Generation of configuration instructions using an abstraction technique

• US 20040268298A1
• Filed: 06/30/2003
• Published: 12/30/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Miller, Matthew E., Lewis, Michael D., Chamberlin, Bruce L., Blackmore, Shaun H.
• Granted Patent: US 7,496,890 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 717/106
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/60 Software deployment

Abstract

A definition module generates configuration instructions used to build one or more machines. The definition module generates the configuration instructions by drawing from a generic library of configuration objects having a variety of attributes and parameters associated therewith. A pre-established template defines how the information provided in the library is organized to build groups of machines. An inheritance mechanism is provided for automatically resolving unspecified parameter values by searching through a hierarchy of objects to determine the unspecified values. The definition module includes a graphical user interface having a tree display section for displaying a hierarchical tree of objects associated with the configuration instructions, a parameter display section for displaying parameters associated with the objects in the tree display section, and a properties display section for displaying properties associated with objects in the tree display section or the parameters in the parameter display section. The configuration instructions can be easily consolidated into packages and transferred from one site to another, or downloaded from a central site.

Claims

1. An apparatus for generating configuration instructions used to build a programmable machine, comprising:

a library having;

a plurality of objects representing aspects of a configuration process; and

a plurality of parameters associated with respective objects, wherein at least one of the parameters includes an unspecified value; and

build management logic configured to specify a set of objects from the library to implement the configuration of the programmable machine, and to generate the configuration instructions from the set of objects,

wherein the build management logic is further configured to generate the configuration instructions by determining the value of the unspecified value.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the set of objects from the library have a hierarchical order, and wherein the at least one parameter that includes the unspecified value is associated with an object located at a defined level within the hierarchal order.

3. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the build management logic is configured to determine the unspecified value by determining the value from an object that is higher in the hierarchical order than the defined level.

4. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the at least one parameter that includes the unspecified value comprises an expression that identifies a location to determine the value, and wherein the build management logic is configured to specify the value by accessing the location specified in the expression.

5. A computer readable medium having data structures and machine readable instructions for implementing the library and the build management logic of claim 1.

6. An apparatus for generating configuration instructions used to build a programmable machine, comprising:

a library having generic objects representing aspects of a configuration process; and

build management logic configured to generate the configuration instructions used to build the programmable machine by organizing the generic objects in the library based on a framework established by a template.

7. The apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the template is expressed in a markup language and has a form defined by a schema.

8. The apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the build management logic is configured to transfer the template to another user, or receive the template from the other user.

9. The apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the build management logic is configured to transfer the template to a head-end site, or receive the template from the head-end site.

10. The apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the build management logic is configured to encapsulate information obtained from the library and the template in a package, and to transfer the package to another site.

11. The apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the build management logic is configured to generate a plurality of sets of configuration instructions to build a respective plurality of programmable machines.

12. An apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the build management logic is configured to generate a synchronization file that specifies a manner in which the configuration of each machine in the plurality of programmable machines impacts other machines within the plurality of programmable machines.

13. A computer readable medium having data structures and machine readable instructions for implementing the library and build management logic of claim 6.

14. A system for generating configuration instructions used to build a programmable machine, comprising:

a head-end site, including;

head-end logic configured to interact with a remote client site; and

a central database coupled to the head-end logic, the central database containing at least one package that specifies configuration instructions, said at least one package including;

a plurality of objects representing aspects of a configuration process;

a plurality of parameters associated with respective objects; and

at least one template for organizing the plurality of objects in accordance with a predetermined framework; and

a configuration site, including;

a local database for storing configuration instructions used to configure at least one machine associated with the configuration site; and

logic configured to receive and store said at least one package in the local database; and

logic configured to generate configuration instructions used to configure at least one programmable machine based on said at least one package.

15. A computer readable medium having stored thereon a data structure, comprising:

a library having generic objects representing aspects of a configuration process; and

a template defining specific information used to build a programmable machine, wherein the specific information provided by the template includes a reference to at least one generic object in the library.

16. An apparatus for generating configuration instructions used to build a programmable machine, comprising:

a library having;

a plurality of generic objects representing aspects of a configuration process; and

a plurality of parameters associated with respective generic objects;

build management logic configured to specify a set of objects from the library to implement the configuration of the programmable machine, and configured to generate the configuration instructions from the set of objects; and

a user interface configured to allow a user to interact with the build management logic.

17. The apparatus according to claim 16, wherein the user interface further includes a tree display section configured to display objects organized as a hierarchical tree.

18. The apparatus according to claim 17, wherein the user interface further includes a parameter display section configured to display information pertaining to parameters that are associated with at least one of the objects in the tree display section.

19. The apparatus according to claim 18, wherein the user interface further includes a properties display section configured to display properties of at least one of the objects in the tree display section or at least one parameter in the parameter display section.

20. The apparatus according to claim 16, wherein the build management logic includes logic configured to display ownership information associated with at least one object, wherein the ownership information determines a user'"'"'s ability to perform actions on the at least one object.

21. The apparatus according to claim 16, wherein the build management logic includes logic configured to display version information associated with information stored in the library.

22. The apparatus according claim 16, wherein the build management logic further includes logic configured to restrict a user'"'"'s right to manipulate information stored in the library based on the user'"'"'s membership in one of a plurality of groups.

23. The apparatus according to claim 16, wherein the build management logic includes logic configured to apply validation rules to the entry of parameter information to determine whether the entered parameter information meets predetermined criteria.

24. A method for generating configuration instructions used to build a programmable machine, comprising:

providing a library having;

a plurality of objects representing aspects of a configuration process; and

a plurality of parameters associated with respective objects, wherein at least one of the parameters includes an unspecified value; and

specifying a set of objects from the library to implement the configuration of the programmable machine; and

generating the configuration instructions from the set of objects, including determining the value of the unspecified value

25. The method according to claim 24, wherein the set of objects from the library have a hierarchical order, and wherein the at least one parameter that includes the unspecified value is associated with an object located at a defined level within the hierarchal order.

26. The method according to claim 25, wherein the determining of the value comprises determining the value from an object that is higher in the hierarchical order than the defined level.

27. The method according to claim 24, wherein the at least one parameter that includes the unspecified value comprises an expression that identifies a location to determine the value, and wherein the determining of the value comprises accessing the location specified in the expression.

28. A computer readable medium having data structures and machine readable instructions for implementing the method of claim 24.

29. A method for generating configuration instructions used to build a programmable machine, comprising:

providing a library having generic objects representing aspects of a configuration process; and

generating configuration instructions used to build the programmable machine by organizing the generic objects in the library based on a framework established by a template.

30. The method according to claim 29, wherein the template is expressed in a markup language and has a form defined by a schema.

31. The method according to claim 29, further comprising transferring the template to another user, or receiving the template from the other user.

32. The method according to claim 29, further comprising transferring the template to a head-end site, or receiving the template from the head-end site.

33. The method according to claim 29, further comprising:

encapsulating information obtained from the library and the template in a package; and

transferring the package to another site.

34. The method according to claim 29, further comprising generating a plurality of sets of configuration instructions to build a respective plurality of programmable machines.

35. The method according to claim 34, further comprising generating a synchronization file that specifies a manner in which the configuration of each machine in the plurality of programmable machines impacts other machines within the plurality of programmable machines.

36. A computer readable medium having data structures and machine readable instructions for implementing the method of claim 29.

37. A method for processing requests for configuration instructions, comprising:

receiving a request from at least one configuration site for a configuration package, the configuration package including the configuration instructions;

accessing a central database to retrieve the requested configuration package; and

transmitting the requested configuration package to the configuration site for its use in configuring at least one machine at the configuration site,

wherein the configuration package include;

a plurality of objects representing aspects of a configuration process;

a plurality of parameters associated with respective objects; and

at least one template for organizing the plurality of objects in accordance with a predetermined framework.

38. An apparatus for generating configuration instructions used to build a programmable machine, comprising:

a database having;

a plurality of configuration items representing aspects of a configuration process; and

a plurality of features associated with respective configuration items, wherein at least one of the configuration items includes at least one of the following features;

parameter information pertaining to at least one parameter associated with the configuration item;

ownership information identifying an individual assigned ownership of the configuration item; and

validation information identifying at least one validation rule applicable to the configuration item; and

build management logic configured to specify a set of configuration items from the database to implement the configuration of the programmable machine, and configured to generate the configuration instructions from the set of items.

39. A computer readable medium having stored thereon a data structure, comprising:

a plurality of configuration items representing aspects of a configuration process; and

a plurality of features associated with respective configuration items, wherein at least one of the configuration items includes at least one of the following features;

parameter information pertaining to at least one parameter associated with the configuration item;

ownership information identifying an individual assigned ownership of the configuration item; and

validation information identifying at least one validation rule applicable to the configuration item.

40. A computer readable medium having stored thereon information arranged according to schema data structure, comprising:

a machine element pertaining to a machine to be configured;

a stage element pertaining to a stage involved in configuring the machine;

a phase list element pertaining to a list of phases used to implement the stage;

a parameter element pertaining to a parameter associated with the configuration of the machine; and

a value element pertaining to a value assigned to the parameter.

41. The computer readable medium according to claim 40, further including:

a group element referring to group in which the machine is a member.

42. The computer readable medium according to claim 40, wherein the schema is a markup language schema.