Programming and development infrastructure for an autonomic element

• US 8,555,238 B2
• Filed: 04/17/2006
• Issued: 10/08/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 04/15/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Snow Software, Inc. (Snow Software AB)
• Original Assignee: Embotics Corp. (Snow Software AB)
• Inventors: White, Anthony Richard Phillip, Katz, Fabio, Stockall, Jesse, Sugden, David, Watson, David Alan, Calvert, Daniel G., Rollins, Mark David, Webb, Kenneth Stephen, Sequin, Jean-Marc L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Dao, Thuy
• Assistant Examiner(s): Smith, Cheneca
• Application Number:
  US11/405,260
• Publication Number:
  US 20070033273A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,731 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 717/100
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/30 Creation or generation of source code

Abstract

Programming and development infrastructure for an autonomic element is provided. The system includes a control plane (ISAC), a host server, a management console, and a module development environment. The ISAC contains an Autonomic Controller Engine (ACE) and management module(s). The management module is comprised of a set of scenarios. The ISAC is embedded in a control plane.

Claims

1. A computerized method for programming an autonomic manager, managing a managed element of a host server, the method comprising:

(a) creating a management module encapsulating expertise for the autonomic manager;

(b) performing simulations on a separate autonomic controller concurrently with operations of the host server on data stream obtained from the host server to test the management module, comprising performing the simulations in real time using an observation stream of data collected on the host server;

(c) distributing the management module to one or more autonomic managers concurrently with the operations of the host server, comprising distributing the management module so that an uninterrupted operation of the host server is achieved;

(d) generating self configuring elements in the management module, the self configuring elements running automatically after the management module is loaded on the autonomic manager; and

(e) editing contents of the management module concurrently with the operations of the host server.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising storing the management module.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising configuring the management module.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the creating comprises creating the management module including a policy determining an action to be performed on the managed element in response to a change in state of the managed element; and

the editing comprises dynamically creating the policy based on the state of the managed element.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the step (a) further comprises:

generating a scenario identifying a predetermined state of the managed element;

generating a policy determining an action to be performed on the managed element in response to the occurrence of the state of the managed element corresponding to the scenario;

determining an observation task for observing the state of the managed element;

generating an observation processor for processing an observation made by the observation task; and

generating an event generator for aggregating observations for checking whether the state corresponding to the scenario has occurred.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the step (c) comprises sending data over an encrypted secure communications channel to said one or more autonomic managers.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising responding to requests for missing software components of the management module, including providing the missing software components from a repository of software components.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the missing software components comprise one or more of the following:

policies, sensors, or effectors.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the step (b) further comprises performing the simulations using data collected on the host server and stored in a non-transitory computer readable storage medium.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the step (b) further comprises performing the simulations by using data provided by a user or by an event generator.

11. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium, having a computer readable program code instructions stored thereon, for execution by a processor, causing the processor to:

(a) create a management module encapsulating expertise for the autonomic manager;

(b) perform simulations on a separate autonomic controller concurrently with operations of the host server on data stream obtained from the host server to test the management module, comprising performing the simulations in real time using an observation stream of data collected on the host server;

(c) distribute the management module to one or more autonomic managers concurrently with the operations of the host server, comprising distributing the management module so that an uninterrupted operation of the host server is achieved;

(e) generate self configuring elements in the management module, the self configuring elements running automatically after the management module is loaded on the autonomic manager; and

(d) edit contents of the management module concurrently with the operations of the host server.

12. A system for programming an autonomic manager managing a managed element of a host server, the system comprising:

a processor; and

a non-transitory computer readable storage medium having computer readable instructions stored thereon for execution the processor, forming;

(a) a Module Development Environment module creating a management module encapsulating expertise for the autonomic manager, and editing contents of the management module concurrently with operations of the host server;

the Module Development Environment module being further configured to generate self configuring elements in the management module, the self configuring elements running automatically after the management module is loaded on the autonomic manager;

(b) a Simulation Engine performing simulations on a separate autonomic controller concurrently with the operations of the host server on data stream obtained from the host server to test the management module, comprising performing the simulations in real time using an observation stream of data collected on the host server; and

(c) a Module Distribution Environment module distributing the management module to one or more autonomic managers concurrently with the operations of the host server, comprising distributing the management module so that an uninterrupted operation of the host server is achieved.

13. The system of claim 12, further comprising a Module Repository storing the management module.

14. The system of claim 13, further comprising a Management Console configuring the management module.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the Management Console comprises the Module Distribution Environment module (c).

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the Module Development Environment module (a) further comprises computer readable instructions stored in the non-transitory computer readable storage medium, forming:

a textual editor providing a textual programming environment for editing the management module; and

a graphical editor providing a visual programming environment for editing the management module.

17. The system of claim 12 wherein the separate autonomic controller comprises an intelligent secure controller (ISAC) simulating the autonomic manager, the ISAC is located on a card.

18. The system of claim 15, wherein the Management Console comprises a network interface sending data over an encrypted secure communications channel to the autonomic manager.

19. The system of claim 12, wherein the processor and the non-transitory computer readable storage medium are embedded in a single board computer.

20. The system of claim 12, wherein the Module Distribution Environment module is configured for responding to requests for missing software components of the management module, and providing the missing software components from a repository of software components.

21. The system of claim 20, wherein the missing software components comprise one or more of the following:

policies, sensors, or effectors.

22. The system of claim 12, wherein the Simulation Engine (b) is further configured to perform the simulations by using data collected on the host server and stored in a non-transitory computer readable storage medium.

23. The system of claim 12, wherein the Simulation Engine (b) is further configured to perform the simulations by using data provided by a user or by an event generator.