Generic method for defining resource configuration profiles in provisioning systems

• US 7,603,443 B2
• Filed: 08/28/2003
• Issued: 10/13/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 08/28/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Kalantar, Michael Husayn, King, David George, Fong, Liana Liyow, Greff, Andrew Julius
• Primary Examiner(s): Flynn; Nathan J
• Assistant Examiner(s): Joo; Joshua
• Application Number:
  US10/650,859
• Publication Number:
  US 20050050175A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,238 Days
• Field of Search: 709220-222, 709/226, 717/168, 717/178, 717171-173
• US Class Current: 709/220
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/44505 Configuring for program initiating, e.g. using registry, configuration files

Abstract

A generic method and model for capturing and storing configuration profiles for each resource in a provisioning system. As a resource is utilized in a specific environment, the configuration values can be changed as needed to reflect different stages in the life cycle of the resource, such as configuration, and modification.

Claims

1. A method of provisioning resources in a data processing system, comprising the steps, for each of a plurality of said resources, of:

receiving information regarding one of said resources to be provisioned, said information comprising at least

a resource identifier that is a standard descriptor for the one of said resources,

a type code that categorizes the one of said resources as a specific type of resource,

a parameter name for at least one configuration parameter,

a parameter default value for the at least one configuration parameter,

an override indicator for said parameter default value specifying whether one can override said parameter default value, cannot override said parameter default value, or must override said parameter default value, and

a manual intervention indicator where manual intervention is required during provisioning process, with a field containing intervention instructions when manual intervention is required;

formatting said information into a standard format to form a configuration profile template for a type of resource corresponding to the one of said resources, and wherein resources are grouped by resource types;

storing said configuration profile template in a location that is available to a provisioning application, wherein a plurality of configuration profile templates are created for a plurality of types of resources, and wherein said plurality of configuration profile templates serve as master templates for said plurality of types of resources;

receiving a provisioning request for the one of said resources from a customer, wherein said provisioning request includes parameter values specified by said customer for installing a current instance of the one of said resources;

retrieving said configuration profile template corresponding to said type code of the one of said resources and a previously saved configuration profile corresponding to a previous installation of the one of said resources and said customer; and

dynamically combining data from each of said provisioning request, said configuration profile template, and said previously saved configuration profile to form a new configuration profile for said current instance of the one of said resources, wherein said new configuration profile is formed by copying said configuration profile template to retrieve said parameter default value for the at least one configuration parameter corresponding said type code of the one of said resources and inserting said parameter values from said provisioning request into said new configuration profile and inserting additional parameter values from said previously saved configuration profile into said new configuration profile.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said plurality of configuration profile templates are stored in persistent storage.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising updating at least one configuration parameter of a configuration profile.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising formatting the information contained in said configuration profile into an order and a format required by an installation program to form an installation record and forwarding said installation record to said installation program.

5. A method of provisioning resources in a data processing system, the method comprising the steps, for each of a plurality of said resources, of:

receiving information regarding one of said resources to be provisioned, wherein said information includes a type code that categorizes the one of said resources as a specific type of resource;

formatting said information into a standard format to form a configuration profile template for a type of resource corresponding to the one of said resources, and wherein resources are grouped by resource types;

storing said configuration profile template in a location that is available to a provisioning application, wherein a plurality of configuration profile templates are created for a plurality of types of resources, and wherein said plurality of configuration profile templates serve as master templates for said plurality of types of resources;

receiving a provisioning request for the one of said resources from a customer, wherein said provisioning request includes parameter values specified by said customer for installing a current instance of the one of said resources;

retrieving said configuration profile template corresponding to said type code of the one of said resources and a previously saved configuration profile corresponding to a previous installation of the one of said resources and said customer; and

dynamically combining data from each of said provisioning request, said configuration profile template, and said previously saved configuration profile to form a new configuration profile for said current instance of the one of said resources, wherein said new configuration profile is formed by copying said configuration profile template to retrieve a parameter default value for a configuration parameter corresponding to said type code of the one of said resources and inserting said parameter values from said provisioning request into said new configuration profile and inserting additional parameter values from said previously saved configuration profile into said new configuration profile.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein said plurality of configuration profile templates are stored in persistent storage.

7. The method of claim 5, further comprising updating at least one configuration parameter of a configuration profile.

8. The method of claim 5, further comprising formatting the information contained in said configuration profile into an order and a format required by an installation program to form an installation record and forwarding said installation record to said installation program.

9. An apparatus for provisioning resources in a data processing system, comprising:

a memory; and

a processor, the processor comprising for each of a plurality of said resources;

means for receiving information regarding one of said resources to be provisioned, wherein said information includes a type code that categorizes the one of said resources as a specific type of resource;

means for formatting said information into a standard format to form a configuration profile template for a type of resource corresponding to the one of said resources, and wherein resources are grouped by resource types;

means for storing said configuration profile template in a location that is available to a provisioning application, wherein a plurality of configuration profile templates are created for a plurality of types of resources, and wherein said plurality of configuration profile templates serve as master templates for said plurality of types of resources;

means for receiving a provisioning request for the one of said resources from a customer, wherein said provisioning request includes parameter values specified by said customer for installing a current instance of the one of said resources;

means for retrieving said configuration profile template corresponding to said type code of the one of said resources and a previously saved configuration profile corresponding to a previous installation of the one of said resources and said customer; and

means for dynamically combining data from each of said provisioning request, said configuration profile template, and said previously saved configuration profile to form a new configuration profile for said current instance of the one of said resources, wherein said new configuration profile is formed by copying said configuration profile template to retrieve a parameter default value for a configuration parameter corresponding to said type code of the one of said resources and inserting said parameter values from said provisioning request into said new configuration profile and inserting additional parameter values from said previously saved configuration profile into said new configuration profile.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein said plurality of configuration profile templates are stored in persistent storage.

11. The apparatus of claim 9, further comprising means for updating at least one configuration parameter of a configuration profile.

12. The apparatus of claim 9, further comprising means for formatting the information contained in said configuration profile into an order and a format required by an installation program to form an installation record and means for forwarding said installation record to said installation program.

13. A computer program product for provisioning resources in a data processing system, the computer program product comprising:

a computer readable storage medium having instruction embodied thereon;

for each of a plurality of said resources;

instructions for receiving information regarding one of said resources to be provisioned, wherein said information includes a type code that categorizes the one of said resources as a specific type of resource;

instructions for formatting said information into a standard format to form a configuration profile template for a type of resource corresponding to the one of said resources, and wherein resources are grouped by resource types;

instructions for storing said configuration profile template in a location that is available to a provisioning application, wherein a plurality of configuration profile templates are created for a plurality of types of resources, and wherein said plurality of configuration profile templates serve as master templates for said plurality of types of resources;

instructions for receiving a provisioning request for the one of said resources from a customer, wherein said provisioning request includes parameter values specified by said customer for installing a current instance of the one of said resources;

instructions for retrieving said configuration profile template corresponding to said type code of the one of said resources and a previously saved configuration profile corresponding to a previous installation of the one of said resources and said customer; and

instructions for dynamically combining data from each of said provisioning request, said configuration profile template, and said previously saved configuration profile to form a new configuration profile for said current instance of the one of said resources, wherein said new configuration profile is formed by copying said configuration profile template to retrieve a parameter default value for a configuration parameter corresponding to said type code of the one of said resources and inserting said parameter values from said provisioning request into said new configuration profile and inserting additional parameter values from said previously saved configuration profile into said new configuration profile.

14. The computer program product of claim 13, wherein said plurality of configuration profile templates are stored in persistent storage.

15. The computer program product of claim 13, further comprising instructions for updating at least one configuration parameter of a configuration profile.

16. The computer program product of claim 13, further comprising instructions for formatting the information contained in said configuration profile into an order and a format required by an installation program to form an installation record and instructions for forwarding said installation record to said installation program.