Rule management using a configuration database

• US 20070288280A1
• Filed: 06/12/2006
• Published: 12/13/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 06/12/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ServiceNow Incorporated
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Gilbert, Allen M., Kaminsky, David L., Krantz, A. Steven
• Granted Patent: US 9,053,460 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/8
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/554 involving event detection and direct action
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/6218 to a system of files or objects, e.g. local or distributed file system or database
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2101 Auditing as a secondary aspect
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2141 Access rights, e.g. capability lists, access control lists, access tables, access matrices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/063 Operations research, analysis or management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/107 Computer-aided management of electronic mailing [e-mailing]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/188 Electronic negotiation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0227 Filtering policies mail message filtering H04L51/212
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0272 Virtual private networks

Abstract

A Configuration Management DataBase (CMDB) is utilized when determining if resources, which are modeled in and managed by the CMDB, are in compliance with a new resource rule that affect how the resource operates. In one embodiment, the computer-implementable method includes the step of, in response to detecting a rule change, transmitting a new rule to a rule control logic in a resource management database, wherein the rule change changes a rule for an attribute of a resource in a data processing system, and wherein the resource management database describes attributes of resources in the data processing system. The method may include the further step of transmitting the new rule from the rule control logic to a resource manager, wherein the resource manager is a person who has the capacity to implement the new rule in a resource in the data processing system

Claims

1. A computer-implementable method of managing resources in a data processing system, the computer-implementable method comprising:

in response to detecting a rule change, transmitting a new rule to a rule control logic in a resource management database, wherein the rule change changes a rule for an attribute of a resource in a data processing system, and wherein the resource management database describes attributes of resources in the data processing system.

2. The computer-implementable method of claim 1, further comprising:

transmitting the new rule from the rule control logic to a resource manager, wherein the resource manager is a person who has the capacity to implement the new rule in a resource in the data processing system.

3. The computer-implementable method of claim 2, wherein the resource management database is a Configuration Management Database (CMDB), and wherein the computer-implementable method further comprises:

transmitting a watch message from the rule control logic to a Configuration Item (CI) in a CMDB, wherein the CI contains a shadow copy of attribute configurations for resources managed by the CMDB, and wherein the watch message instructs the CI to watch for a certification entry from the resource manager, and wherein the certification entry identifies the resource as being in compliance with the new rule.

4. The computer-implementable method of claim 3, further comprising:

in response to the resource manager implementing the new rule in the resource, receiving a certification entry in the CI indicating that the resource is in compliance with the new rule.

5. The computer-implementable method of claim 4, further comprising:

transmitting a certification message from the CI to a certification control in the CMDB, wherein the certification message indicates that the resource is in compliance with the new rule.

6. The computer-implementable method of claim 5, further comprising:

transmitting a compliance summary from the certification control to an enterprise Information Systems (IS) manager, wherein the compliance summary describes a compliance status for multiple resources in the data processing system, and wherein the compliance status describes whether a resource has or has not implemented the new rule.

7. A system comprising:

a processor;

a data bus coupled to the processor;

a memory coupled to the data bus; and

a computer-usable medium embodying computer program code, the computer program code comprising instructions executable by the processor and configured for;

in response to detecting a rule change, transmitting a new rule to a rule control logic in a resource management database, wherein the rule change changes a rule for an attribute of a resource in a data processing system, and wherein the resource management database describes attributes of resources in the data processing system.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the instructions are further configured for:

transmitting the new rule from the rule control logic to a resource manager, wherein the resource manager is a person who has the capacity to implement the new rule in a resource in the data processing system.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the resource management database is a Configuration Management Database (CMDB), and wherein the instructions are further configured for:

transmitting a watch message from the rule control logic to a Configuration Item (CI) in a CMDB, wherein the CI contains a shadow copy of attribute configurations for resources managed by the CMDB, and wherein the watch message instructs the CI to watch for a certification entry from the resource manager, and wherein the certification entry identifies the resource as being in compliance with the new rule.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the instructions are further configured for:

in response to the resource manager implementing the new rule in the resource, receiving a certification entry in the CI indicating that the resource is in compliance with the new rule.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the instructions are further configured for:

transmitting a certification message from the CI to a certification control in the CMDB, wherein the certification message indicates that the resource is in compliance with the new rule.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the instructions are further configured for:

transmitting a compliance summary from the certification control to an enterprise Information Systems (IS) manager, wherein the compliance summary describes a compliance status for multiple resources in the data processing system, and wherein the compliance status describes whether a resource has or has not implemented the new rule.

13. A computer-usable medium embodying computer program code, the computer program code comprising computer executable instructions configured for:

in response to detecting a rule change, transmitting a new rule to a rule control logic in a resource management database, wherein the rule change changes a rule for an attribute of a resource in a data processing system, and wherein the resource management database describes attributes of resources in the data processing system.

14. The computer-usable medium of claim 13, wherein the computer executable instructions are further configured for:

transmitting the new rule from the rule control logic to a resource manager, wherein the resource manager is a person who has the capacity to implement the new rule in a resource in the data processing system.

15. The computer-usable medium of claim 14, wherein the resource management database is a Configuration Management Database (CMDB), and wherein the computer executable instructions are further configured for:

transmitting a watch message from the rule control logic to a Configuration Item (CI) in a CMDB, wherein the CI contains a shadow copy of attribute configurations for resources managed by the CMDB, and wherein the watch message instructs the CI to watch for a certification entry from the resource manager, and wherein the certification entry identifies the resource as being in compliance with the new rule.

16. The computer-usable medium of claim 15, wherein the computer executable instructions are further configured for:

in response to the resource manager implementing the new rule in the resource, receiving a certification entry in the CI indicating that the resource is in compliance with the new rule.

17. The computer-usable medium of claim 16, wherein the computer executable instructions are further configured for:

transmitting a certification message from the CI to a certification control in the CMDB, wherein the certification message indicates that the resource is in compliance with the new rule.

18. The computer-usable medium of claim 17, wherein the computer executable instructions are further configured for:

transmitting a compliance summary from the certification control to an enterprise Information Systems (IS) manager, wherein the compliance summary describes a compliance status for multiple resources in the data processing system, and wherein the compliance status describes whether a resource has or has not implemented the new rule.

19. The computer-useable medium of claim 13, wherein the computer executable instructions are deployable to a client computer from a server at a remote location.

20. The computer-useable medium of claim 13, wherein the computer executable instructions are provided by a service provider to a customer on an on-demand basis.