Managing application parameters based on parameter types

• US 9,361,137 B2
• Filed: 10/11/2006
• Issued: 06/07/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 03/10/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Behnen, Marion, Jorapur, Sameer V., Srinivasan, Sriram, Thirunavukkarasu, Muthukumar, Wu, Cheung-Yuk
• Primary Examiner(s): BROPHY, MATTHEW J
• Application Number:
  US11/548,632
• Publication Number:
  US 20080147703A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,527 Days
• Field of Search: 717120-123
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/00 Arrangements for software engineering testing or debugging G06F11/36; administrative, planning or organisation aspects of software project management G06Q10/06
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/71 Version control security arrangements therefor G06F21/57; Configuration management
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/44505 Configuring for program initiating, e.g. using registry, configuration files
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling

Abstract

Methods, computer program products, and system for managing a parameter of an application are provided. In one implementation, the method includes identifying a plurality of phases associated with the application, in which each phase corresponds to a time period during a lifecycle of the application. The method further includes defining a range of phases among the plurality of phases associated with the application during which a value of the parameter can be changed.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method to manage value changes of parameters of an application in a data processing system, based on application phases and based further on restrictions specific to parameter types, the computer-implemented method comprising:

identifying a plurality of phases of the application in the data processing system, each phase corresponding to a time period during a lifecycle of the application;

identifying a plurality of parameters of the application, including a first parameter of a first parameter type and further including a second parameter of a second parameter type different from the first parameter type;

defining, in a parameter administration component of the data processing system, a first restriction attribute applicable to all parameters of the first parameter type and that specifies;

(i) a first of the plurality of phases during which any parameter value of the first parameter type is permitted to change and (ii) a second of the plurality of phases during which any parameter value of the first parameter type is not permitted to change;

defining, in the parameter administration component, a second restriction attribute applicable to all parameters of the second parameter type and that specifies;

(i) the second phase as a phase during which any parameter value of the second parameter type is permitted to change and (ii) a third of the plurality of phases during which any parameter value of the second parameter type is not permitted to change; and

enforcing the first and second restriction attributes upon all parameters of the first and second parameter types, respectively, by the parameter administration component when executed by one or more computer processors, such that the first parameter of the first parameter type is permitted to be changed during the first phase and precluded from being changed during the second phase, and such that the second parameter of the second parameter type is permitted to be changed during the second phase and precluded from being changed during the third phase.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of phases is identified based on user input.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of phases is identified based on pre-defined settings.

4. A computer-implemented method to manage value changes of parameters of an application in a data processing system, based on application phases and based further on restrictions specific to parameter types, the computer-implemented method comprising:

receiving requests to change values of a plurality of parameters identified for the application in the data processing system, the plurality of parameters including a first parameter of a first parameter type and further including a second parameter of a second parameter type different from the first parameter type;

determining a current phase of a plurality of phases of the application and by a parameter administration component of the data processing system, the current phase corresponding to a time period during a lifecycle of the application; and

changing the value of the first parameter upon determining, by the parameter administration component and based on a first restriction attribute applicable to all parameters of the first parameter type, that the current phase is within a permissible phase during which the value of the first parameter of the first parameter type is permitted to change;

precluding, by the parameter administration component when executed by one or more computer processors, the value of the second parameter from being changed, upon determining, based on a second restriction attribute applicable to all parameters of the second parameter type, that the current phase is not within any permissible phase during which the value of the second parameter of the second parameter type is permitted to change;

wherein the first restriction attribute specifies a first phase, other than the current phase, during which any parameter value of the first parameter type is not permitted to change, wherein the second restriction attribute specifies a second phase, other than the current phase, during which any parameter value of the second parameter type is permitted to change, wherein the first and second restriction attributes are enforced upon all parameters of the first and second types, respectively.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 4, wherein the permissible phase during which the value of the first parameter of the first parameter type is permitted to change is selected from a design phase, a deployment preparation phase, a packaging phase, a deployment phase, an administration phase, or an execution instance phase.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 4, wherein the permissible range of phases during which the value of the first parameter of the first parameter type is permitted to change is defined based on user input.

7. A computer program product, tangibly stored on a non-transitory computer-readable medium, for managing value changes of parameters of an application in a data processing system, based on application phases and based further on restrictions specific to parameter types, the computer program product comprising instructions executable to:

identify a plurality of phases of the application in the data processing system, each phase corresponding to a time period during a lifecycle of the application;

identifying a plurality of parameters of the application, including a first parameter of a first parameter type and further including a second parameter of a second parameter type different from the first parameter type;

define, in a parameter administration component of the data processing system, a first restriction attribute applicable to all parameters of the first parameter type and that specifies;

(i) a first of the plurality of phases during which any parameter value of the first parameter type is permitted to change and (ii) a second of the plurality of phases during which any parameter value of the first parameter type is not permitted to change;

define, in the parameter administration component, a second restriction attribute applicable to all parameters of the second parameter type and that specifies;

(i) the second phase as a phase during which any parameter value of the second parameter type is permitted to change and (ii) a third of the plurality of phases during which any parameter value of the second parameter type is not permitted to change; and

enforce the first and second restriction attributes upon all parameters of the first and second parameter types, respectively, by the parameter administration component when executed by one or more computer processors, such that the first parameter of the first parameter type is permitted to be changed during the first phase and precluded from being changed during the second phase, and such that the second parameter of the second parameter type is permitted to be changed during the second phase and precluded from being changed during the third phase.

8. The computer program product of claim 7, wherein the plurality of phases are identified based on user input.

9. The computer program product of claim 7, wherein the plurality of phases are identified based on pre-defined settings.

10. A computer program product, tangibly stored on a non-transitory computer-readable medium, to manage value changes of parameters of an application in a data processing system, based on application phases and based further on restrictions specific to parameter types, the computer program product comprising instructions executable to:

receive requests to change values of a plurality of parameters identified for the application in the data processing system, the plurality of parameters including a first parameter of a first parameter type and further including a second parameter of a second parameter type different from the first parameter type;

determine a current phase of a plurality of phases of the application and by a parameter administration component of the data processing system, the current phase corresponding to a time period during a lifecycle of the application; and

change the value of the first parameter upon determining, by the parameter administration component and based on a first restriction attribute applicable to all parameters of the first parameter type, that the current phase is within a permissible phase during which the value of the first parameter of the first parameter type is permitted to change;

preclude, by the parameter administration component when executed by one or more computer processors, the value of the second parameter from being changed, upon determining, based on a second restriction attribute applicable to all parameters of the second parameter type, that the current phase is not within any permissible phase during which the value of the second parameter of the second parameter type is permitted to change;

wherein the first restriction attribute specifies a first phase, other than the current phase, during which any parameter value of the first parameter type is not permitted to change, wherein the second restriction attribute specifies a second phase, other than the current phase, during which any parameter value of the second parameter type is permitted to change, wherein the first and second restriction attributes are enforced upon all parameters of the first and second types, respectivel.

11. The computer program product of claim 10, wherein the permissible phase during which the value of the first parameter of the first parameter type is permitted to change is selected from a design phase, a deployment preparation phase, a packaging phase, a deployment phase, an administration phase, or an execution instance phase.

12. The computer program product of claim 10, wherein the permissible range of phases during which the value of the first parameter of the first parameter type is permitted to change is defined based on user input.

13. A computer-implemented method to manage value changes of parameters of an application in a data processing system, based on application phases, user groups, and restrictions specific to parameter types, the computer-implemented method comprising:

determining a group associated with a first user of the application in the data processing system; and

outputting, for display to the first user, a plurality of parameters identified for the group by a parameter administration component of the data processing system, the plurality of parameters including a first parameter of a first parameter type and further including a second parameter of a second parameter type different from the first parameter type;

wherein the first parameter type has a first restriction attribute applicable to all parameters specific to both the first parameter type and the group, the first restriction attribute specifying;

(i) a first of the plurality of phases during which any parameter value of the first parameter type is permitted to be changed based on the group and (ii) a second of the plurality of phases during which any parameter value of the first parameter type is not permitted to be changed based on the group, wherein each of the plurality of phases corresponds to a respective time period during a lifecycle of the application;

wherein the second parameter type has a second restriction attribute applicable to all parameters specific to both the second parameter type and the group, the second restriction attribute specifying;

(i) the second phase as a phase during which any parameter value of the second parameter type is permitted to be changed based on the group and (ii) a third of the plurality of phases during which any parameter value of the second parameter type is not permitted to be changed based on the group;

wherein responsive to a request from the first user to change the second parameter during the second phase, the second parameter is permitted by the parameter administration component to be changed;

wherein responsive to a request from a second user, not in the group, to change the second parameter during the second phase, the second parameter is precluded by the parameter administration component, when executed by one or more computer processors, from being changed;

wherein the first parameter is precluded by the parameter administration component from being changed, responsive to requests from each of the first and second users, respectively, during the second phase;

wherein the first and second restriction attributes are enforced by the parameter administration component upon all parameters specific to both the group and, respectively, the first and second parameter types.

14. A computer program product, tangibly stored on a non-transitory computer-readable medium, to manage value changes of parameters of an application in a data processing system, based on application phases, user groups, and restrictions specific to parameter types, the computer program product comprising instructions executable to:

determine a group associated with a first user of the application in the data processing system; and

outputting, for display to the first user, a plurality of parameters identified for the group by a parameter administration component of the data processing system, the plurality of parameters including a first parameter of a first parameter type and further including a second parameter of a second parameter type different from the first parameter type;

wherein the first parameter type has a first restriction attribute applicable to all parameters specific to both the first parameter type and the group, the first restriction attribute specifying;

(i) a first of the plurality of phases during which any parameter value of the first parameter type is permitted to be changed based on the group and (ii) a second of the plurality of phases during which any parameter value of the first parameter type is not permitted to be changed based on the group, wherein each of the plurality of phases corresponds to a respective time period during a lifecycle of the application;

wherein the second parameter type has a second restriction attribute applicable to all parameters specific to both the second parameter type and the group, the second restriction attribute specifying;

(i) the second phase as a phase during which any parameter value of the second parameter type is permitted to be changed based on the group and (ii) a third of the plurality of phases during which any parameter value of the second parameter type is not permitted to be changed based on the group;

wherein responsive to a request from the first user to change the second parameter during the second phase, the second parameter is permitted by the parameter administration component to be changed;

wherein responsive to a request from a second user, not in the group, to change the second parameter during the second phase, the second parameter is precluded, by the parameter administration component when executed by one or more computer processors, from being changed;

wherein the first parameter is precluded by the parameter administration component from being changed, responsive to requests from each of the first and second users, respectively, during the second phase;

wherein the first and second restriction attributes are enforced by the parameter administration component upon all parameters specific to both the group and, respectively, the first and second parameter types.

15. A data processing system to manage value changes of parameters of an application, based on application phases, user groups, and restrictions specific to parameter types, the system comprising:

one or more computer processors; and

a memory storing a parameter administration engine having a plurality of executable components executable on the one or more processors to perform an operation, the plurality of components including at least;

a first component to determine a group associated with a first user of the application of the data processing system; and

a second component to output, for display to the first user, a plurality of parameters identified for the group, the plurality of parameters including a first parameter of a first parameter type and further including a second parameter of a second parameter type different from the first parameter type;

wherein the first parameter type has a first restriction attribute applicable to all parameters specific to both the first parameter type and the group, the first restriction attribute specifying;

(i) a first of the plurality of phases during which any parameter value of the first parameter type is permitted to be changed based on the group and (ii) a second of the plurality of phases during which any parameter value of the first parameter type is not permitted to be changed based on the group, wherein each of the plurality of phases corresponds to a respective time period during a lifecycle of the application;

wherein the second parameter type has a second restriction attribute specific to both the second parameter type and the group, the second restriction attribute specifying;

(i) the second phase as a phase during which any parameter value of the second parameter type is permitted by the parameter administration engine to be changed based on the group and (ii) a third of the plurality of phases during which any parameter value of the second parameter type is not permitted to be changed based on the group;

wherein responsive to a request from the first user to change the second parameter during the second phase, the second parameter is permitted by the parameter administration engine to be changed;

wherein responsive to a request from a second user, not in the group, to change the second parameter during the second phase, the second parameter is precluded by the parameter administration engine from being changed;

wherein the first parameter is precluded by the parameter administration engine from being changed, responsive to requests from each of the first and second users, respectively, during the second phase;

wherein the first and second restriction attributes are enforced by the parameter administration engine upon all parameters specific to both the group and, respectively, the first and second parameter types.

16. The data processing system of claim 15, wherein the plurality of executable components further includes:

a third component to identify a plurality of phases includes receiving user input identifying the plurality of phases of the application;

wherein identifying a plurality of phases includes identifying the plurality of phases of the application based on pre-defined settings;

wherein the plurality of phases of the application includes;

a design phase, a deployment preparation phase, a packaging phase, a deployment phase, an administration phase, and an execution instance phase.

17. The data processing system of claim 16, wherein the application includes a data flow, wherein the plurality of executable components further includes a fourth component to define an attribute of the parameter, wherein the attribute is indicative of, in respective instances, each of:

(i) whether the parameter is shareable among different jobs of an application;

(ii) that the value of the parameter is not changeable or is for meant for display purposes only;

(iii) whether the parameter requires a valid current value;

(iv) each job where the parameter is referenced; and

(v) the group to which the parameter belongs.

18. The data processing system of claim 17, wherein in a first instance, the application comprises a data integration job;

wherein in a second instance, the application comprises an extract, transform and load (ETL) job;

wherein the operation is to generate an execution plan graph from the data flow, the operation comprising;

receiving a data flow, wherein the data flow includes operators and execution dependencies between the operators, each execution dependency specifying;

(i) a first operator;

(ii) and a second operator; and

(iii) that the second operator is to execute only after the first operator has finished executing; and

wherein the operators are supported by a plurality of runtime engine types;

in response to receiving the data flow, generating a metadata representation of the data flow to produce a logical operator graph.

19. The data processing system of claim 18, wherein the operation further comprises:

generating a set of code units from the metadata representation, wherein each code unit in the set of code units is executable on the plurality of runtime engine types; and

processing the set of code units to produce the execution plan graph; and

wherein generating the metadata representation comprises;

classifying the operators into groups according to the execution dependencies and the plurality of runtime engine types, wherein at least one of the groups comprises a sequence of operators in the data flow that is supported by a single runtime engine type, and wherein the operators are classified to preclude any circular execution dependency among the groups;

determining, based on the groups and the execution dependencies, an order in which to execute the groups; and

optimizing at least one of the groups based on the runtime engine type of the at least one of the groups.

20. The data processing system of claim 19, wherein processing the set of code units further comprises aggregating the set of code units to build a particular execution plan graph for each group, wherein the operation further comprises:

generating the set of code units for each group;

generating staging code for the staging terminals separating the groups; and

processing each operator in each of the groups, comprising;

resolving staging with neighboring operators;

generating a number of code units for each operator to form the set of code unit; and

placing the set of code units into the particular execution plan graph for each group.

21. The data processing system of claim 20, wherein the first restriction attribute is not specific to the second parameter type, wherein the second restriction attribute is not specific to the first parameter type, wherein the values of the first and second parameters provide arguments passed to the application when the application is executed, wherein each of the first and second parameter types is selected from an integer type, a string type, and a user-defined type, wherein the first, second, and third phases are distinct phases, wherein the operation further comprises:

aggregating the particular execution plan graph for each group into the execution plan graph; and

performing post-aggregation processing.

22. The data processing system of claim 21, wherein processing the set of code units further comprises:

generating deployment code for preparing one or more runtime engines for execution of the execution plan graph;

generating run code for executing the execution plan graph; and

generating un-deployment code for undoing the effects of the deployment code.

23. The data processing system of claim 22, wherein the operation further comprises:

executing the execution plan graph, wherein each of the groups is executed by one of the plurality of different types of runtime engines associated with the groups;

adding at least one new runtime engine for executing the execution plan graph;

establishing a group definition for each group; and

establishing an operator definition for each operator.