User interface for specifying desired configurations

• US 20070112831A1
• Filed: 11/15/2005
• Published: 05/17/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 11/15/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: McAlpine, Roberta, Zakrajsek, Frank, Sarwono, Edhi
• Granted Patent: US 7,698,543 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0869 Validating the configuration within one network element
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0883 Semiautomatic configuration, e.g. proposals from system
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0889 Techniques to speed-up the configuration process
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0893 Assignment of logical groups to network elements
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0894 Policy-based network configuration management
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/22 comprising specially adapted graphical user interfaces [GUI]

Abstract

A method and system for monitoring configuration information of computing devices is provided. The monitoring system generates a desired configuration monitor (“DCM”) document for each computing device that is to have its configuration monitored. The DCM document specifies configuration settings to be monitored along with rules that specify how to determine whether a configuration setting is correct. Each computing device may include a comparison engine that inputs the DCM document and applies the rules of the DCM document to determine which configuration settings of the computing device are not in compliance.

Claims

1. A method for specifying configuration information of computing devices to be monitored, the method comprising:

displaying to a user an indication of a hierarchical structure that includes a root node;

in response to receiving from the user an indication to add a group as a child of the root node, adding a group node as a child of the root node and displaying to the user an indication of the hierarchical structure that includes the root node and the group node;

in response to receiving from the user an indication to add a data source as a child of a group, adding a data source node as a child of the group node and displaying to the user an indication of the hierarchical structure that includes the root node, the group node, and the data source node;

in response to receiving from the user an indication to add a setting as a child of a data source, adding a setting node as a child of the data source node and displaying to the user an indication of the hierarchical structure that includes the root node, the group node, the data source node, and the setting node; and

in response to receiving from the user an indication to add a rule as a child of a setting node, adding a rule node as a child of the setting node and displaying to the user an indication of the hierarchical structure that includes the root node, the group node, the data source node, the setting node, and the rule node.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein a group specifies an organization of data sources, settings, and rules.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein a rule specifies when an associated setting is not in compliance.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein multiple groups are added to the root, multiple data sources or groups are added to a group, and multiple settings are added to a data source.

5. The method of claim 1 including storing an indication of the hierarchical structure in a desired configuration monitor document.

6. The method of claim 5 including retrieving an indication of the hierarchical structure from the desired configuration monitor document and displaying an indication of the hierarchical structure.

7. The method of claim 5 wherein a rule is specified based on XPath.

8. A computer-readable medium containing instructions for controlling a computer system to create a desired configuration monitor document, by a method comprising:

receiving from a user an indication to monitor configuration settings of a data source;

collecting from the user a specification of the data source;

receiving from the user an indication of settings of the data source to be monitored; and

for each setting of the data source to be monitored, receiving from the user an indication of a rule that specifies when a value of the setting is not in compliance.

9. The computer-readable medium of claim 8 including receiving from the user an indication to create a grouping of data sources and their settings to be monitored.

10. The computer-readable medium of claim 9 including displaying an indication of a hierarchy of groups, data sources, settings, and rules.

11. The computer-readable medium of claim 8 wherein a rule is active or passive.

12. The computer-readable medium of claim 8 including receiving from the user an indication of an action to be taken when a setting is not in compliance.

13. The computer-readable medium of claim 12 wherein the indication of the action to be taken includes the identification of computer instructions that implement the action.

14. The computer-readable medium of claim 8 including storing an indication of data sources, settings, and rules in the desired configuration monitor document.

15. A computer system generating a desired configuration monitor document, the computer system comprising:

a component that receives from a user an indication of a group for grouping settings to be monitored;

a component that receives from the user an indication of data sources of the setting to be included in the group;

a component that receives from the user an indication of each setting of each data source to be monitored; and

a component that receives from the user an indication of a rule for each setting that specifies when a value of the setting is not in compliance.

16. The computer system of claim 15 including a component that displays an indication of a hierarchy of groups, data sources, settings, and rules.

17. The computer system of claim 16 wherein a group, a data source, a setting, and a rule can be selected from the displayed hierarchy.

18. The computer system of claim 15 wherein a rule is active or passive.

19. The computer system of claim 15 including a component that receives from the user an indication of an action to be taken when a setting is not in compliance.

20. The computer system of claim 19 wherein the indication of the action to be taken includes the identification of computer instructions that implement the action.