System and method for analyzing effects of configuration changes in a complex system

• US 20060070033A1
• Filed: 09/24/2004
• Published: 03/30/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 09/24/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Burckart, Erik J., Urquhart, Ryan L., Care, Jeffrey E., Schell, David J.
• Application Number:
  US10/950,250
• Publication Number:
  US 20060070033A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 717/124
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/008 Reliability or availability analysis

Abstract

A system and method for analyzing configuration changes made to a computerized system. A configuration analysis system is provided that includes: a system for generating characteristic data for a captured set of configuration changes; an analyzer repository for storing a set of analyzers configured to analyze configuration changes, wherein each analyzer is associated with a rule relating to at least one predefined configuration change; and an analyzer selection system for selecting at least one analyzer from the analyzer repository by comparing the characteristic data with the rules of the associated analyzers.

Claims

1. A configuration analysis system for analyzing configuration changes made to a computerized system, comprising:

a system for generating characteristic data based on a captured set of configuration changes;

an analyzer repository for storing a set of analyzers capable of analyzing configuration changes, wherein each analyzer has an associated rule defining at least one predefined configuration change; and

an analyzer selection system for selecting at least one analyzer from the analyzer repository by comparing the characteristic data with the associated rules of the analyzers.

2. The configuration analysis system of claim 1, further comprising a registration system for registering analyzers and their associated rules.

3. The configuration analysis system of claim 1, further comprising a processing system for executing selected analyzers against the captured set of configuration changes.

4. The configuration analysis system of claim 3, wherein the processing system has access to configuration data for the computerized system.

5. The configuration analysis system of claim 3, wherein the processing system includes an aggregation system for aggregating results of a plurality of analyzers.

6. The configuration analysis system of claim 3, wherein the processing system includes a filtering system for filtering results generated by one or more analyzers.

7. The configuration analysis system of claim 3, wherein the processing system outputs an analysis report listing potential side effects of the configuration changes to the computerized system.

8. The configuration analysis system of claim 1, wherein the computerized system comprises an application server.

9. A program product stored on a recordable medium for analyzing configuration changes made to a computerized system, comprising:

program code configured for generating characteristic data for a captured set of configuration changes;

program code configured for registering a set of analyzers capable of analyzing configuration changes, wherein each registered analyzer has an associated rule that defines at least one predefined configuration change; and

program code configured for selecting at least one analyzer from the analyzer repository by comparing the characteristic data with the associated rules of the analyzers.

10. The program product of claim 9, further comprising program code configured for executing selected analyzers against the captured set of configuration changes.

11. The program product of claim 10, further comprising program code configured for accessing configuration data for the computerized system.

12. The program product of claim 10, further comprising program code configured for aggregating results of a plurality of analyzers.

13. The program product of claim 10, further comprising program code configured for filtering results generated by one or more analyzers.

14. The program product of claim 10, further comprising program code configured for outputting an analysis report listing potential side effects of the configuration changes to the computerized system.

15. The program product of claim 10, wherein the computerized system comprises an application server.

16. A method for analyzing configuration changes made to a computerized system, comprising:

registering a set of analyzers each capable of analyzing configuration changes, wherein each analyzer is associated with a rule relating to at least one predefined configuration change;

generating characteristic data for a captured set of configuration changes;

selecting at least one analyzer from the analyzer repository by comparing the characteristic data with the rules of the associated analyzers; and

executing selected analyzers against the captured set of configuration changes.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the execution step includes the step of accessing configuration data of the computerized system.

18. The method of claim 16, including the further step of aggregating results of a plurality of analyzers.

19. The method of claim 16, including the further step of filtering results generated by one or more analyzers.

20. The method of claim 16, including the further step of outputting an analysis report listing potential side effects of the configuration changes to the computerized system.

21. The method of claim 16, wherein the computerized system comprises an application server.

22. A method for deploying a configuration analysis system for analyzing configuration changes made to a computerized system, comprising:

providing a computer infrastructure being operable to;

generate characteristic data for a captured set of configuration changes;

register a set of analyzers capable of analyzing configuration changes, wherein each analyzer is associated with a rule relating to at least one predefined configuration change; and

select at least one analyzer from the analyzer repository by comparing the characteristic data with the rules of the associated analyzers.

23. Computer software embodied in a propagated signal for analyzing configuration changes made to a computerized system, comprising:

the computer software comprising instruction to cause a computer system to perform the following functions;

generate characteristic data for a captured set of configuration changes;

register a set of analyzers designed to analyze configuration changes, wherein each analyzer is associated with a rule relating to at least one predefined configuration change; and

select at least one analyzer from the analyzer repository by comparing the characteristic data with the rules of the associated analyzers.