RESOURCE ABSTRACTION VIA ENABLER AND METADATA

• US 20090328051A1
• Filed: 06/24/2009
• Published: 12/31/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 06/26/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Oracle International Corporation (Oracle Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Oracle International Corporation (Oracle Corporation)
• Inventors: Maes, Stéphane H.
• Granted Patent: US 8,458,703 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 718/104
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/541 via adapters, e.g. between incompatible applications
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/545 where tasks reside in different layers, e.g. user- and kernel-space

Abstract

Embodiments of the invention provide systems and methods for managing an enabler and dependencies of the enabler. According to one embodiment, a method of managing an enabler can comprise requesting a management function via a management interface of the enabler. The management interface can provide an abstraction of one or more management functions for managing the enabler and/or dependencies of the enabler. In some cases, prior to requesting the management function metadata associated with the management interface can be read and a determination can be made as to whether the management function is available or unavailable. Requesting the management function via the management interface of the enabler can be performed in response to determining the management function is available. In response to determining the management function is unavailable, one or more alternative functions can be identified based on the metadata and the one or more Falternative functions can be requested.

Claims

1. A method for managing an enabler, the method comprising:

requesting a management function via a management interface of the enabler, the management interface providing an abstraction of one or more management functions for managing the enabler or dependencies of the enabler.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising prior to requesting the management function:

reading metadata associated with the management interface; and

determining whether the management function is available or unavailable, wherein requesting the management function via the management interface of the enabler is performed in response to determining the management function is available.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

in response to determining the management function is unavailable, identifying one or more alternative functions based on the metadata; and

requesting the one or more alternative functions.

4. The method of claim 2, further comprising prior to requesting the management function:

determining based on the metadata whether alternative function is available for one or more dependencies of the enabler; and

in response to determining an alternative function is available for at least one dependency, requesting the alternative function.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving an error via the management interface indicating the management function cannot be performed by the enabler;

reading metadata associated with the enabler;

selecting an alternative function based on the metadata; and

requesting the alternative function.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the management function is selected from a group consisting of a function for provisioning of the enabler, a function for activation of the enabler, a function for state monitoring of the enabler, a function for usage monitoring of the enabler, a function for health monitoring of the enabler, a function for updating of the enabler, a function for de-activation of the enabler.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the metadata is defined consistent with an interface definition for the management interface and identifies one or more alternative functions for the management function.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the one or more alternative functions are selected from a group consisting of calls to a management interface of another enabler, calls to a functional interface of another enabler, and a workflow.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the metadata is stored in a metadata repository maintained by a supporting enabler.

10. An enabler comprising:

a management interface providing an abstraction of one or more management function for managing the enabler or dependencies of the enabler; and

metadata associated with the management interface, wherein the metadata is defined consistent with an interface definition for the management interface and identifies one or more alternative functions for at least one of the one or more functions.

11. The enabler of claim 10, wherein the management function is selected from a group consisting of a function for provisioning of the enabler, a function for activation of the enabler, a function for state monitoring of the enabler, a function for usage monitoring of the enabler, a function for health monitoring of the enabler, a function for updating of the enabler, a function for de-activation of the enabler.

12. The enabler of claim 11, wherein the one or more alternative functions are selected from a group consisting of calls to a management interface of another enabler, calls to a functional interface of another enabler, and a workflow.

13. The enabler of claim 10, wherein the metadata is stored in a metadata repository maintained by a supporting enabler.

14. A system comprising:

an enabler comprising a management interface providing an abstraction of one or more management function for managing the enabler or dependencies of the enabler and metadata associated with the management interface, wherein the metadata is defined consistent with an interface definition for the management interface and identifies one or more alternative functions for at least one of the one or more functions; and

a requester communicatively coupled with the enabler, wherein the requester requests a management function via the management interface of the enabler.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the requestor, prior to requesting the management function, reads metadata associated with the management interface and determines whether the management function is available or unavailable, wherein requesting the management function via the management interface of the enabler is performed in response to determining the management function is available.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the requestor, in response to determining the management function is unavailable, identifies one or more alternative functions based on the metadata and requests the one or more alternative functions.

17. The system of claim 15, wherein the requestor, prior to requesting the management function, determines based on the metadata whether alternative function is available for one or more dependencies of the enabler and in response to determining an alternative function is available for at least one dependency, requests the alternative function.

18. The system of claim 14, wherein the enabler generates an error in response to not being able to perform the management function wherein the requester receives the error via the management interface indicating the management function cannot be performed by the enabler, reads metadata associated with the enabler, selects an alternative function based on the metadata, and requests the alternative function.

19. The system of claim 14, wherein the management function is selected from a group consisting of a function for provisioning of the enabler, a function for activation of the enabler, a function for state monitoring of the enabler, a function for usage monitoring of the enabler, a function for health monitoring of the enabler, a function for updating of the enabler, a function for de-activation of the enabler.

20. The system of claim 14, wherein the metadata is defined consistent with an interface definition for the management interface and identifies one or more alternative functions for the management function.

21. The system of claim 20, wherein the one or more alternative functions are selected from a group consisting of calls to a management interface of another enabler, calls to a functional interface of another enabler, and a workflow.

22. The system of claim 14, further comprising:

a supporting enabler communicatively coupled with the enabler; and

a metadata repository communicatively coupled with and accessible via the supporting enabler, wherein the metadata is stored in the metadata repository.

23. The system of claim 14, wherein the requestor is selected from a group consisting of another enabler, a management process, and a workflow.