Dynamic, policy based management of administrative procedures within a distributed computing environment

• US 6,769,118 B2
• Filed: 12/19/2000
• Issued: 07/27/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 12/19/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Garrison, John M., Swart, Rose Anne
• Primary Examiner(s): DAS, CHAMELI
• Application Number:
  US09/740,434
• Publication Number:
  US 20020091939A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,316 Days
• Field of Search: 717/169-172, 717/175-177, 717/103, 709/202, 709/203, 709/219, 709/201, 709/217, 707/204, 707/206
• US Class Current: 717/177
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/445 Program loading or initiating bootstrapping G06F9/4401; security arrangements for program loading or initiating G06F21/57
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/468 Specific access rights for resources, e.g. using capability register
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/5055 considering software capabilities, i.e. software resources associated or available to the machine
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/306 User profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/34 involving the movement of software or configuration parameters network booting or remote initial program loading [RIPL] G06F9/4416
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/55 Push-based network services

Abstract

An administrative management system comprising an administrative server and a client is disclosed. In response to a selection of an administrative procedure to be executed on the client, the administrative server determines if an execution of the administrative procedure on the client is in compliance with one or more corresponding policies. If the execution is in compliance with the corresponding policy or policies, the administrative server determines the storage location of the administrative procedure. If the selected administrative procedure is stored on the client, the administrative server executes the administrative procedure on the client. If the selected administrative procedure is stored on the administrative server, the administrative server pushes a corresponding script of the administrative procedure from the administrative server to the client and then installs and executes the script on the client. If the selected administrative procedure is stored at a remote location, the administrative server pushes a corresponding script of the administrative procedure from the remote location to the client and then installs and executes the script on the client.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

storing a set of at least one administrative procedure on a client;

selecting a first administrative procedure to execute on said client;

determining if said executing of said first administrative procedure on said client is in compliance with a corresponding set of at least one policy; and

pushing a first script corresponding to said first administrative procedure from a remote location to said client when said executing of said first administrative procedure on said client is in compliance with said set of at least one policy and said first administrative procedure is excluded from said set of at least one administrative procedure.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

executing said first administrative procedure on said client when said executing of said first administrative procedure on said client is in compliance with said set of at least one policy and said first administrative procedure is included within said set of at least one administrative procedure.

3.The method of claim 1, further comprising;

installing said first script on said client;

executing said first script on said client; and

uninstalling said first script from said client upon completing said execution of said first script on said client.

3. A distributed computing system, comprising:

a client operable to store a set of at least one administrative procedure on said client;

an administrative server to determine if an execution of a first administrative procedure on said client is in compliance with a corresponding set of at least one policy; and

wherein said administrative server is further operable to push a first scrip corresponding to said first administrative procedure from a remote location to said client when said executing of said first administrative procedure on said client is in compliance with said set of at least one policy and said first administrative procedure is excluded from said set of at least one administrative procedure.

4. The distributed computing system of claim 4,

wherein said administrative server is further operable to execute said first administrative procedure on said client when said executing of said first administrative procedure on said client as in compliance with said set of at least one policy and said first administrative procedure is included within said set of at least one administrative procedure.

5. The distributed computing system of claim 4, wherein

said administrative server is further operable to install and execute said first scrip on said client;

and

said administrative server is further operable to uninstall said first script from said client upon completing an execution of said first script on said client.