Managing dynamic configuration data for a set of components

• US 8,266,590 B2
• Filed: 03/04/2009
• Issued: 09/11/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 03/30/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Smith, Brian K.
• Primary Examiner(s): Zhen, Wei
• Assistant Examiner(s): Chen, Qing
• Application Number:
  US12/397,824
• Publication Number:
  US 20090172387A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,287 Days
• Field of Search: 717120-123, 709220-222, 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 computer hardware system configured to manage a modification to a computer infrastructure having a dynamically changeable configuration, comprising:

a processor, wherein the processor is configured to perform the following;

receiving a plurality of notification requests from a plurality of listening components;

receiving an event, wherein the event identifies the modification to the computer infrastructure;

determining whether the event modifies a plurality of component objects and/or a plurality of relationship objects;

comparing the plurality of notification requests to data regarding changes to the plurality of component objects and/or the plurality of relationship objects resulting from the event to select a notification request from the plurality of notification requests that matches the data regarding changes to the plurality of component objects and/or the plurality of relationship objects resulting from the event; and

forwarding data, about the event, to a listening component associated with the selected notification request, wherein

each of the plurality of component objects is associated with a unique producer component, and

each of the plurality of relationship objects defines an association between at least two of the plurality of component objects.

2. The computer hardware system of claim 1, wherein

the listening component interacts with the computer infrastructure, and

the listening component alters an aspect of the interaction based upon the data about the event.

3. The computer hardware system of claim 1, wherein

one of the plurality of listening components provides a plurality of different notification requests.

4. The computer hardware system of claim 1, wherein

the event is one of an addition event, a removal event, or an updating event.

5. The computer hardware system of claim 1, wherein each component object includes:

a component identifier,

a component weight, and

a component type.

6. The computer hardware system of claim 1, wherein each relationship object includes:

a relationship identifier,

identifiers for the plurality of component objects having an association defined by the relationship object,

a relationship type, and

a relationship state.

7. A computer program product comprising a computer usable storage medium having stored therein computer usable program code for managing a modification to a computer infrastructure having a dynamically changeable configuration, the computer usable program code, which when executed on a computer hardware system, causes the computer hardware system to perform:

receiving a plurality of notification requests from a plurality of listening components;

receiving an event, wherein the event identifies the modification to the computer infrastructure;

determining whether the event modifies a plurality of component objects and/or a plurality of relationship objects;

comparing the plurality of notification requests to data regarding changes to the plurality of component objects and/or the plurality of relationship objects resulting from the event to select a notification request from the plurality of notification requests that matches the data regarding changes to the plurality of component objects and/or the plurality of relationship objects resulting from the event; and

forwarding data, about the event, to a listening component associated with the selected notification request, wherein

each of the plurality of component objects is associated with a unique producer component, and

each of the plurality of relationship objects defines an association between at least two of the plurality of component objects.

8. The computer program product of claim 7, wherein

the listening component interacts with the computer infrastructure, and

the listening component alters an aspect of the interaction based upon the data about the event.

9. The computer program product of claim 7, wherein

one of the plurality of listening components provides a plurality of different notification requests.

10. The computer program product of claim 7, wherein

the event is one of an addition event, a removal event, or an updating event.

11. The computer program product of claim 7, wherein each component object includes:

a component identifier,

a component weight, and

a component type.

12. The computer program product of claim 7, wherein each relationship object includes:

a relationship identifier,

identifiers for the plurality of component objects having an association defined by the relationship object,

a relationship type, and

a relationship state.