Resource abstraction via enabler and metadata

• US 9,038,082 B2
• Filed: 02/17/2011
• Issued: 05/19/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 05/28/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Oracle International Corporation (Oracle Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Oracle International Corporation (Oracle Corporation)
• Inventors: Maes, Stphane H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Bullock, Jr., Lewis A
• Assistant Examiner(s): KEPNANG, GILLES R
• Application Number:
  US13/029,219
• Publication Number:
  US 20120047506A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,552 Days
• Field of Search: 715/210, 717/120, 717/169, 707/200, 707/3, 709/221, 709203-204, 709/226, 718104-105, 719/315
• US Class Current: 718/104
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/541 via adapters, e.g. between incompatible applications
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/545 where tasks reside in different layers, e.g. user- and kernel-space

Abstract

Embodiments of the invention provide systems and methods for managing an enabler and dependencies of the enabler. According to one embodiment, a method of managing an enabler can comprise requesting a management function via a management interface of the enabler. The management interface can provide an abstraction of one or more management functions for managing the enabler and/or dependencies of the enabler. In some cases, prior to requesting the management function metadata associated with the management interface can be read and a determination can be made as to whether the management function is available or unavailable. Requesting the management function via the management interface of the enabler can be performed in response to determining the management function is available. In response to determining the management function is unavailable, one or more alternative functions can be identified based on the metadata and the one or more alternative functions can be requested.

Claims

1. A method for managing a plurality of enablers, the method comprising:

executing an application by a computer system;

executing the plurality of enablers by the computer system including a first enabler and a second enabler, wherein each enabler comprising;

a northbound interface providing an abstract, network agnostic interface providing notification of network events and for invoking one or more of a plurality of functions of a network resource, wherein the enabler is between the application and the network resource and wherein the application interacts with the network resource through the enabler,

a southbound interface providing an interface specific to the network resource regardless of a network or protocol of the northbound interface, and

a management interface comprising a business process definition providing an abstraction of a plurality of management functions for managing a lifecycle of the enabler and dependencies of the enabler;

receiving, by the application, a request from the first enabler via the management interface of the first enabler, the request comprising a request to perform management functions for managing the second enabler;

reading, by the application, metadata associated with the management interface of the second enabler, said metadata indicating a plurality of management functions that are available through the management interface of the second enabler, said metadata also indicating a plurality of management functions that are unavailable through the management interface of the second enabler, and said metadata also indicating alternative ways to perform the unavailable management functions, the plurality of management functions comprising at least a function for provisioning of the enablers;

determining, by the application, the management functions of the second enabler that are available or unavailable based on the metadata;

in response to determining the requested management function is available, requesting, by the application, the requested management function via the management interface of the second enabler; and

in response to determining the requested management function is unavailable, identifying, by the application, one or more alternative functions based on the metadata indicating alternative ways to perform the unavailable requested management function and requesting the one or more alternative functions; and

providing, by the application, the available management functions and the alternative functions of the second enabler to the first enabler for management.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein one of the requested management functions of the plurality of enablers comprises the function for provisioning of one or more enablers and the plurality of management functions further comprise one or more of a function for activation of the one or more enablers, a function for state monitoring of the one or more enablers, a function for usage monitoring of the one or more enablers, a function for health monitoring of the one or more enablers, a function for updating of the one or more enablers, or a function for de-activation of the one or more enablers.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the metadata is defined consistent with an interface definition for the management interface and identifies one or more alternative functions for the requested management function.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the one or more alternative functions are selected from a group consisting of calls to a management interface of another enabler, calls to a functional interface of another enabler, and a workflow.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the metadata is stored in a metadata repository maintained by a supporting enabler.

6. A system comprising:

a processor; and

a memory communicatively coupled with and readable by the processor and having stored therein a series of instructions which, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to manage a plurality of enablers by;

executing an application by a computer system;

executing the plurality of enablers by the computer system including a first enabler and a second enabler, wherein each enabler comprising;

a northbound interface providing an abstract, network agnostic interface providing notification of network events and for invoking one or more of a plurality of functions of a network resource, wherein the enabler is between the application and the network resource and wherein the application interacts with the network resource through the enabler,

a southbound interface providing an interface specific to the network resource regardless of a network or protocol of the northbound interface, and

a management interface comprising a business process definition providing an abstraction of a plurality of management functions for managing a lifecycle of the enabler and dependencies of the enabler;

receiving, by the application, a request from the first enabler via the management interface of the first enabler, the request comprising a request to perform management functions for managing the second enabler;

reading, by the application, metadata associated with the management interface of the second enabler, said metadata indicating a plurality of management functions that are available through the management interface of the second enabler, said metadata also indicating a plurality of management functions that are unavailable through the management interface of the second enabler, and said metadata also indicating alternative ways to perform the unavailable management functions, the plurality of management functions comprising at least a function for provisioning of the enablers;

determining, by the application, the management functions of the second enabler that are available or unavailable based on the metadata;

in response to determining the requested management function is available, requesting, by the application, the requested management function via the management interface of the second enabler; and

in response to determining the requested management function is unavailable, identifying, by the application, one or more alternative functions based on the metadata indicating alternative ways to perform the unavailable requested management function and requesting the one or more alternative functions; and

providing, by the application, the available management functions and the alternative functions of the second enabler to the first enabler for management.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein one of the requested management functions of the plurality of enablers comprises the function for provisioning of one or more enablers and the plurality of management functions further comprise one or more of a function for activation of the one or more enablers, a function for state monitoring of the one or more enablers, a function for usage monitoring of the one or more enablers, a function for health monitoring of the one or more enablers, a function for updating of the one or more enablers, or a function for de-activation of the one or more enablers.

8. The system of claim 6, wherein the metadata is defined consistent with an interface definition for the management interface and identifies one or more alternative functions for the requested management function.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the one or more alternative functions are selected from a group consisting of calls to a management interface of another enabler, calls to a functional interface of another enabler, and a workflow.

10. The system of claim 6, wherein the metadata is stored in a metadata repository maintained by a supporting enabler.

11. A machine-readable memory having stored thereon a series of instructions which, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to manage a plurality of enablers by:

executing an application by a computer system;

executing the plurality of enablers by the computer system including a first enabler and a second enabler, wherein each enabler comprising;

a northbound interface providing an abstract, network agnostic interface providing notification of network events and for invoking one or more of a plurality of functions of a network resource, wherein the enabler is between the application and the network resource and wherein the application interacts with the network resource through the enabler,

a southbound interface providing an interface specific to the network resource regardless of a network or protocol of the northbound interface, and

a management interface comprising a business process definition providing an abstraction of a plurality of management functions for managing a lifecycle of the enabler and dependencies of the enabler;

receiving, by the application, a request from the first enabler via the management interface of the first enabler, the request comprising a request to perform management functions for managing the second enabler;

reading, by the application, metadata associated with the management interface of the second enabler, said metadata indicating a plurality of management functions that are available through the management interface of the second enabler, said metadata also indicating a plurality of management functions that are unavailable through the management interface of the second enabler, and said metadata also indicating alternative ways to perform the unavailable management functions, the plurality of management functions comprising at least a function for provisioning of the enablers;

determining, by the application, the management functions of the second enabler that are available or unavailable based on the metadata;

in response to determining the requested management function is available, requesting, by the application, the requested management function via the management interface of the second enabler; and

in response to determining the requested management function is unavailable, identifying, by the application, one or more alternative functions based on the metadata indicating alternative ways to perform the unavailable requested management function and requesting the one or more alternative functions; and

providing, by the application, the available management functions and the alternative functions of the second enabler to the first enabler for management.