DYNAMIC WEB RESOURCE PROVISIONING

• US 20110321032A1
• Filed: 06/29/2010
• Published: 12/29/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 06/29/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Ciccone, Michael Anthony
• Granted Patent: US 8,898,658 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 717/171
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/65 Updates security arrangements therefor G06F21/57
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/445 Program loading or initiating bootstrapping G06F9/4401; security arrangements for program loading or initiating G06F21/57

Abstract

In one embodiment, Dynamic Web Resource Provisioning (DWRP) is a web services based mechanism for dynamic web services application programming interface (API) extensibility. A director network device provisions one or more agent network devices with a message in the form of a POST request to a first API. The message includes instruction configured to extend a second API in the agent network device. The director network device delivers dynamic language code to the second API by way of a PUT request.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

sending a message to a first application programming interface (API) of at least one agent network device, wherein the message includes instructions configured to extend a second API in the at least one agent network device; and

delivering dynamic language code to the second API, wherein the dynamic language code defines a contract with the at least one agent network device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the contract defines a web service application of the at least one agent network device.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

requesting a list of existing web service resources in the at least one agent network device before sending the message; and

comparing the web service application to be provisioned to the list of existing web service resources.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

invoking the dynamic language code using a uniform resource identifier (URI) defined by the contract.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein delivering dynamic language code to the second API comprises a PUT request.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein sending a message to the first API comprises a POST request.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving status information from the at least one agent network device; and

displaying the status information.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one agent network device includes a first agent network device and a second agent network device.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

scheduling an upgrade on the first agent network device and the second agent network device, wherein the execution of the dynamic language code installs the upgrade on the first agent network device and the second agent network device.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the contract defines parameters and error handling in a first web service application in the first agent network device and a second web service application in the second agent network device.

11. Logic encoded in one or more tangible media for execution and when executed, operable to:

send a message to a first application programming interface (API) of at least one agent network device, wherein the message includes instructions configured to extend a second API in the at least one agent network device; and

deliver dynamic language code to the second API, wherein the dynamic language code defines a contract with the at least one agent network device.

12. The logic of claim 11, wherein the contract defines a web service application in the at least one agent network device.

13. The logic of claim 11, further operable to:

request a list of installed web service applications in the at least one agent network device before sending the message; and

compare the web service application to the list of installed web service applications.

14. The logic of claim 11, wherein the contract defines a web service application and uniform resource identifier (URI) for invoking the dynamic language code.

15. The logic of claim 11, further comprising:

receive status information from the at least one agent network device; and

display the status information.

20. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the contract defines a web service application and uniform resource identifier (URI) for invoking the dynamic language code.

16. An apparatus comprising:

a first application programming interface (API) configured to receive a message from a network device;

a second API extended by instructions in the message and configured to receive dynamic language code from the network device; and

an execution engine configured to execute the dynamic language code received from the network device according to a contract between the network device and the apparatus.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the contract defines a web service application of the at least one agent network device.

18. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein receiving code at the second API comprises a PUT request.

19. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein receiving a message at the first API comprises a POST request.