Method, system, and storage medium for providing context-based dynamic policy assignment in a distributed processing environment

• US 20050080838A1
• Filed: 09/30/2003
• Published: 04/14/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SAP SE
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Frey, Jeffrey A., Colby, Logan M., Vignola, Christopher P., High, Robert H.
• Granted Patent: US 7,349,966 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/200
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/548 Object oriented; Remote method invocation [RMI] non-remote method invocation G06F9/449
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/102 Entity profiles

Abstract

An exemplary embodiment of the invention relates to a method, system, and storage medium for providing context-based dynamic policy assignment in a distributed processing environment. The system comprises: a first resource management host in communication with a client system via a distributed network architecture; at least one application executable by the first resource management host; a dynamic policy assignment system executing on the first resource management host; a plurality of policies stored on the first resource management host; and an application profile associated with the client system. The application profile is received by the first resource management host to receive application hosting services. The application hosting services include executing the application on behalf of the client system. The dynamic policy assignment system receives the request at the first resource management system, and based upon a task name associated with the application profile, selects at least one policy for an application instance related to the request. The dynamic policy assignment system further associates the policy to the application, and the host system executes the application on behalf of the client system. The invention also includes a method and a storage medium.

Claims

1. A system for providing context-based dynamic policy assignment in a distributed processing environment, comprising:

a first resource management host in communication with a client system via a distributed network architecture;

at least one application executable by said first resource management host;

a dynamic policy assignment system executing on said first resource management host;

a plurality of policies stored on said first resource management host; and

an application profile associated with said client system, said application profile received by said first resource management host in response to a request by said client system to receive application hosting services, said application hosting services including executing said at least one application on behalf of said client system;

wherein said dynamic policy assignment system performs;

receiving said request at said first resource management host;

based upon a profile ID and task name associated with said application profile, selecting at least one of said plurality of policies for an application instance related to said request;

associating said at least one of said plurality of policies to said application instance; and

executing said application on behalf of said client system.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising a second resource management host in communication with said client system and said first resource management host via said distributed network architecture, said second resource management host receiving said request forwarded by said first resource management host;

wherein said request includes a request to execute a second application different from said at least one application, said second application stored on said second resource management host.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein said first resource management host and said second resource management host are operating in a Java 2 Enterprise Edition environment and provide Java 2 Enterprise Edition services to said client system via said dynamic policy assignment system.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein said plurality of policies include at least one of:

security;

transaction;

persistence; and

performance.

5. The system of claim 3, wherein said plurality of policies includes an access intent policy.

6. The system of claim 3, wherein said application profile includes a profile ID operable for identifying said client system and distinguishing said client system from other client systems.

7. The system of claim 3, wherein said application profile includes a task name operable for identifying an application requested by said client system.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein said task name is a default value reflecting a name of said application requested by said client.

9. A method for providing context-based dynamic policy assignment in a distributed processing environment, comprising:

receiving a request at a first host system to execute a first application on behalf of a client system, said request including an application profile;

based upon a profile ID and task name associated with said application profile, selecting at least one policy for an application instance related to said request;

associating said at least one policy to said application instance;

executing said first application on behalf of said client system.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

forwarding said request to a second host system along with said application profile wherein said request contains a request to access a second application stored on said second host system.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein said first host system and said second host system are operating in a Java 2 Enterprise Edition environment and provide Java 2 Enterprise Edition services to said client system via said dynamic policy assignment system.

12. The method of claim 10 further comprising an EJB method including a run-as-task descriptor operable for determining a current task name value associated with a request to access an application;

wherein said run-as-task descriptor values include;

caller, operable for specifying a current task name as ‘

run with caller'"'"'s task name’

;

own, operable for specifying a current task name as ‘

run with an application name of an application containing a current component’

; and

specified, operable for specifying an explicit task name to run as a current task name.

13. A storage medium encoded with machine-readable computer program code for providing context-based dynamic policy assignment, said storage medium including instructions for causing a computer to implement a method, comprising:

receiving a request at a first host system to execute a first application on behalf of a client system, said request including an application profile;

based upon a profile ID and task name associated with said application profile, selecting at least one policy for an application instance related to said request;

associating said at least one policy to said application instance;

executing said first application on behalf of said client system.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

forwarding said request to a second host system along with said application profile wherein said request contains a request to access a second application stored on said second host system.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein said first host system and said second host system are operating in a Java 2 Enterprise Edition environment and provide Java 2 Enterprise Edition services to said client system via said dynamic policy assignment system.

16. The method of claim 14 further comprising an EJB method including a run-as-task descriptor operable for determining a current task name value associated with a request to access an application;

wherein said run-as-task descriptor values include;

caller, operable for specifying a current task name as ‘

run with caller'"'"'s task name’

;

own, operable for specifying a current task name as ‘

run with an application name of an application containing a current component’

; and

specified, operable for specifying an explicit task name to run as a current task name.