Managing dynamic configuration data for producer components in a computer infrastructure

• US 7,546,582 B2
• Filed: 03/30/2005
• Issued: 06/09/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 03/30/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Smith, Brian K.
• Primary Examiner(s): Zhen; Wei Y
• Assistant Examiner(s): CHOW, CHIH CHING
• Application Number:
  US11/093,933
• Publication Number:
  US 20060225039A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,532 Days
• Field of Search: 717107-108, 717/116, 717120-123, 713/100
• US Class Current: 717/120
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2209/544 Remote
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/71 Version control security arrangements therefor G06F21/57; Configuration management
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/44505 Configuring for program initiating, e.g. using registry, configuration files
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/542 Event management; Broadcasting; Multicasting; Notifications
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/08 Configuration management of networks or network elements address allocation H04L61/50

Abstract

Data for a dynamic configuration of a set of producer components is stored in a set of component objects and a set of relationship objects. When an event is received indicating a change to the dynamic configuration, a component object and/or relationship object is updated to reflect the change. The component and/or relationship object(s) can be used to notify one or more listening components of modifications to the dynamic configuration. In this manner, listening components are only loosely coupled with producer components making any necessary adjustments to configuration changes easier to implement.

Claims

1. A method of managing data for a dynamic configuration of a set of producer components, the method comprising:

generating and storing a set of component objects, wherein the set of component objects include a unique component object for each producer component in the set of producer components, wherein each producer component comprises;

a hardware component or a software component or both in a computer infrastructure having a configuration that can change, and wherein the unique component object comprises a set of component properties for a current configuration within the computer infrastructure for the corresponding producer component, wherein the set of component properties include;

a component identifier, a component type, a component availability, and a component weight, wherein the component weight is used to determine a priority of the corresponding producer component among other similar producer components;

obtaining a set of relationships for the set of producer components, each relationship defining an association between a plurality of producer components;

generating and storing a set of relationship objects, wherein the set of relationship objects include a unique relationship object for each relationship in the set of relationships, wherein the unique relationship object comprises a set of relationship properties for the corresponding relationship, the set of relationship properties including a relationship identifier, relationship state and a relationship type;

obtaining a set of notification requests for a listening component, wherein each notification request in the set of notification requests specifies an event type and an object type; and

automatically processing a modification to the configuration of the computer infrastructure using the set of component objects, the set of relationship objects, and the set of notification requests, wherein the automatically processing includes;

receiving an event for the dynamic configuration, wherein the event identifies the modification to the configuration of the computer infrastructure; and

updating at least one of the set of component objects or the set of relationship objects based on the event;

determining that an event type and an object type for the event match at least one of the set of notification requests; and

providing data on the event for processing by the listening component.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising obtaining the set of producer components.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the event comprises an addition event type, and wherein the updating step includes generating at least one of a new component object or a new relationship object based on the addition event.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the event comprises a removal event type, and wherein the updating step includes removing at least one of a component object or a relationship object based on the removal event.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the event comprises a modification event type, and wherein the updating step includes:

matching at least one of a component object or a relationship object with the modification event; and

modifying the matched at least one of a component object or a relationship object based on the modification event.

6. A method of managing data for a dynamic configuration of a set of producer components, the method comprising:

managing a set of component objects embodied in a tangible computer-readable medium, wherein each component object corresponds to a unique producer component in the set of producer components, wherein each producer component comprises;

a hardware component or a software component or both in a computer infrastructure having a configuration that can change, and wherein each component object comprises a set of component properties for a current configuration within the computer infrastructure for the corresponding unique producer component, wherein the set of component properties include;

a component identifier, a component type, a component availability, and a component weight, wherein the component weight is used to determine a priority of the corresponding unique producer component among other similar producer components;

managing a set of relationship objects embodied in a tangible computer-readable medium, wherein each relationship object corresponds to a unique relationship in a set of relationships, each relationship defining an association between a plurality of producer components, and wherein each relationship object comprises a set of relationship properties for the corresponding unique relationship, the set of relationship properties including a relationship identifier, a relationship state and a relationship type;

managing a set of notification requests embodied in a tangible computer-readable medium for a listening component using the set of component objects and the set of relationship objects, wherein each notification request comprises an event type and an object type, the event type corresponding to a modification of at least one of;

the set of component properties of a producer component or the set of relationship properties for a relationship, and the object type corresponding to a type of at least one of;

a producer component or a relationship; and

automatically processing a modification to the configuration of the computer infrastructure using the set of component objects, the set of relationship objects, and the set of notification requests, wherein the automatically processing includes;

receiving an event for the dynamic configuration, wherein the event identifies the modification to the configuration of the computer infrastructure;

updating at least one of the set of component objects or the set of relationship objects based on the event;

determining that an event type and an object type for the event match at least one of the set of notification requests; and

providing data on the event for processing by the listening component.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the updating further includes matching at least one of a component object or a relationship object with the event.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the updating further includes modifying the matched at least one of a component object or a relationship object based on the event.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the updating further includes:

selecting a notification request based on the event and the at least one matched object; and

providing data on the event for processing by the listening component.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the selecting step is further based on a modified property.