Unified framework for configuration validation

• US 8,843,893 B2
• Filed: 04/29/2010
• Issued: 09/23/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 04/29/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SAP SE
• Original Assignee: SAP AG (SAP SE)
• Inventors: Krieg, Jan, Folmer, Viktor, Braun, Michelle
• Primary Examiner(s): Bullock, Jr., Lewis A
• Assistant Examiner(s): APONTE, FRANCISCO JAVIER
• Application Number:
  US12/769,893
• Publication Number:
  US 20110271137A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,608 Days
• Field of Search: 717101-178, 714 1-824, 707600-899
• US Class Current: 717/124
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3051 Monitoring arrangements for monitoring the configuration of the computing system or of the computing system component, e.g. monitoring the presence of processing resources, peripherals, I/O links, software programs verification or detection of system hardware configuration G06F11/2247
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3688 for test execution, e.g. scheduling of test suites

Abstract

A modular framework may be provided for configuration checks that enable a developer to classify and describe each check and then subsequently search for checks and integrate them with other checks. Each check may include a dependency on other checks to create a hierarchy. Additionally, multiple checks may be combined. The combination of checks may be used to check configuration of specific processes or systems. Each check unit and business configuration check may contain keywords, descriptions, and documentation to enable the checks to be subsequently searched and reused in different applications. Systems, methods, and articles of manufacture may be provided.

Claims

1. A method for generating a check of a configuration in a system, the method comprising:

generating a first identifier for a first check unit in a check unit field of a first table;

generating a second identifier for a second check unit;

linking through a processing device a searchable keyword in the first table for the first check unit to the first identifier;

linking the second identifier to the first identifier in a second table to indicate that the second check unit is to be executed before the first check unit;

linking an identifier of a parameter to the first check unit identifier in a third table, the parameter limiting a scope of subsequently executed checks;

to generate the check, searching for a matching keyword through the processing device and including an identifier of a check unit having the matching keyword in the check, where the check first verifies a configuration value in the system associated with a check unit listed in the second table and then verifies a configuration value associated with the included check unit after limiting the scope of the check to the respective parameters in the third table;

identifying an event causing an error when executing the check based on at least one of;

(a) a configuration value not being retrievable and (b) a retrieved system configuration setting value not matching a value specified in the check;

selecting and implementing a correction from a lookup table matching the correction to at least one of;

the error, the check causing the error, the identified event, and the check unit causing the error;

wherein each correction has an associated likelihood of correcting the error and the correction is selected based on the likelihood of the correction exceeding at least one of;

an absolute threshold and a threshold relative to likelihoods of other corrections; and

tracking the implemented correction.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising linking a stop behavior field to every check unit that has prerequisite checks, the stop behavior field identifying a condition on which to abort execution of the check.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising linking a language field and a description to a check unit identifier in a fourth table, the language field specifying a language of the description of the check unit, wherein upon selection of a preferred language, the description of at least one check unit is presented in the preferred language.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising searching the description of a plurality of check units in the preferred language to identify the matching keyword.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising choosing a select-option at runtime of the check from an options field included in the third table.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the select-option is limited to an interval specified in an interval field included in the third table.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising generating a business configuration check made up of a plurality of checks.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising linking an identifier of the business configuration check to documentation in a fourth table, the documentation documenting functionality provided by the business configuration check.

9. The method of claim 7, further comprising linking an identifier of the business configuration check to an identifier of each of the check units included in the business configuration check in a fourth table.

10. The method of claim 7, further comprising linking a language field and a description to a business configuration check identifier in a fourth table, the language field specifying a language of the description of the business configuration check, wherein upon selection of a preferred language, the description of at least one business configuration check is presented in the preferred language.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising including an event during the check generation in an application log.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the error is identified as a value mismatch responsive to a determination that the retrieved system configuration setting value does not match the value specified in the check.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the correction is selected and implemented automatically through the processing device.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the error is identified as a data mismatch responsive to a determination that the configuration value is not retrievable due to a change of a data source.

15. The method of claim 13, further comprising subsequently undoing the automatically implemented correction from the tracking.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein an error causing event or a tracked correction is recorded in an application log.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein:

each of the tables includes a classification field that classifies the check as at least one of;

an application, a business process, and a function related to the check;

and the classification is used to retrieve the check.

18. A system for generating a check of a configuration in a system comprising:

a processing device including a processor;

a configuration check repository access manager linked to the processing device, the access manager managing access to a first, second, and third tables, the first table linking a searchable keyword for a first check unit to a first generated identifier of the first check unit, the second table linking a second generated identifier of a second check unit to the first check unit identifier to indicate that the second check unit is to be executed before the first check unit, the third table linking an identifier of a parameter to the first check unit identifier, the parameter limiting the scope of the check;

a configuration check model linked to the processing device, wherein the configuration check model contains instructions for searching a table for a matching keyword through the processing device and include an identifier of a check unit having the matching keyword in the check; and

a configuration check manager to, at runtime for a selected check;

process the check units associated with the check according to an order specified in the second table for each check unit and limit the scope of the check units according to the parameters in the third table;

identify an event causing an error when executing the check based on at least one of (a) a configuration value not being retrievable and (b) a retrieved system configuration setting value not matching a value specified in the check;

select and implement a correction from a lookup table matching the correction to at least one of;

the error, the check causing the error, the identified event, and the check unit causing the error;

wherein each correction has an associated likelihood of correcting the error and the correction is selected based on the likelihood of the correction exceeding at least one of;

an absolute threshold and a threshold relative to likelihoods of other corrections; and

track the implemented correction.

19. A non-transitory computer-readable medium on which there are stored instructions that, when executed by a processing device, cause the processing device to perform a method, the method comprising:

generating a first identifier for a first check unit in a check unit field of a first table;

generating a second identifier for a second check unit;

linking through a processing device a searchable keyword in the first table for the first check unit to the first identifier;

linking the second identifier to the first identifier in a second table to indicate that the second check unit is to be executed before the first check unit;

linking an identifier of a parameter to the first check unit identifier in a third table, the parameter limiting a scope of subsequently executed checks; and

to generate the check, searching for a matching keyword through the processing device and including an identifier of a check unit having the matching keyword in the check, where the check first verifies a configuration value in the system associated with a check unit listed in the second table and then verifies a configuration value associated with the included check unit after limiting the scope of the check to the respective parameters in the third table;

identifying an event causing an error when executing the check based on at least one of;

(a) a configuration value not being retrievable and (b) a retrieved system configuration setting value not matching a value specified in the check;

selecting and implementing a correction from a lookup table matching the correction to at least one of;

the error, the check causing the error, the identified event, and the check unit causing the error;

wherein each correction has an associated likelihood of correcting the error and the correction is selected based on the likelihood of the correction exceeding at least one of;

an absolute threshold and a threshold relative to likelihoods of other corrections; and

tracking the implemented correction.