Extensible computer management rule engine

• US 20040059808A1
• Filed: 09/20/2002
• Published: 03/25/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 09/20/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hewlett Packard Enterprise Development LP (Hewlett-Packard Enterprise Company)
• Original Assignee: Compaq Computer Corporation (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Galloway, Jeffery L., Jones, Curtis R.
• Granted Patent: US 7,080,142 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/224
• CPC Class Codes: G06N 5/02 Knowledge representation; Symbolic representation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/34 involving the movement of software or configuration parameters network booting or remote initial program loading [RIPL] G06F9/4416
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols

Abstract

A system and method for controlling computer resources on an interconnected system via an extensible and dynamic rule set. The extensible and dynamic rule set is capable of both monitoring and modifying the condition and operation of the interconnected system. An editor provides the ability to create, delete or modify the individual rules within the extensible and dynamic rules set. An engine is used to trigger individual rules. A rule may be created, deleted, modified or compiled without the recompilation of the engine. Such rules are triggered when conditions specified in the rule are found to exist on the interconnected system. When such conditions exist, the rule is triggered and the operation of the interconnected system is modified as specified in the rule.

Claims

1. A rules system for managing computer resources, comprising:

an event provider adapted to indicate the occurrence of an event in the system;

an action provider adapted to cause an action to be performed in the system;

a rules database adapted to register the event provider and the action provider wherein the rules database maintains a set of rules; and

a rules engine coupled to the rules database and adapted to communicate with the event provider and the action provider and, according to rules in the rules database, instructing the action provider to cause the action to be performed responsive to receiving the indication from the event provider of the occurrence of the event.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the event provider is responsive to the occurrence of an event and the action provider performs actions upon the computer resources.

3. The system of claim 2, further comprising communications allowing the system to control computer resources across different operating systems.

4. The system of claim 2, further comprising communications allowing the system to control computer resources across remote computer systems.

5. The system of claim 2, further comprising communications allowing the system to control computer resources by plugging into a browser.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the event provider and the action provider further register with the rules engine.

7. The system of claim 1, whereby the rules engine is adapted to attempt to connect to the event provider;

and if the attempt fails the rules engine generates an event.

8. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a graphical user interface coupled to the rules database.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein graphical user interface displays information regarding the event provider and the action provider.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein the graphical user interface is used to edit rule information.

11. The system of claim 8, wherein the graphical user interface further comprises:

a rules wizard for assisting the user in creating rules.

12. The system of claim 8, wherein the event provider and the action provider further register with the graphical user interface.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein the event further comprises:

a data type; and

an event statement.

14. The system of claim 1, wherein the action further comprises:

a verb containing an action routine.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the action further comprises:

a list of objects associated with the verb.

16. The system of claim 1, wherein the event is not validated before it is executed.

17. The system of claim 1, wherein the action is not validated before it is performed.

18. The system of claim 1, wherein the rules engine is an event provider.

19. The system of claim 1, wherein the rules engine is an action provider.

20. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a plurality of independent event providers to indicate the occurrence of associated events in the system; and

a plurality of independent action providers to cause associated actions to be performed in the system.

21. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a second event provider adapted to indicate the occurrence of a second event in the system;

a second action provider adapted to cause a second action to be performed in the system;

a second rules database adapted to register the second event provider and the second action provider wherein the second rules database maintains a second set of rules; and

a second rules engine coupled to the second rules database and adapted to communicate with the second event provider and the second action provider and, according to rules in the second rules database, instructing the section action provider to cause the second action to be performed responsive to receiving the indication from the second event provider of the occurrence of the second event.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein the second event provider is responsive to the occurrence of a second event and the second action provider performs actions upon the computer resources.

23. The method using a rules system to manage computer resources, the system having an event, action, event provider, action provider and an rules engine, comprising the steps of:

associating an event provider with an event;

associating an action provider with an action;

dynamically registering the event provider and the action provider in a rules database;

associating the event provider with the action provider;

detecting the event through the event provider; and

performing the action associated with the action provider that is associated with the event provider that is associated with the detected event.

24. The method of claim 23, further comprising the steps of:

editing the event; and

editing the action.

25. The method of claim 23, the system having a rules log, further comprising the step of:

storing the information regarding the performance of the action in the rules log.