System and method for managing enterprise application configuration

• US 7,499,933 B1
• Filed: 11/12/2005
• Issued: 03/03/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 11/12/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: JP Morgan Chase Bank, N.A. (JP Morgan Chase & Co)
• Original Assignee: JP Morgan Chase Bank, N.A. (JP Morgan Chase & Co)
• Inventors: Simpson, Thomas George
• Primary Examiner(s): Lewis; Cheryl
• Application Number:
  US11/270,926
• Time in Patent Office: 1,207 Days
• Field of Search: 707 1- 5, 707/101, 707/102, 717/101, 717/106, 717/114, 717/140, 717/148, 717/170, 717/174
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/60 Software deployment
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/44505 Configuring for program initiating, e.g. using registry, configuration files

Abstract

A system and a method of managing configuration files of an application includes a database storing a plurality of configuration file parameters associated with one or more environments, a plurality of application component templates, and a plurality of pre-defined configuration files, wherein the pre-defined files combine an application component template with the configuration file parameters, and a configuration tool for generating and modifying the configuration files of an application. The system and method support multiple deployments of an application across multiple environments by modifying the parameters within the configuration files at an application level just prior to deployment onto a specific environment, as opposed to the conventional methods of managing the configuration files at a file level.

Claims

1. A computer implemented method of managing configuration files of an application, wherein the method comprising the steps of:

storing a plurality of configuration file parameters, wherein each of the configuration file parameters relates to a specific environment and comprises a name coupled with a value;

querying for at least one configuration file parameter related to a specific environment;

retrieving the at least one configuration file parameter;

generating at least one configuration file for an application wherein the at least one configuration file incorporates the retrieved at least one configuration file parameter;

incorporating the at least one configuration file into a compiled build of the application;

deploying the compiled build of the application into the specific environment;

running the compiled build the application in the specific environment; and

displaying outputs from the running compiled build of the application on a user interface;

wherein a configuration tool further comprises a discovery component, wherein the discovery component accesses the application to retrieve at least one configuration file contained within the application, and stores the at least one configuration file in a database.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of manually inputting the plurality of configuration file parameters into a computer-readable memory.

3. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of accessing the application and retrieving the plurality of configuration file parameters from at least one configuration file of an application.

4. The method according to claim 1, the storing step further comprising grouping the plurality of configuration file parameters into categories, wherein the categories include one or more of an environment, a server, and an environment group.

5. A computer implemented method of managing configuration files of an application, the method comprising the steps of:

storing a plurality of pre-defined configuration files, wherein each configuration file relates to a component of the application and relates to a specific environment;

querying for at least one pre-defined configuration file;

retrieving the at least one pre-defined configuration file;

incorporating the at least one pre-defined configuration file into a compiled build of the application;

deploying the compiled build of the application into the specific environment;

running the compiled build of the application in the specific environment; and

displaying outputs from the running compiled build of the application on a user interface;

wherein a configuration tool further comprises a discovery component, wherein the discovery component accesses the application to retrieve at least one configuration file contained within the application, and stores the at least one configuration file in a database.

6. A computer implemented method of managing configuration files of an application, the method comprising the steps of:

storing a plurality of templates and a plurality of configuration file parameters;

generating at least one configuration file,

said generating comprising the steps of;

querying for at least one template of the plurality of templates, wherein the at least one template relates to a component of the application and includes a list of configuration file parameter names;

querying for at least one configuration file parameter, wherein the at least one configuration file parameter relates to at least one environment and comprises a name coupled with a value; and

merging the at least one template with the at least one configuration file parameter to generate the at least one configuration file;

incorporating the at least one configuration file into a compiled build of the application;

deploying the compiled build of the application into the specific environment;

running the compiled build of the application in the specific environment; and

displaying outputs from the running compiled build of the application on a user interface;

wherein a configuration tool further comprises a discovery component, wherein the discovery component accesses the application to retrieve at least one configuration file contained within the application, and stores the at least one configuration file in a database.

7. The method according to claim 6, the merging further comprising the steps of:

matching a name associated with a configuration file parameter with an identical name in the list of configuration file parameter names; and

assigning a value coupled to the name of the configuration file parameter to the matching configuration file parameter name in the list of the template.

8. A computer implemented method of managing configuration files of an application, the method comprising the steps of:

storing a plurality of configuration file parameters, wherein each configuration file parameter relates to at least one environment;

querying for at least one configuration file parameter;

retrieving the at least one configuration file parameter; and

modifying at least one configuration file of the application to incorporate the retrieved at least one configuration file parameter in order to deploy the application onto a different environment;

incorporating the at least one configuration file into a compiled build of the application for the different environment;

deploying the compiled build of the application into the specific environment;

running the compiled build of the application in the specific environment; and

displaying outputs from the running compiled build of the application on a user interface;

wherein a configuration tool further comprises a discovery component, wherein the discovery component accesses the application to retrieve at least one configuration file contained within the application, and stores the at least one configuration file in a database.

9. The method according to claim 8, further comprising the step of maintaining modifications made to the at least one configuration file as a plurality of versions.

10. The method according to claim 9, further comprising the step of comparing each version in the plurality of versions for maintenance of the application.

11. A system for managing configuration files of an application comprising:

a configuration file tool;

a database comprising a plurality of configuration file parameters; and

a compiler, for compiling a build version of the application using at least one configuration file configured by a user at the user interface, and using the plurality of configuration file parameters;

a processor, on which the compiled build of the application can be deployed into the specific environment, and on which the compiled build of the application in the specific environment can be run; and

a user interface for displaying outputs from the running compiled build of the application;

wherein the configuration tool further comprises a discovery component, wherein the discovery component accesses the application to retrieve at least one configuration file contained within the application, and stores the at least one configuration file in the database.

12. The system according to claim 11, wherein the database further comprises a plurality of templates wherein each template relates to at least one component of the application.

13. The system according to claim 11, wherein the database further comprises a plurality of pre-defined configuration files, wherein each pre-defined configuration file relates to a component of the application and relates to a specific environment.

14. The system according to claim 11, wherein the plurality of configuration file parameters are grouped into a plurality of categories including one or more of an environment, server, and an environment group.

15. The system according to claim 11, wherein the plurality of configuration file parameters includes one or more of a server name, a tool bar, and a message format for use by the application.

16. The system according to claim 11, further comprising at least one interface to interact with an application-building tool.

17. The system according to claim 11, wherein each configuration file parameter comprises a name coupled with a value.

18. A programmable computer for use in managing configuration files of an application, said programmable computer comprising:

at least one memory including at least one region for storing computer executable program code;

a processor for executing the program code stored in said at least one memory, wherein the program code includes;

code for storing a plurality of configuration file parameters wherein each configuration file parameter relates to a specific environment and comprises a name coupled with a value;

code for querying for at least one configuration file parameter related to a specific environment;

code for retrieving the at least one configuration file parameter;

code for generating at least one configuration file for an application wherein the at least one configuration file incorporates the retrieved at least one configuration file parameter; and

code for incorporating the at least one configuration file into a compiled build of the application;

code for deploying the compiled build of the application into the specific environment; and

code for running the compiled build of the application in the specific environment; and

a user interface for displaying outputs from the running compiled build of the application on a user interface;

wherein a configuration tool further comprises a discovery component, wherein the discovery component accesses the application to retrieve at least one configuration file contained within the application, and stores the at least one configuration file in a database.