System and method to provide system independent configuration references

• US 20070156641A1
• Filed: 12/30/2005
• Published: 07/05/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 12/30/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: SAP AG (SAP SE)
• Original Assignee: SAP AG (SAP SE)
• Inventors: Mueller, Thomas, Zenz, Ingo
• Application Number:
  US11/322,701
• Publication Number:
  US 20070156641A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/024 using relational databases for representation of network management data, e.g. managing via structured query language [SQL]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0806 for initial configuration or provisioning, e.g. plug-and-play
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0843 based on generic templates
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0856 by backing up or archiving configuration information
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/40 for recovering from a failure of a protocol instance or entity, e.g. service redundancy protocols, protocol state redundancy or protocol service redirection management of faults, events, alarms or notifications in data switching networks H04L41/06

Abstract

A system and method to reduce configuration redundancy using system independent configuration references. A persistent storage unit returns system independent configuration entries. Some of the entries contain reference to other entries. A configuration resolver resolves the references to obtain a static value for the configuration entry that may be passed to a configuration consumer.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a persistent storage unit to persistently retain a plurality of system independent configuration entries, at least some of the plurality containing references to other configuration entries;

a configuration resolver to resolve the references to obtain a system dependent static configuration value; and

a configuration consumer to receive the system dependent static configuration value without knowledge of the reference.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the configuration resolver comprises:

a parser to identify the reference within a configuration entry; and

a substitution module to substitute a referenced configuration entry for the reference.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein the configuration consumer comprises one of:

an application;

a manager; and

a service.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein the persistent storage unit comprises:

a database.

5. A machine-accessible medium containing instructions that when executed cause a machine to:

obtain an first configuration entry containing a reference to a second configuration entry at least the first configuration entry independent of a physical system; and

resolve the reference to obtain a static value for the first configuration entry, the static value corresponding to the physical system.

6. The machine accessible median of claim 5, wherein the instructions causing the machine to resolve cause the machine to:

parse the first configuration entry to identify the reference; and

follow the reference to the second configuration entry.

7. The machine accessible median of claim 6, wherein the instructions causing the machine to resolve further cause the machine to:

resolve the second configuration entry to obtain the static value.

8. The machine accessible median of claim 5, wherein the instructions causing the machine to resolve cause the machine to:

refer to a system context created at system startup.

9. The machine accessible median of claim 5, including further instructions causing the machine to:

pass a static resolved configuration entry to a configuration consumer.

10. A method comprising:

obtaining an first configuration entry containing a reference to a second configuration entry at least the first configuration entry independent of a physical system; and

resolving the reference to obtain a static value for the first configuration entry, the static value corresponding to the physical system.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein resolving comprises:

parsing the first configuration entry to identify the reference; and

following the reference to the second configuration entry.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein resolving further comprises:

resolving the second configuration entry to obtain the static value.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein resolving second configuration entry comprises:

referring to a system context created at system startup.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein resolving the second configuration entry comprises one of:

following a reference link; and

resolving a parameter.

15. The method of claim 10 further comprising:

passing a static resolved configuration entry to a configuration consumer.

16. The method of claim 11 wherein the reference provides one of an absolute path to the second configuration entry or a relative path to the second configuration entry.