Model-based configuration management

• US 20070005320A1
• Filed: 06/29/2005
• Published: 01/04/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 06/29/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Tabbara, Bassam, Voloshin, Vitaly, Rajarajan, Vij, Mensching, Rob, Outhred, Geoffrey, Lakshminarayanan, Anand, Grealish, Kevin, James, David, Hydrie, Aamer, Copeland, Bruce, Welland, Robert, Healy, Michael, Vinberg, Anders, Sanghvi, Ashvinkumar, Hunt, Galen, Narayanan, Rajagopalan, Pan, Ken
• Application Number:
  US11/170,092
• Publication Number:
  US 20070005320A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 703/13
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2111/04 Constraint-based CAD
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 30/00 Computer-aided design [CAD]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/08 Configuration management of networks or network elements address allocation H04L61/50
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0893 Assignment of logical groups to network elements
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0894 Policy-based network configuration management

Abstract

Model-based configuration management and modeling identifies violations of configuration constraints. A system includes multiple components and multiple applications defined by a model of the system. A process identifies configuration settings associated with the components and configuration settings associated with the applications. A configuration policy is created for the system based on information contained in the model of the system and the configuration settings.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

identifying a model of a system that includes a plurality of components and a plurality of applications;

identifying configuration settings associated with the plurality of components;

identifying configuration settings associated with the plurality of applications; and

creating a configuration policy associated with the system, wherein the configuration policy is defined based on information contained in the model of the system and the configuration settings.

2. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein identifying configuration settings associated with the plurality of components includes identifying at least one constraint on the configuration settings associated with the plurality of components.

3. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein identifying configuration settings associated with the plurality of applications includes identifying at least one constraint on the configuration settings associated with the plurality of applications.

4. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the model of the system identifies a relationship between at least two components of the system.

5. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the model of the system identifies a relationship between at least one application and at least one component of the system.

6. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein creating a configuration policy associated with the system includes:

identifying a response action associated with the configuration settings;

identifying targeting information associated with the configuration settings; and

identifying scheduling information associated with the configuration settings.

7. A method as recited in claim 6, wherein the targeting information identifies a group of components that receive the same configuration settings.

8. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein identifying configuration settings associated with each of the plurality of components includes accessing a description page in the model of the system, wherein the description page is associated with at least one component of the system and identifies relationships with other components in the system.

9. A method as recited in claim 1, further comprising monitoring configuration of the components and applications for compliance with the configuration policy.

10. A method as recited in claim 9, further comprising reporting any non-compliant components or applications.

11. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the model of the system defines the topology of the entire system.

12. A method comprising:

identifying a model of a system that describes a plurality of components in the system;

identifying configuration settings associated with the plurality of components;

identifying a response action associated with the configuration settings;

identifying targeting information associated with the configuration settings; and

creating a configuration policy associated with the system, wherein the configuration policy is defined using information contained in the model of the system, the configuration settings, the response action, and the targeting information.

13. A method as recited in claim 12, wherein the model of the system further describes a plurality of applications.

14. A method as recited in claim 13, further comprising identifying configuration settings associated with the plurality of applications.

15. A method as recited in claim 13, wherein the configuration policy is further based on the configuration settings associated with the plurality of applications.

16. A method as recited in claim 12, wherein the model of the system further describes relationships between the plurality of components.

17. One or more computer readable media having stored thereon a plurality of instructions that, when executed by one or more processors, causes the one or more processors to:

identify a plurality of components in a system;

identify a plurality of applications in the system;

identify a plurality of component configuration settings;

identify a plurality of application configuration settings;

identify relationships between the plurality of components and the plurality of applications;

create a configuration policy defined by the component configuration settings, the application configuration settings, and the relationships between the plurality of components and the plurality of applications; and

monitor configuration of the components and the applications for compliance with the configuration policy.

18. One or more computer readable media as recited in claim 17, wherein the one or more processors further report any non-compliant components or applications.

19. One or more computer readable media as recited in claim 17, wherein the one or more processors further take a predetermined action in response to any non-compliant components or applications.

20. One or more computer readable media as recited in claim 17, wherein the system is defined by a model representative of the structure of the entire system.