that the Server Farm optimization parameter may assume; (c) selecting a Server Farm optimization criterion that is a function of at least three arguments: (i) said Single Server Farm cost evaluation; (ii) said downtime cost evaluation; (iii) said Server Farm optimization parameter; (d) using an optimization technique to find the optimum value of the optimization parameter.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
15 words
The method of claim 1 wherein step (a2) involves the Single Server Farm (SSF) cost.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
16 words
The method of claim 1 wherein step (a3) involves the client-license cost per client per server.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
16 words
The method of claim 1 wherein step (a3) involves the downtime cost per client, per hour.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
14 words
The method of claim 1 wherein step (a3) involves the downtime cost per server.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
52 words
The method of claim 1 wherein step (a) further includes the steps of: (2a4) selecting for input a maximum single server workload of users; (2a5) selecting for input a Mean Time To Repair (MTTF) for a single server; (2a6) selecting for input a Mean Time To Failure (MTTF) for a single server.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
31 words
The method of claim 1 wherein step (b) for selecting an optimization parameter includes: (b1) selecting a Redundancy Factor having a domain which is an interval between 0 and 100 percent.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
28 words
The method of claim 1 wherein step (b) for selecting an optimization parameter includes: (b2) selecting a Server Farm size which is any natural integer number of servers.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
39 words
The method of claim 1 wherein step (b) for selecting an optimization parameter includes: (b3) selecting a normal single server workload of users having a domain which is any number between one (1) and the maximum single server workload.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
52 words
The method of claim 1 wherein step (c) for selecting said optimization criteria of three arguments includes: (c1) selecting an optimization function which is the sum of the entire Server Farm cost and the downtime losses calculated as based on said Single Server Farm (SSF) cost evaluation and said downtime cost evaluation.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
50 words
The method of claim 1 wherein step (c) for selecting said optimization criteria includes: (c2) selecting an optimization function which is a linear or concave function (up everywhere on the function's domain or down everywhere on the function's domain) of said Server Farm cost evaluation and said downtime losses evaluation.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
63 words
The method of claim 1 wherein step (d) for using said optimization procedure includes the steps of: (d1) selecting a value of said optimization parameter from said domain; (d2) calculating said Single Server Farm cost; (d3) calculating said downtime cost; (d4) calculating a value of said optimization criterion; (d5) making an evaluation decision about the end or the continuation of said optimization procedure.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
13 words
The method of claim 12 wherein step (d2) involves the single server cost.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
16 words
The method of claim 12 wherein step (d2) involves the client-license cost per client, per server.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
16 words
The method of claim 12 wherein step (d3) involves the downtime cost per server, per hour.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
16 words
The method of claim 12 wherein step (d3) involves the downtime cost per client, per hour.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
27 words
The method of claim 12 wherein step (d5) involves the decision to stop the procedure if the optimum number of servers in the configured farm is determined.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
46 words
The method of claim 12 wherein step (d5) includes the step of: (d5a) continuing the optimization procedure if the optimum number for Server Farm size is not yet determined, by repeating said steps (d2) through (d5) with another value of said optimization parameter from said domain.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US6496948B1
Cited
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