Techniques for managing configuration for a system of devices arranged in a network

• US 20020059291A1
• Filed: 08/31/2001
• Published: 05/16/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 01/29/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Oracle International Corporation (Oracle Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Oracle International Corporation (Oracle Corporation)
• Inventors: Olagappan, Muthu, Chen, Jane, Ou, Yuanjiang, Malla, Venkat, Venkataraman, Ramkumar, Rossiter, Jay, Bhaduri, Pari, Sivakumar, Thivakaram Prakash, Stowell, David, Nakos, Dimitris
• Granted Patent: US 6,988,102 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 707/102
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/21 Design, administration or maintenance of databases
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/70 Software maintenance or management
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/46 Multiprogramming arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99932 Access augmentation or optimizing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99933 Query processing, i.e. searching
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99953 Recoverability

Abstract

A database system that incorporates numerous features that reduce the total cost of maintaining the database system is provided. That database system includes a database appliance that executes a database server on a platform that includes a special purpose operating system specifically tailored to the services required by the database server. The database appliance configures itself by detecting the environment in which it resides and setting operational parameters based on the detected environment. The configuration metadata of all components of the system are stored in a centralized repository which itself may reside external to the system. Both the database server configuration and the operating system configuration are managed by a remotely located integrated management console, which interacts with and configures the system at the database system level, the operating system level and, optionally, at the hardware subsystem level. Backup management may also be performed remotely. The remote components, such as the integrated management console, the backup server, and the configuration repository, may communicate with the system through a wide area network, such as the Internet, or directly through a dial-up connection.

Claims

1. A method for managing a system that includes a plurality of devices arranged in a network, the method comprising the steps of:

gathering and storing in a centralized repository metadata that reflects configuration information about said system, and about each device of said plurality of devices;

modifying metadata within said centralized repository to initiate configuration changes within said network; and

propagating said configuration changes from said centralized repository to the devices on said network to cause said configuration changes to take place.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of gathering and storing in a centralized repository metadata is performed by gathering and storing metadata in a centralized repository [metadata] that resides outside said system

2. A method for managing a system that includes a plurality of devices arranged in a network, the method comprising the steps of:

gathering and storing in a centralized repository metadata that reflects configuration information about said system, and about each device of said plurality of devices;

in response to a failure of the system

recovering the centralized repository from a backup,

using the metadata within the centralized repository to configure the system, and

after the system is configured, recovering the system.

4. A method for managing a system that includes a plurality of devices arranged in a network, the method comprising the steps of:

gathering and storing in a centralized repository metadata that reflects configuration information about said system, and about each device of said plurality of devices;

managing configuration of said system based upon the metadata within said centralized repository; and

in response to a failure of the system,

configuring the system based on the metadata restored in the centralized repository, and

after the system is configured, recovering the system.

5. A method for managing a system that includes a plurality of devices arranged in a network, the method comprising the steps of:

gathering and storing in a centralized repository metadata that reflects configuration information about said system, and about each device of said plurality of devices;

replicating said system by performing the steps of,

copying said metadata to a second centralized repository associated with a second system, and

configuring said second system based on the metadata contained in said second centralized repository.

6. A method for managing a system that includes a plurality of devices arranged in a network, the method comprising the steps of:

gathering and storing in a centralized repository metadata that reflects configuration information about said system, and about each device of said plurality of devices; and

managing configuration of at least two of an application layer, an operating systems layer, and a hardware layer of said system based upon the metadata within said centralized repository