Method and apparatus for applying policies

• US 20020095524A1
• Filed: 06/05/2001
• Published: 07/18/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 06/07/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Novik, Lev, Sanghvi, Ashvinkumar J., Kagalwala, Raxit A., Hance, Howard M.
• Granted Patent: US 7,418,489 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 719/318
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/542 Event management; Broadcasting; Multicasting; Notifications

Abstract

A policy handling system creates multiple policies and associates each of the multiple policies with at least one target node in an enterprise. The system then applies each of the multiple policies to the appropriate target node. The multiple policies can be event-handling policies. Each policy can be associated with a group of target nodes in which the group of target nodes share a common relationship. Domain controllers receive the multiple policies and apply the policies to the appropriate target nodes. A meta-policy is used to control the application of the multiple policies to the proper target nodes.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

creating a plurality of policies;

associating each of the plurality of policies with at least one target node, wherein each of the plurality of policies includes information known to the target node; and

applying each of the plurality of policies to the at least one target node.

2. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein the plurality of policies are event-handling policies.

3. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein associating each of the plurality of policies with at least one target node includes associating each of the plurality of policies with a plurality of target nodes.

4. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein associating each of the plurality of policies with at least one target node includes associating each of the plurality of policies with a group of target nodes, wherein the group of target nodes share a common relationship.

5. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein applying each of the plurality of policies includes:

providing each of the plurality of policies to a plurality of domain controllers; and

the plurality of domain controllers applying the plurality of policies to the at least one target node.

6. A method as recited in claim 1 further including identifying errors generated during the application of the plurality of policies.

7. A method as recited in claim 1 further including identifying conflicts between a plurality of policies applied to the same target node.

8. A method as recited in claim 1 further including simulating the effects of applying each of the plurality of policies to at least one target node prior to actual application of the plurality of policies.

9. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein applying each of the plurality of policies includes creating a meta-policy to control the application of policies to the at least one target node.

10. A method as recited in claim 1 further including applying a policy control policy to a particular target node to temporarily prevent application of policies to the particular target node.

11. One or more computer-readable memories containing a computer program that is executable by a processor to perform the method recited in claim 1.

13. A method as recited in claim 12 wherein the plurality of policies are event-handling policies.

14. A method as recited in claim 12 wherein each of the plurality of policies includes information known to the target nodes.

15. A method as recited in claim 12 wherein the single application of a particular policy to the group of target nodes applies the particular policy to all target nodes in the group.

16. A method as recited in claim 12 wherein applying each of the plurality of policies includes providing each of the plurality of policies to a plurality of domain controllers.

17. A method as recited in claim 16 further including the plurality of domain controllers applying the plurality of policies to the group of target nodes.

18. A method as recited in claim 12 further including identifying problems generated during the application of the plurality of policies to the group of target nodes.

19. A method as recited in claim 12 wherein applying each of the plurality of policies includes creating a meta-policy to control the application of policies to the group of target nodes.

20. A method as recited in claim 12 further including applying a policy control policy to the group of target nodes to prevent application of policies to the group of target nodes.

21. One or more computer-readable memories containing a computer program that is executable by a processor to perform the method recited in claim 12.

12. A method comprising:

creating a plurality of policies;

associating each of the plurality of policies with at least one group of target nodes in an enterprise, wherein the group of target nodes have a common relationship; and

applying each of the plurality of policies to the group of target nodes.

22. A method comprising:

creating a plurality of policies;

associating each of the plurality of policies with at least one target node; and

creating a meta-policy to control applying the plurality of policies to the at least one target node.

23. A method as recited in claim 22 further including applying each of the plurality of policies to the at least one target node based on the meta-policy.

24. A method as recited in claim 22 wherein associating each of the plurality of policies includes associating each of the plurality of policies with a group of target nodes.

25. A method as recited in claim 22 further including simulating the results of applying each of the plurality of policies to at least one target node prior to actual application of the plurality of policies.

26. One or more computer-readable memories containing a computer program that is executable by a processor to perform the method recited in claim 22.

28. An apparatus as recited in claim 27 wherein the configuration tool is further to create a meta-policy, wherein the meta-policy controls the application of policies to target nodes.

29. An apparatus as recited in claim 27 further including a domain controller coupled to the first policy provider and coupled to the plurality of target nodes, wherein the domain controller controls the application of policies to the at least one target node.

30. An apparatus as recited in claim 27 further including a simulation engine to simulate the results of applying a particular policy to at least one target node prior to actual application of the particular policy to the target node.

27. An apparatus comprising:

a configuration tool to create policies and assign policies to a plurality of target nodes;

a first policy provider coupled to the configuration tool to distribute policies to the plurality of target nodes, wherein the policies distributed to the plurality of target nodes contain information known to the target nodes; and

a second policy provider coupled to the plurality of target nodes to maintain policy information related to the at least one target node.

31. One or more computer-readable media having stored thereon a computer program that, when executed by one or more processors, causes the one or more processors to:

create a plurality of policies;

associate each of the plurality of policies with a group of target nodes, wherein the group of target nodes have a common relationship, and wherein each of the plurality of policies includes information known to the group of target nodes; and

apply each of the plurality of policies to the group of target nodes.

32. One or more computer-readable media as recited in claim 31 wherein the plurality of policies are event-handling policies.

33. One or more computer-readable media as recited in claim 31 wherein a meta-policy controls the application of policies to the group of target nodes.