Rule management using a configuration database

• US 9,053,460 B2
• Filed: 06/12/2006
• Issued: 06/09/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 06/12/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ServiceNow Incorporated
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Gilbert, Allen M., Kaminsky, David L., Krantz, A. Steven
• Primary Examiner(s): MEINECKE DIAZ, SUSANNA M
• Application Number:
  US11/451,023
• Publication Number:
  US 20070288280A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,284 Days
• Field of Search: 705/7, 705/7.11
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/554 involving event detection and direct action
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/6218 to a system of files or objects, e.g. local or distributed file system or database
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2101 Auditing as a secondary aspect
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2141 Access rights, e.g. capability lists, access control lists, access tables, access matrices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/063 Operations research, analysis or management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/107 Computer-aided management of electronic mailing [e-mailing]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/188 Electronic negotiation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0227 Filtering policies mail message filtering H04L51/212
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0272 Virtual private networks

Abstract

A Configuration Management DataBase (CMDB) is utilized when determining if resources, which are modeled in and managed by the CMDB, are in compliance with a new resource rule that affect how the resource operates. In one embodiment, the computer-implementable method includes the step of, in response to detecting a rule change, transmitting a new rule to a rule control logic in a resource management database, wherein the rule change changes a rule for an attribute of a resource in a data processing system, and wherein the resource management database describes attributes of resources in the data processing system. The method may include the further step of transmitting the new rule from the rule control logic to a resource manager, wherein the resource manager is a person who has the capacity to implement the new rule in a resource in the data processing system

Claims

1. A computer implemented method of managing resources in a data processing system, the computer implemented method comprising:

a processor unit, in response to detecting a rule change, transmitting a new rule to a rule control logic in a resource management database, wherein the resource management database is a Configuration Management Database (CMDB), wherein the rule change changes a rule for an attribute of a resource in a data processing system, and wherein the resource management database describes attributes of resources in the data processing system;

the processor unit transmitting the new rule from the rule control logic to a resource manager, wherein the new rule instructs the resource manager to implement the new rule in a resource in the data processing system;

the processor unit transmitting a watch message from the rule control logic to a Configuration Item (CI) in a CMDB, wherein the CI contains a shadow copy of attribute configurations for resources managed by the CMDB, and wherein the watch message instructs the CI to watch for a certification entry from the resource manager, and wherein the certification entry identifies the resource as being in compliance with the new rule;

the processor unit transmitting a certification message from the CI to a certification control in the CMDB, wherein the certification message indicates whether the resource is in compliance with the new rule; and

the processor unit transmitting a compliance summary from the certification control to an enterprise Information Systems (IS) manager, wherein the compliance summary describes a compliance status for multiple resources in the data processing system, and wherein the compliance status describes whether a resource has or has not implemented the new rule.

2. The computer implemented method of claim 1, wherein the new rule is created in response to a creation of a new enterprise policy for the resource, wherein the new enterprise policy is an enterprise directive from which the new rule is derived, and wherein the new rule creates software code that is executed by the resource to implement the new enterprise policy and the new rule on the resource.

3. The computer implemented method of claim 1, wherein the rule control logic controls which resources in a networked system of computers implement the new rule.

4. The computer implemented method of claim 1, wherein each resource has a separate CI that describes attributes of said each resource.

5. The computer implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

the processor unit transmitting a forewarning to the enterprise (IS) manager, wherein the forewarning is a notice that the new rule is being sent to the resource manager.

6. The computer implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

the processor unit tracking the resource to determine if the new rule has been implemented within a specified period of time;

the processor unit, in response to the resource manager implementing the new rule in the resource within the specified period of time, transmitting a certification entry to the CI indicating that the resource is in compliance with the new rule; and

the processor unit, in response to the resource manager failing to implement the new rule in the resource within the specified period of time, marking the resource as out-of-compliance and reporting said out-of-compliance to the enterprise IS manager.

7. The computer implemented method of claim 1, wherein each resource in the data processing system has an associated list of rules that are enforced by the CMDB.

10. The system of claim 7, wherein the rule control logic controls which resources in a networked system of computers implement the new rule.

11. The system of claim 7, wherein each resource has a separate Cl that describes attributes of said each resource.

8. A system comprising:

a processor;

a data bus coupled to the processor;

a memory coupled to the data bus; and

a non-transitory computer-usable medium embodying computer program code, the computer program code comprising instructions executable by the processor and configured for;

in response to detecting a rule change, transmitting a new rule to a rule control logic in a resource management database, wherein the resource management database is a Configuration Management Database (CMDB), wherein the rule change changes a rule for an attribute of a resource in a data processing system, and wherein the resource management database describes attributes of resources in the data processing system;

transmitting the new rule from the rule control logic to a resource manager, wherein the new rule instructs the resource manager to implement the new rule in a resource in the data processing system;

transmitting a watch message from the rule control logic to a Configuration Item (CI) in a CMDB, wherein the CI contains a shadow copy of attribute configurations for resources managed by the CMDB, and wherein the watch message instructs the CI to watch for a certification entry from the resource manager, and wherein the certification entry identifies the resource as being in compliance with the new rule;

transmitting a certification message from the CI to a certification control in the CMDB, wherein the certification message indicates whether the resource is in compliance with the new rule; and

transmitting a compliance summary. from the certification control to an enterprise Information Systems (IS) manager, wherein the compliance summary describes a compliance status for multiple resources in the data processing system, and wherein the compliance status describes whether a resource has or has not implemented the new rule.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the new rule is created in response to a creation of a new enterprise policy for the resource wherein the new enterprise policy is an enterprise directive from which the new rule is derived, and wherein the new rule creates software code that is executed by the resource to implement the new enterprise policy and the new rule on the resource.

12. The system of claim 8, wherein the instructions are further configured for:

transmitting a forewarning to the enterprise (IS) manager, wherein the forewarning is a notice that the new rule is being sent to the resource manager.

13. The system of claim 8, wherein the instructions are further configured for:

tracking the resource to determine if the new rule has been implemented within a specified period of time;

in response to the resource manager implementing the new rule in the resource within the specified period of time, transmitting a certification entry to the CI indicating that the resource is in compliance with the new rule; and

in response to the resource manager failing to implement the new rule in the resource within the specified period of time, marking the resource as out-of-compliance and reporting said out-of-compliance to the enterprise IS manager.

14. The system of claim 8, wherein each resource in the data processing system has an associated list of rules that are enforced by the CMDB.

15. A non-transitory computer readable storage device embodying computer program code, the computer program code comprising computer executable instructions configured for:

in response to detecting a rule change, transmitting a new rule to a rule control logic in a resource management database, wherein the resource management database is a Configuration Management Database (CMDB), wherein the rule change changes a rule for an attribute of a resource in a data processing system, and wherein the resource management database describes attributes of resources in the data processing system;

transmitting the new rule from the rule control logic to a resource manager, wherein the new rule instructs the resource manager to implement the new rule in a resource in the data processing system;

transmitting a watch message from the rule control logic to a Configuration Item (CI) in a CMDB, wherein the CI contains a shadow copy of attribute configurations for resources managed by the CMDB, and wherein the watch message instructs the CI to watch for a certification entry from the resource manager, and wherein the certification entry identifies the resource as being in compliance with the new rule;

transmitting a certification message from the CI to a certification control in the CMDB, wherein the certification message indicates whether the resource is in compliance with the new rule; and

transmitting a compliance summary from the certification control to an enterprise Information Systems (IS) manager, wherein the compliance summary describes a compliance status for multiple resources in the data processing system, and wherein the compliance status describes whether a resource has or has not implemented the new rule, and wherein the computer executable instructions are deployable to a client computer from a server at a remote location in an on-demand basis.

16. The computer readable storage device of claim 15, wherein the new rule is created in response to a creation of a new enterprise policy for the resource, wherein the new enterprise policy is an enterprise directive from which the new rule is derived, and wherein the new rule creates software code that is executed by the resource to implement the new enterprise policy and the new rule on the resource.

17. The computer readable storage device of claim 15, wherein the rule control logic controls which resources in a networked system of computers implement the new rule.

18. The computer readable storage device of claim 15, wherein each resource has a separate CI that describes attributes of said each resource.

19. The computer readable storage device of claim 15, wherein the computer executable instructions are further configured for:

transmitting a forewarning to the enterprise (IS) manager, wherein the forewarning is a notice that the new rule is being sent to the resource manager.

20. The computer readable storage device of claim 15, wherein the computer executable instructions are further configured for:

tracking the resource to determine if the new rule has been implemented within a specified period of time;

in response to the resource manager implementing the new rule in the resource within the specified period of time, transmitting a certification entry to the CI indicating that the resource is in compliance with the new rule; and

in response to the resource manager failing to implement the new rule in the resource within the specified period of time, marking the resource as out-of-compliance and reporting said out-of-compliance to the enterprise IS manager.