Method and system for query-based management of multiple network resources

• US 7,340,446 B2
• Filed: 12/11/2001
• Issued: 03/04/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 12/11/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: ServiceNow Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Nedungadi, Kishnan, Rajarajan, Vij, Hayes, Andrew, Kiernan, Casey, MacMahon, Mel
• Primary Examiner(s): Mofiz; Apu
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nguyen; Cindy
• Application Number:
  US10/015,129
• Publication Number:
  US 20020147709A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,275 Days
• Field of Search: 707/3, 707/4, 707/1, 709/105, 709223-226
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3495 for systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/83 Querying
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/972 Access to data in other repository systems, e.g. legacy data or dynamic Web page generation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/451 Execution arrangements for user interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/5055 considering software capabilities, i.e. software resources associated or available to the machine
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/00 Arrangements for maintenance, administration or management of data switching networks, e.g. of packet switching networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0233 Object-oriented techniques, for representation of network management data, e.g. common object request broker architecture [CORBA]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0253 using browsers or web-pages for accessing management information
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0266 using meta-data, objects or commands for formatting management information, e.g. using eXtensible markup language [XML]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0803 Configuration setting
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0806 for initial configuration or provisioning, e.g. plug-and-play
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/082 the condition being updates or upgrades of network functionality
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0853 by actively collecting configuration information or by backing up configuration information
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0856 by backing up or archiving configuration information
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/22 comprising specially adapted graphical user interfaces [GUI]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/00 Arrangements for monitoring or testing data switching networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/045 for graphical visualisation of monitoring data
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0817 by checking functioning
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/955 Object-oriented
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/959 Network
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/966 : Distributed
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99931 : Database or file accessing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99933 : Query processing, i.e. searching
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 715/969 : Network layout and operation interface

Abstract

A method and system for query-based management of a plurality of resources in a network environment. The system uses web technology, preferably XML-technology, to receive and store information related to back-end resources and to provide a framework by which client computer systems can manage the plurality of back-end resources in a uniform manner. The system and method associates a search components to an object type, wherein the search components may come from different resources. Consequently, in a network environment having multiple resources, search information may be shared between different resources. Additionally, searching for a known objects retrieves information, both task and otherwise, associated with all shared resources. Thus a user can perform many different tasks just by searching for and locating the proper object. Furthermore, each of the resources may include a dedicated search engine for performing searches on dedicated resources.

Claims

1. In a network environment having a two or more managers for use by a network administrator to manage one or more resources, each resource having data and capable of performing one or more tasks as directed by the network administrator that modify the resource with the manager, a computer program product readable by a computer and encoding instructions for executing a method, the method comprising:

providing the two or more managers, wherein each manager stores relevant information in a dedicated manager data store, and wherein each manager is operable to use the relevant information to manage one or more resources;

initiating an installation event when installing a new resource onto the network;

receiving, by each manager, a notification of the installation event that the new resource has been installed on the network environment;

retrieving, by each manager, search information associated with data and tasks of the new resource;

determining, by a first manager, that a first portion of the search information relates to the first manager;

storing the first portion of the search information in a first manager data store;

determining, by a second manager, that a second portion of the search information relates to the second manager; and

storing the second portion of the search information in a second manager data store.

4. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein each resource has at least one managed object, the method further comprising:

receiving, from a client computer system, a query to modify the network environment;

accessing a plurality of resources in response to the query; and

providing management task options to the client computer related to the query, the management task options including tasks from more than one resource.

5. A method as defined in claim 4, wherein the method further comprising:

receiving a request to display an instance of a first managed object managed by a first resource;

displaying attribute information related to the first managed object; and

displaying task information received from at least two back-end resources in response to the request to display.

6. A method as defined in claim 4, wherein a first resource includes a search handler performing search functions on the first resource, the method further comprising:

receiving search handler information related to search functions on the first resource;

in response to the query retrieving data from the at least one managed object on the first resource using the search handler; and

displaying the information data.

7. A method as defined in claim 6, wherein the search handler relates to a search engine on the first resource.

8. A method as defined in claim 6, wherein the search handler relates to search engines on more than one resource.

9. A method as defined in claim 6, the method further comprising:

in response to the query request to display object information, retrieving search handler information stored in a the search store; and

displaying additional search handler information from the search store to allow the user to refine the query.

10. A method as defined in claim 4, the method further comprising:

associating a first search component with a first object type, wherein the first search component relates to object attributes managed by a first resource; and

associating a second search component with the first object type, wherein the second search component relates to object attributes managed by a second resource.

11. A system as defined in claim 4, wherein each of the plurality of resources provides information to the search manager in XML format.

12. A method as defined in claim 4, wherein the search information relates to an object type managed by the first manager, the method further comprising:

determining whether the search information relates to an existing object of the object type, the existing object including information from at least one second resource;

if so, associating the search information with the existing object; and

if not, associating the search information with a new object.

2. In a network environment having a two or more managers for use by a network administrator to manage one or more resources, each resource having data and capable of performing one or more tasks as directed by the network administrator that modify the resource with the manager, a computer program product readable by a computer and encoding instructions for executing a method, the method comprising:

providing the two or more managers, wherein each manager stores relevant information in a dedicated manager data store, and wherein each manager is operable to use the relevant information to manage one or more resources;

installing, by a configuration manager, a new resource on the network;

retrieving search information associated with data and tasks of the new resource;

determining, by the configuration manager, that a first portion of the search information relates to a first manager;

sending, to the first manager, a first notification that the new resource has been installed on the network, wherein the first notification includes the first portion of the search information that relates to the first manager;

storing the first portion of the search information in a first manager data store;

determining, by the configuration manager, that a second portion of the search information relates to a second manager;

sending, to the second manager, a second notification that the new resource has been installed on the network, wherein the second notification includes the second portion of the search information that relates to the second manager; and

storing the second portion of the search information in a second manager data store.

13. A method as defined in claim 2, wherein each resource has at least one managed object, the method further comprising:

receiving, from a client computer system, a query to modify the network environment;

accessing a plurality of resources in response to the query; and

providing management task options to the client computer related to the query, the management task options including tasks from more than one resource.

14. A method as defined in claim 13, wherein the method further comprising:

receiving a request to display an instance of a first managed object managed by a first resource;

displaying attribute information related to the first managed object; and

displaying task information received from at least two back-end resources in response to the request to display.

15. A method as defined in claim 13, wherein a first resource includes a search handler performing search functions on the first resource, the method further comprising:

receiving search handler information related to search functions on the first resource;

in response to the query retrieving data from the at least one managed object on the first resource using the search handler; and

displaying the information data.

16. A method as defined in claim 15, wherein the search handler relates to a search engine on the first resource.

17. A method as defined in claim 15, wherein the search handler relates to search engines on more than one resource.

18. A method as defined in claim 15, the method further comprising:

in response to the query request to display object information, retrieving search handler information stored in a the search store; and

displaying additional search handler information from the search store to allow the user to refine the query.

19. A method as defined in claim 13, the method further comprising:

associating a first search component with a first object type, wherein the first search component relates to object attributes managed by a first resource; and

associating a second search component with the first object type, wherein the second search component relates to object attributes managed by a second resource.

20. A system as defined in claim 13, wherein each of the plurality of resources provides information to the search manager in XML format.

3. In a network environment having a two or more managers for use by a network administrator to manage one or more resources, each resource having data and capable of performing one or more tasks as directed by the network administrator that modify the resource with the manager, a computer program product readable by a computer and encoding instructions for executing a method, the method comprising:

providing the two or more managers, wherein each manager stores relevant information in a dedicated manager data store, and wherein each manager is operable to use the relevant information to manage one or more resources;

receiving a request to install a new resource on the network, the request including information associated with data and tasks of the new resource;

installing, by a configuration manager, the new resource on the network;

sorting into portions, by the configuration manager, the information associated with data and tasks of the new resource, each portion of information associated with a different manager;

sending a first portion of the search information to a first manager, wherein the first manager is one of a task manager, a search manager, a property sheet manager, a persistence manager, or a user interface manager;

storing the first portion of the search information in a data store associated with the first manager;

sending a second portion of the search information to a second manager, wherein the second manager is one of the task manager, the search manager, the property sheet manager, the persistence manager, or the user interface manager, and wherein the second manager is different than the first manager;

storing the second portion of the search information in a data store associated with the second manager;

wherein the first portion of information relates to an object type managed by the first manager, the method further comprising;

determining whether the first portion of information relates to an existing object of the object type, the existing object including information from at least one second resource;

if so, associating the first portion of information with the existing object; and

if not, associating the first portion of information with a new object.