DRIFT MANAGEMENT OF IMAGES

• US 20160092188A1
• Filed: 01/23/2015
• Published: 03/31/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 09/26/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Oracle International Corporation (Oracle Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Oracle International Corporation (Oracle Corporation)
• Inventors: Kuchibhotla, Balasubrahmanyam, Paliwal, Bharat, Srinivasan, Hariprasanna, Khanuja, Kamaldeep, Sanklecha, Shachi, Vaidhiyanathan, Ramalakshmi
• Granted Patent: US 9,552,198 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/60 Software deployment
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/61 Installation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/63 Image based installation; Cloning; Build to order
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/65 Updates security arrangements therefor G06F21/57
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/71 Version control security arrangements therefor G06F21/57; Configuration management
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/10 in which an application is distributed across nodes in the network software deployment G06F8/60; multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/46
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/60 Subscription-based services using application servers or record carriers, e.g. SIM application toolkits

Abstract

Techniques are described for managing drift within a standardized environment. According to one embodiment, an end state definition is stored that identifies a standard set of source components for a plurality of targets. A drift manager determines that at least one target of the plurality of targets has drifted from the standard set of source components identified by the end state definition. After determining that the at least one target of the plurality of targets has drifted from the standard set of source components identified by the end state definition, the drift manager reconciles the at least one target with the end state definition.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

storing an end state definition that identifies a standard set of source components for a plurality of targets;

determining that at least one target of the plurality of targets has drifted from the standard set of source components identified by the end state definition;

after determining that the at least one target of the plurality of targets has drifted from the standard set of source components identified by the end state definition, causing display of information that indicates in what way the at least one target has drifted.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

reconciling the at least one target with the end state definition;

wherein the at least one target of the plurality of targets has at least one patch that is not identified by the end state definition; and

wherein reconciling the at least one target with the end state definition comprises updating the end state definition to include patch information that identifies the at least one patch to the end state definition.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

updating one or more targets of the plurality of targets based on the updated end state definition;

wherein the updated one or more targets include the at least one patch.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the at least one target is reconciled when a service provider provides a new patch for a particular software system;

wherein the end state definition is further updated to include patch information identifying the new patch from the service provider.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

reconciling the at least one target with the end state definition;

wherein the at least one target of the plurality of targets is missing at least one patch that is identified by the end state definition; and

wherein reconciling the at least one target with the end state definition comprises updating the at least one target such that the at least one target includes the at least one patch.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein determining that at least one target of the plurality of targets has drifted from the standard set of source components identified by the end state definition comprises:

generating a configuration level signature for a gold image that represents the end state definition;

comparing the configuration level signature with a respective configuration level signature for each respective target in the plurality of targets;

in response to determining that the configuration level signature does not match the respective configuration level signature for the at least one target, determining that the at least one target has drifted from the standard set of source components identified by the end state definition.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

in response to detecting a patch that would cause the target to drift from the standard set of source components identified by the end state definition, notifying a user about the patch.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

preventing the patch from being applied at the target in response to a request from the user to block the patch.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining a compliance rate for the plurality of targets based on how many targets of the plurality of targets have drifted from the standard set of source components identified by the end state definition.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising causing display of the compliance rate for the plurality of targets to a user.

11. One or more non-transitory computer-readable media storing instructions for providing automated advice with respect to consolidating a plurality of sources, the instructions, when executed by one or more processors, causing operations comprising:

storing an end state definition that identifies a standard set of source components for a plurality of targets;

determining that at least one target of the plurality of targets has drifted from the standard set of source components identified by the end state definition;

after determining that the at least one target of the plurality of targets has drifted from the standard set of source components identified by the end state definition, causing display of information that indicates in what way the at least one target has drifted.

12. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 11, further storing instructions that cause:

reconciling the at least one target with the end state definition;

wherein the at least one target of the plurality of targets has at least one patch that is not identified by the end state definition; and

wherein instructions for reconciling the at least one target with the end state definition comprise instructions for updating the end state definition to include patch information that identifies the at least one patch to the end state definition.

13. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 12, further storing instructions that cause:

updating one or more targets of the plurality of targets based on the updated end state definition;

wherein the updated one or more targets include the at least one patch.

14. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 12, wherein the at least one target is reconciled when a service provider provides a new patch for a particular software system;

wherein the end state definition is further updated to include patch information identifying the new patch from the service provider.

15. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 11, further storing instructions that cause:

reconciling the at least one target with the end state definition;

wherein the at least one target of the plurality of targets is missing at least one patch that is identified by the end state definition; and

wherein instructions for reconciling the at least one target with the end state definition comprise instructions for updating the at least one target such that at least one target includes the at least one patch.

16. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 11, wherein instructions for determining that at least one target of the plurality of targets has drifted from the standard set of source components identified by the end state definition comprise instructions for:

generating a configuration level signature for a gold image that represents the end state definition;

comparing the configuration level signature with a respective configuration level signature for each respective target in the plurality of targets;

in response to determining that the configuration level signature does not match the respective configuration level signature for the at least one target, determining that the at least one target has drifted from the standard set of source components identified by the end state definition.

17. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 11, further storing instructions for:

in response to detecting a patch that would cause the target to drift from the standard set of source components identified by the end state definition, notifying a user of the patch.

18. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 17, further storing instructions for:

preventing the patch from being applied at the target in response to a request from the user to block the patch.

19. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 11, further storing instructions for determining a compliance rate for the plurality of targets based on how many targets of the plurality of targets have drifted from the standard set of source components identified by the end state definition.

20. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 19, further storing instructions for causing display of the compliance rate for the plurality of targets to a user.

21. A method comprising:

storing an end state definition that identifies a standard level of configuration for a plurality of targets;

receiving a request to initialize a new target that differs from the standard level of configuration identified by the end state definition;

based at least in part on the request, causing display of information that indicates the new target differs from the standard level of configuration.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the information indicates in what way the new target differs from the standard level of configuration.

23. One or more non-transitory computer-readable media storing instructions for providing automated advice with respect to consolidating a plurality of sources, the instructions, when executed by one or more processors, causing operations comprising:

storing an end state definition that identifies a standard level of configuration for a plurality of targets;

receiving a request to initialize a new target that differs from the standard level of configuration identified by the end state definition;

based at least in part on the request, causing display of information that indicates the new target differs from the standard level of configuration.

24. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 23, wherein the information indicates in what way the new target differs from the standard level of configuration.