System and method for abstract configuration

• US 20070257715A1
• Filed: 12/30/2005
• Published: 11/08/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 12/30/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: SAP SE
• Original Assignee: SAP SE
• Inventors: Semerdzhiev, Krasimir, Pancheva, Elitsa, Markov, Mladen
• Application Number:
  US11/322,802
• Publication Number:
  US 20070257715A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 327/141
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/44505 Configuring for program initiating, e.g. using registry, configuration files

Abstract

A specification and method for the configuration of an instance are described. Inheritable configurations/profiles from an abstract configuration model are used to define the instance dynamically. The inheritable configurations/profiles may be written in XML.

Claims

1. A specification for an instance to be implemented on a physical machine, the instance comprising one or more containers of software components, the specification comprising one or more files written in a markup language, wherein:

a first configuration profile to define a basic structure of an instance'"'"'s configuration for a physical machine, the physical machine within a system; and

a second configuration profile to inherit the properties of the first configuration profile, the second configuration to contain information about a specific system.

2. The specification of claim 1, further comprising:

a third configuration profile to inherit the properties of the first and second configuration profiles, the third configuration to contain information about a specific use case of the specific system.

3. The specification of claim 2, further comprising:

a fourth configuration profile to inherit the properties of the first, second, and third configuration profiles, the fourth configuration to contain information about a specific use case not found in the third configuration profile.

4. The specification of claim 3, further comprising:

a fifth configuration profile to inherit the properties of the first, second, third, and fourth configuration profiles, the fifth configuration to contain information about a specific instance.

5. The specification of claim 1, wherein the markup language is XML.

6. A method comprising:

acquiring properties of a first configuration profile, the first configuration profile defining a structure of an instance'"'"'s configuration values;

acquiring values of a second configuration profile, the second configuration profile further defining values for the structure of the instance'"'"'s configuration;

inheriting the properties of the first configuration profile, wherein the second configuration profile inherits the properties of the first configuration profile; and

applying the values of the second configuration profile to the first configuration profile.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

acquiring the properties of a third configuration profile, the third configuration profile defining a specific use case and scenario;

inheriting the properties of the first and second configuration profiles, wherein the third configuration profile inherits the properties of the first and second configuration profiles; and

applying the values of the third configuration profile to the inherited profiles.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

acquiring the properties of a fourth configuration profile, the fourth configuration profile further defining the use case scenario;

inheriting the properties of the first, second, and third configuration profiles, wherein the fourth configuration profile inherits the properties of the first, second, and third configuration profiles; and

applying the values of the fourth configuration profile to the inherited profiles.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

acquiring the properties of a fifth configuration profile, the fifth configuration profile further defining a specific instance;

inheriting the properties of the first, second, third, and fourth configuration profiles, wherein the fifth configuration profile inherits the properties of the first, second, third, and fourth configuration profiles; and

applying the values of the fifth configuration profile to the inherited profiles.

10. The method of claim 7, wherein the configuration profiles are written in XML.

11. An article of manufacture including program code which, when executed by a machine, causes the machine to perform a method, the method comprising:

acquiring properties of a first configuration profile, the first configuration profile defining a structure of an instance'"'"'s configuration values;

acquiring values of a second configuration profile, the second configuration profile further defining values for the structure of the instance'"'"'s configuration;

inheriting the properties of the first configuration profile, wherein the second configuration profile inherits the properties of the first configuration profile; and

applying the values of the second configuration profile to the first configuration profile.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

acquiring the properties of a third configuration profile, the third configuration profile defining a specific use case and scenario;

inheriting the properties of the first and second configuration profiles, wherein the third configuration profile inherits the properties of the first and second configuration profiles; and

applying the values of the third configuration profile to the inherited profiles.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

acquiring the properties of a fourth configuration profile, the fourth configuration profile further defining the use case scenario;

inheriting the properties of the first, second, and third configuration profiles, wherein the fourth configuration profile inherits the properties of the first, second, and third configuration profiles; and

applying the values of the fourth configuration profile to the inherited profiles.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

acquiring the properties of a fifth configuration profile, the fifth configuration profile further defining a specific instance;

inheriting the properties of the first, second, third, and fourth configuration profiles, wherein the fifth configuration profile inherits the properties of the first, second, third, and fourth configuration profiles; and

applying the values of the fifth configuration profile to the inherited profiles.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the configuration profiles are written in XML.