Methods and apparatus for using tags to control and manage assets
First Claim
1. A method for using tags to manage virtual machines, the method comprising:
- storing a plurality of virtual machines in a first location on at least one physical host machine;
associating a plurality of tags with the plurality of virtual machines, wherein each of the plurality of tags are associated with respective metadata representing a virtual machine characteristic, the plurality of tags including at least one of a dynamic tag and a virtual tag, the at least one of the dynamic tag and the virtual tag including a tag name and a separate and different namespace that is indicative of (i) a second location storing the respective metadata representing the virtual machine characteristic, wherein the second location is outside the plurality of virtual machines in the first location, and (ii) a call to at least one of a program and a database at the second location to obtain the respective metadata representing the virtual machine characteristic from the second location;
parsing the at least one of the dynamic tag and the virtual tag to determine the tag name and the namespace;
storing the plurality of tags in a third location, wherein the third location is (i) outside the plurality of virtual machines in the first location and (ii) across a network from the second location storing the respective metadata representing the virtual machine characteristic;
parsing the namespace to obtain the second location and the call; and
resolving the namespace with the second location and the call to obtain the respective metadata,wherein no value is associated with the at least one of the dynamic tag and the virtual tag until the namespace is parsed and resolved, andwherein the tags associated with the plurality of virtual machines allows the plurality of virtual machines to be queried using a tag-based query language, wherein the tag-based query language uses Boolean algebra.
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Accused Products
Abstract
By implementing various types of tags, easy management and control of assets in a business system is enabled. These assets may be virtual machines, hardware assets, personnel assets, etc. System tags are determined and associated with an asset automatically. Virtual tags and dynamic tags are tags that do not contain the information sought—rather, these tags contain instructions about how to determine the tag value associated with an asset. Management tags are user-entered tags indicating information about an asset based on the knowledge of an individual. These tags can be combined using Boolean algebraic operators, resulting in a tag-based algebra system, which enables a Tag-Based Query Language for searching a universe of assets based on the associated tags. Additionally, tag-based algebra enables access control based on tags associated with a user, assets in a universe of assets, and enables policies to be enforced in a universe of assets.
134 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A method for using tags to manage virtual machines, the method comprising:
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storing a plurality of virtual machines in a first location on at least one physical host machine; associating a plurality of tags with the plurality of virtual machines, wherein each of the plurality of tags are associated with respective metadata representing a virtual machine characteristic, the plurality of tags including at least one of a dynamic tag and a virtual tag, the at least one of the dynamic tag and the virtual tag including a tag name and a separate and different namespace that is indicative of (i) a second location storing the respective metadata representing the virtual machine characteristic, wherein the second location is outside the plurality of virtual machines in the first location, and (ii) a call to at least one of a program and a database at the second location to obtain the respective metadata representing the virtual machine characteristic from the second location; parsing the at least one of the dynamic tag and the virtual tag to determine the tag name and the namespace; storing the plurality of tags in a third location, wherein the third location is (i) outside the plurality of virtual machines in the first location and (ii) across a network from the second location storing the respective metadata representing the virtual machine characteristic; parsing the namespace to obtain the second location and the call; and resolving the namespace with the second location and the call to obtain the respective metadata, wherein no value is associated with the at least one of the dynamic tag and the virtual tag until the namespace is parsed and resolved, and wherein the tags associated with the plurality of virtual machines allows the plurality of virtual machines to be queried using a tag-based query language, wherein the tag-based query language uses Boolean algebra. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A method for using tags to manage assets, wherein the assets are managed by a management system, the method comprising:
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associating a plurality of tags with a plurality of assets, which are in a first location, wherein each of the plurality of tags are associated with respective metadata representing an asset characteristic, the plurality of tags including at least one of a dynamic tag and a virtual tag, the at least one of the dynamic tag and the virtual tag including a tag name and a separate and different namespace that is indicative of (i) a second location of the respective metadata representing the asset characteristic, wherein the second location is outside the plurality of assets in the first location, and (ii) a call to at least one of a program and a database at the second location to obtain the respective metadata representing the asset characteristic from the second location; parsing the at least one of the dynamic tag and the virtual tag to determine the tag name and the namespace; storing the plurality of tags in a third location, wherein the third location is (i) outside the plurality of assets in the first location and (ii) across a network from the second location of the respective metadata representing the asset characteristic; parsing the namespace to obtain the second location and the call; resolving the namespace with the second location and the call to obtain the respective metadata; and the management system using the plurality of tags to manage the assets, wherein no value is associated with the at least one of the dynamic tag and the virtual tag until the namespace is parsed and resolved, and wherein the tags associated with the plurality of assets allows the plurality of assets to be queried using a tag-based query language, wherein the tag-based query language uses Boolean algebra. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19)
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20. A system comprising:
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a memory storing a plurality of virtual machines in a first location; and a processor associating a plurality of tags with the plurality of virtual machines, wherein each of the plurality of tags are associated with respective metadata representing a virtual machine characteristic, the plurality of tags including at least one of a dynamic tag and a virtual tag, the at least one of the dynamic tag and the virtual tag including a tag name and a separate and different namespace that is indicative of (i) a second location storing the respective metadata representing the virtual machine characteristic, wherein the second location is outside the plurality of virtual machines in the first location, and (ii) a call to at least one of a program and a database at the second location to obtain the respective metadata representing the virtual machine characteristic from the second location, wherein the plurality of tags are stored in a third location that is (i) outside the plurality of virtual machines in the first location and (ii) across a network from the second location storing the respective metadata representing the virtual machine characteristic, and the processor executing to; parse the at least one of the dynamic tag and the virtual tag to determine the tag name and the namespace; parse the namespace to obtain the second location and the call; and resolve the namespace with the second location and the call to obtain the respective metadata, wherein no value is associated with the at least one of the dynamic tag and the virtual tag until the namespace is parsed and resolved, and wherein the tags associated with the plurality of virtual machines allows the plurality of virtual machines to be queried using a tag-based query language, wherein the tag-based query language uses Boolean algebra.
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Specification