Configuration engine

• US 20040045001A1
• Filed: 11/25/2002
• Published: 03/04/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 08/29/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: DataCloud Technologies, LLC (IP Investments Group LLC)
• Original Assignee: Wisterium Development LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Inventors: Bryant, Jeffrey F.
• Granted Patent: US 7,765,521 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 718/100
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/44505 Configuring for program initiating, e.g. using registry, configuration files
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/505 considering the load
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/5055 considering software capabilities, i.e. software resources associated or available to the machine
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/5066 Algorithms for mapping a plurality of inter-dependent sub-tasks onto a plurality of physical CPUs mappping at compile time, see G06F8/451

Abstract

In a distributed computing, object oriented, component based framework, some components may be capable of running some tasks, incapable of running others and capable of running still others, but obtaining only sub-optimal results. Components may already be assigned tasks, and have insufficient capacity remaining to execute additional tasks. A configuration manager seeks to rectify this. The configuration manager gathers information stored in a configuration template associated with each of the components, interrogates the components about their current status and compares the results to a dynamic plan developed by a tasking engine. The configuration engine then assigns tasks to processor managers based on the results obtained by the configuration manager.

Claims

1. A system for management of a distributed computing system comprising:

a tasking manager, whereby a plan is formulated describing a task to be carried out by said distributed computing system and detailing resources required for execution of said task;

a framework manager, communicating with said tasking manager and comprising;

at least one configuration manager, comprising;

a library wherein are disposed at least one configuration template;

a means for ascertaining the current configuration of said distributed computing system;

a component assignment unit communicating with said tasking manager, said library, and said means for ascertaining the current configuration; and

an output whereby said configuration manager directs the allocation of tasks to available system resources.

2. The system for management of a distributed computing system of claim 1 wherein each said configuration template details a tested configuration compliant with said distributed computing system.

3. The system for management of a distributed computing system of claim 1 wherein said component assignment unit is configured to:

compare said required resources with said each configuration template in said library to select usable configuration templates;

compare said usable configuration templates with said means for ascertaining the current configuration;

determine if system resources required by said usable templates are available; and

select, based on comparisons of said usable templates with said current configuration, an optimal resource allocation for execution of said task.

4. The system for management of a distributed computing system according to claim 1 wherein said system resources comprise software processing units.

5. The system for management of a distributed computing system according to claim 1 wherein said system resources comprise hardware components.

6. The system for management of a distributed computing system according to claim 1 wherein said system resources are adapted to RF applications.

7. The system for management of a distributed computing system according to claim 1 wherein said system resources comprise at least one selected from the group of resources consisting of tuners, channelizers, transmission security components, delay/multi-band radios, modems, communication security components, and decoders.

8. A configuration manager for the assignment of task elements to processing units in a component based distributed system, comprising;

a library wherein are disposed at least one configuration template;

a means for ascertaining currently available system resources of said distributed computing system;

a component assignment unit communicating with a tasking manager, said library, and said means for ascertaining currently available system resources; and

means for communicating assignments of said task elements to said processing units.

9. The configuration manager according to claim 8 wherein said component assignment unit is configured to:

compare said required resources with said each configuration template in said library to select usable configuration templates;

compare said usable configuration templates with said means for ascertaining the current configuration;

determine if system resources required by said usable templates are available; and

select, based on comparisons of said usable templates with said current configuration, an optimal resource allocation for execution of said task.

10. The configuration manager according to claim 8 wherein said system resources comprise software processing units.

11. The configuration manager according to claim 8 wherein said system resources comprise hardware components.

12. The configuration manager according to claim 8 wherein said system resources are adapted to RF applications.

13. The configuration manager according to claim 8 wherein said system resources comprise at least one selected from the group of resources consisting of tuners, channelizers, transmission security components, delay/multi-band radios, modems, communication security components, and decoders.

14. A method for the configuration of components in a component based distributed system comprising the steps of:

obtaining a plan schematic;

obtaining at least one configuration template from a configuration template library;

matching said at least one configuration template with system requirements defined by said plan schematic;

generating a preliminary result from said step of comparing said system requirements with said configuration template;

obtaining a current configuration of components in said component based distributed system describing currently available system resources;

matching said current configuration with said preliminary result;

generating a final result of the step of matching said current configuration and said preliminary result; and

communicating the result to distributed processing centers.

15. The method for the configuration of components in a component based distributed system according to claim 14 wherein said at least one configuration template includes tested configurations for the component based distributed system.

16. The method for the configuration of components in a component based distributed system according to claim 14 wherein said preliminary result comprises a plurality of useable templates.

17. The method for the configuration of components in a component based distributed system according to claim 14 wherein said final result is an optimal configuration for said components given said current configuration of said system.

18. The method for the configuration of components in a component based distributed system according to claim 14 wherein said method is executed within a framework manager.

19. The method for the configuration of components in a component based distributed processor system according to claim 18 wherein said plan is formulated by a tasking engine.

20. The method for the configuration of components in a component based distributed processor system according to claim 14 wherein matching said current configuration with said preliminary result is undertaken so as to obtain a template with an optimal correlation between the requirements of the template and resources available to said system.

21. The method for the configuration of components in a component based distributed processor system according to claim 14 wherein said components comprise software processing units.

22. The method for the configuration of components in a component based distributed processor system according to claim 14 wherein said components comprise hardware components.

23. The method for the configuration of components in a component based distributed processor system according to claim 14 wherein said components are adapted to RF applications.

24. The method for the configuration of components in a component based distributed processor system according to claim 14 wherein said components comprise at least one selected from the group of components consisting of tuners, channelizers, transmission security components, delay/multi-band radios, modems, communication security components, and decoders.