METHODS, SYSTEMS, AND COMPUTER PROGRAM PRODUCTS FOR ASSOCIATING POLICIES WITH TUPLES USING A PUB/SUB PROTOCOL

• US 20070150441A1
• Filed: 12/23/2005
• Published: 06/28/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 12/23/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Scenera Technologies LLC (Scenera Research LLC)
• Original Assignee: Scenera Technologies LLC (Scenera Research LLC)
• Inventors: Morris, Robert
• Application Number:
  US11/306,341
• Publication Number:
  US 20070150441A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/54 Presence management, e.g. monitoring or registration for receipt of user log-on information, or the connection status of the users

Abstract

Methods, systems, and computer program products are disclosed for associating policies with tuples using a pub/sub protocol. A tuple is subscribed to for receiving a notification when the tuple is updated. A policy tuple is associated with the subscription to the tuple. The policy tuple identifies an action associated with the tuple update. In response to receiving the notification, the action is initiated. In one embodiment, a notify message indicating the associated action is generated and sent using a pub/sub protocol to a policy enforcer for performing the associated action.

Claims

1. A method for associating policies with tuples using a pub/sub protocol, the method comprising:

subscribing to a tuple for receiving a notification when the tuple is updated;

associating a policy tuple with the subscription to the tuple, wherein the policy tuple identifies an action associated with the tuple update; and

responsive to receiving the notification;

generating a notify message indicating the associated action; and

sending the notify message using a pub/sub protocol to a policy enforcer for performing the associated action.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein subscribing to a tuple for receiving a notification when the tuple is updated includes subscribing to a tuple using a pub/sub protocol.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein subscribing to a tuple for receiving a notification when the tuple is updated includes subscribing to a policy tuple.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein associating a policy tuple with the subscription to the tuple includes associating a presence tuple with the subscription.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein associating a policy tuple with the subscription to the tuple includes associating a policy tuple that is a subtuple of the tuple.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein associating a policy tuple with the subscription to the tuple includes associating the policy tuple with a watcher that is watching the tuple.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein generating a notify message indicating the associated action includes generating a notify message that includes an action identifier for the associated action.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein generating a notify message indicating the associated action includes generating a notify message that identifies the policy enforcer for performing with the associated action.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein generating a notify message indicating the associated action includes generating a notify message that identifies binding-related information for invoking the associated action.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein generating a notify message indicating the associated action includes generating a notify message indicating that the associated action should be performed on the tuple.

11. A method for associating policies with tuples using a pub/sub protocol, the method comprising:

receiving a policy specification using a pub/sub protocol, wherein the policy specification specifies a tuple, a condition associated with the specified tuple, and an action associated with the condition;

storing the policy specification in at least one of the specified tuple and another tuple;

determining when the condition associated with the specified tuple is met; and

responsive to determining that the condition is met, invoking the action.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein receiving a policy specification using a pub/sub protocol includes receiving a policy specification that specifies a presence tuple, a condition associated with the presence tuple, and an action associated with the condition.

13. The method of claim 11 wherein receiving a policy specification using a pub/sub protocol includes receiving a policy specification that specifies a policy tuple, a condition associated with the policy tuple, and an action associated with the condition.

14. The method of claim 11 wherein receiving a policy specification using a pub/sub protocol includes receiving a policy specification that specifies binding-related information for invoking the associated action.

15. The method of claim 11 wherein storing the policy specification in at least one of the specified tuple and another tuple includes storing the policy specification in a subtuple of the specified tuple.

16. The method of claim 11 wherein storing the policy specification in at least one of the specified tuple and another tuple includes storing the policy specification in a presence tuple.

17. The method of claim 11 wherein determining when the condition associated with the specified tuple is met includes watching the specified tuple using a watcher associated with the policy tuple.

18. The method of claim 11 wherein invoking the action includes invoking a local policy enforcement function to perform the action.

19. The method of claim 11 wherein invoking the action includes sending a notify message using a pub/sub protocol to a remote policy enforcer for performing the action.

20. A computer program product comprising computer executable instructions embodied in a computer-readable medium for performing steps comprising:

subscribing to a tuple for receiving a notification when the tuple is updated;

associating a policy tuple with the subscription to the tuple, wherein the policy tuple identifies an action associated with the tuple update; and

responsive to receiving the notification;

generating a notify message indicating the associated action; and

sending the notify message using a pub/sub protocol to a policy enforcer for performing the associated action.

21. A computer program product comprising computer executable instructions embodied in a computer-readable medium for performing steps comprising:

receiving a policy specification using a pub/sub protocol, wherein the policy specification specifies a tuple, a condition associated with the specified tuple, and an action associated with the condition;

storing the policy specification in at least one of the specified tuple and another tuple;

determining when the condition associated with the specified tuple is met; and

responsive to determining that the condition is met, invoking the action.

22. A system for associating policies with tuples using a pub/sub protocol, comprising:

means for storing a policy specification as a policy tuple that specifies a tuple, a condition associated with the specified tuple, and an action associated with the condition;

means for subscribing to the tuple for receiving a notification when the tuple is updated, for associating the policy tuple with the subscription to the tuple, and for determining if the tuple update satisfies the condition associated with the tuple based on the tuple update notification; and

means for generating, responsive to receiving the notification, a notify message indicating the associated action and for sending the notify message using a pub/sub protocol to a policy enforcer for performing the associated action.

23. A system for associating policies with tuples using a pub/sub protocol, comprising:

a policy tuple manager configured for storing a policy specification as a policy tuple that specifies a tuple, a condition associated with the specified tuple, and an action associated with the condition;

a policy watcher configured for subscribing to the tuple for receiving a notification when the tuple is updated, for associating the policy tuple with the subscription to the tuple, and for determining if the tuple update satisfies the condition associated with the tuple based on the tuple update notification; and

a policy action initiator configured for generating, responsive to receiving the notification, a notify message indicating the associated action and for sending the notify message using a pub/sub protocol to a policy enforcer for performing the associated action.

24. The system of claim 23 wherein the policy tuple manager is configured for storing the policy specification as a presence tuple.

25. The system of claim 23 wherein the policy tuple manager is configured for storing the policy specification a subtuple of the specified tuple.

26. The system of claim 23 wherein the specified tuple is a policy tuple.

27. The system of claim 23 wherein the policy watcher is configured for subscribing to the specified tuple using a pub/sub protocol.

28. The system of claim 23 wherein the policy action initiator is configured for generating a notify message that includes an action identifier for the associated action.

29. The system of claim 23 wherein the policy action initiator is configured for generating a notify message that identifies the policy enforcer for performing with the associated action.

30. The system of claim 23 wherein the policy action initiator is configured for generating a notify message that identifies binding-related information for invoking the associated action.

31. The system of claim 23 wherein the policy action initiator is configured for generating a notify message indicating that the associated action should be performed on the specified tuple.

32. A system for associating policies with tuples using a pub/sub protocol, comprising:

means for receiving a policy specification using a pub/sub protocol and for storing the policy specification as a policy tuple that specifies a tuple, a condition associated with the specified tuple, and an action associated with the condition;

means for determining when the condition associated with the specified tuple is met; and

means for invoking the associated action.

33. A system for associating policies with tuples using a pub/sub protocol, comprising:

a policy tuple manager configured for receiving a policy specification using a pub/sub protocol and for storing the policy specification as a policy tuple that specifies a tuple, a condition associated with the specified tuple, and an action associated with the condition;

a policy watcher configured for determining when the condition associated with the specified tuple is met; and

a policy action initiator configured for invoking the associated action.

34. The system of claim 33 wherein the policy tuple manager is configured for storing the policy specification as a policy tuple that specifies a presence tuple, a condition associated with the presence tuple, and an action associated with the condition.

35. The system of claim 33 wherein the policy tuple manager is configured for storing the policy specification as a policy tuple that specifies another policy tuple, a condition associated with the other policy tuple, and an action associated with the condition.

36. The system of claim 33 wherein the policy tuple manager is configured for receiving a policy specification that specifies binding-related information for invoking the associated action.

37. The system of claim 33 wherein the policy tuple manager is configured for storing the policy specification in a subtuple of the specified tuple.

38. The system of claim 33 wherein the policy tuple manager is configured for storing the policy specification in a presence tuple.

39. The system of claim 33 wherein the policy action initiator is configured for invoking a local policy enforcement function to perform the action.

40. The system of claim 33 wherein the policy action initiator is configured for sending a notify message using a pub/sub protocol to a remote policy enforcer for performing the action.