Automated discovery of resource definitions and relationships in a scripting environment

• US 9,038,049 B2
• Filed: 09/09/2011
• Issued: 05/19/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 09/09/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Inventors: Roberts, Jeffrey S., Sheikh, Ishtiyaq Ahmad
• Primary Examiner(s): Zhen, Wei
• Assistant Examiner(s): UNG, LANNY N
• Application Number:
  US13/228,902
• Publication Number:
  US 20130066621A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,348 Days
• Field of Search: 717/168
• US Class Current: 717/168
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/65 Updates security arrangements therefor G06F21/57
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/45512 Command shells

Abstract

Embodiments of the invention use incomplete metadata, automated heuristics, and user input to construct a data model implemented by a set of commands used in a scripting environment. A combination of a static analysis and a runtime analysis of the scripting environment may be used to determine the data model. Commands that enumerate resources are identified. Return types for the commands are discovered either from a definition of the command or by running the command with default parameters. Properties for the return types are identified and key fields are identified for indexing. Relationships between the return types are identified, and additional commands associated with the return types are identified. The return type properties are analyzed to identify updatable return types. A data model of the scripting environment is created from the collected information.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

performing, by one or more computer systems;

identifying commands within a scripting environment that enumerate resources;

executing the commands using default parameters to determine return types;

determining properties for each return type;

identifying key fields among the return type properties;

indexing the return type properties using the key fields to identify related return types;

searching for a matching update command; and

upon locating the matching update command, checking for parameters that match properties of the update command'"'"'s return type, marking a matching property of the update command'"'"'s return type as writable, and marking a non-matching property of the update command'"'"'s return type as read-only.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

identifying updatable properties in the return types.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

analyzing metadata for commands to determine the return types.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

identifying one or more return types having an ancestor return type.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

identifying a return type that acts as a base return type for other return types.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

identifying an association between two return types by determining that a property in a first return type has a data type corresponding to a second return type.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

identifying an association between two return types by determining that a property within a first return type corresponds to a key within a second return type.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

generating a diagram graphically illustrating relationships among resources, commands, and data types.

9. A computer system, comprising:

one or more processors; and

a memory coupled to the one or more processors, the memory having stored thereon computer-executable instructions that, upon execution by the one or more processors, causes the computer system to;

identify a set of commands from a scripting environment module that enumerate resources;

execute the commands using default parameters to determine return types;

identify properties of one or more return types;

identify key fields among the return type properties;

index the return type properties using the key fields to identify related return types;

search for a matching update command; and

upon locating the matching update command, check for parameters that match properties of the update command'"'"'s return type, mark a matching property of the update command'"'"'s return type as writable, and mark a non-matching property of the update command'"'"'s return type as read-only.

10. The computer system of claim 9, wherein the computer-executable instructions, upon execution by the one or more processors, further cause the computer system to:

determine, based upon each command'"'"'s metadata, one or more return types for each command.

11. The computer system of claim 9, wherein the computer-executable instructions, upon execution by the one or more processors, further cause the computer system to:

identify updatable properties within the return types.

12. A computer-readable storage memory comprising instructions that, when executed by a computer system, cause the computer system to:

identify commands within a scripting environment that enumerate resources;

execute the commands using default parameters to determine return types;

determine properties for each return type;

identify key fields among the return type properties;

index the return type properties using the key fields to identify related return types;

search for a matching update command;

and upon locating the matching update command, check for parameters that match properties of the update command'"'"'s return type, mark a matching property of the update command'"'"'s return type as writable, and mark a non-matching property of the update command'"'"'s return type as read-only.

13. The computer-readable storage memory of claim 12, wherein the instructions further cause the computer system to:

identify one or more return types having an ancestor return type.

14. The computer-readable storage memory of claim 12, wherein the instructions further cause the computer system to:

identify a return type that acts as a base return type for other return types.

15. The computer-readable storage memory of claim 12, wherein the instructions further cause the computer system to:

identify an association between two return types by determining that a property in a first return type has a data type corresponding to a second return type.

16. The computer-readable storage memory of claim 12, wherein the instructions further cause the computer system to:

generate diagram graphically illustrating relationships among resources, commands, and data types.