Real-time feedback for policies for computing system management

• US 8,307,060 B2
• Filed: 04/14/2010
• Issued: 11/06/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 12/19/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Cannon, David M., Humphries, Marshall L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Strange, Aaron
• Application Number:
  US12/760,494
• Publication Number:
  US 20100198958A1
• Time in Patent Office: 937 Days
• Field of Search: 709/220, 709/223, 709/224, 714/25, 714/37, 703/24, 715/735
• US Class Current: 709/223
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/08 Configuration management of networks or network elements address allocation H04L61/50
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0886 Fully automatic configuration
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0893 Assignment of logical groups to network elements
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0894 Policy-based network configuration management
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/22 comprising specially adapted graphical user interfaces [GUI]

Abstract

One aspect of the invention is a method for providing real-time feedback regarding the effect of applying a policy definition used for management in a computing system. An example of the method includes receiving the policy definition, and accessing stored information regarding at least one managed entity in the computing system. This example also includes applying the policy definition to the information regarding the at least one managed entity. This example further includes outputting information providing real-time feedback regarding the effect of applying the policy definition to the information regarding the at least one managed entity. Another aspect of the invention is a method for defining a policy used for management in a computing system.

Claims

1. A method for defining at least one policy used for management in a computing system, comprising:

receiving, by the computing system, a specified result;

receiving, by the computing system, a prospective policy and a list of parameters of the prospective policy that may be adjusted;

accessing, by the computing system, stored information regarding at least one managed entity in the computing system;

applying, by the computing system, the prospective policy to the information regarding the at least one managed entity;

determining, by the computing system, if the result of applying the prospective policy to the information regarding the at least one managed entity achieves the specified result;

outputting, by the computing system, the prospective policy in response to determining that the result of applying the prospective policy achieves the specified result;

in response to determining that the result of applying the prospective policy does not achieve the specified result, performing, by the computing system;

varying, within a first range, a first parameter in the list of parameters to create a first modified prospective policy;

applying the first modified prospective policy to the information regarding the at least one managed entity; and

determining if the result of applying the first modified prospective policy to the information regarding the at least one managed entity achieves the specified result, and if so, outputting the first modified prospective policy; and

in response to determining that the result of applying the prospective policy achieves the specified result and that additional policies are desired, then the operations performed by the computing system further comprise;

(a) varying, within a first range, a parameter in the list of parameters having a first priority to create a first modified prospective policy;

(b) applying the first modified prospective policy to the information regarding the at least one managed entity; and

(c) determining if the result of applying the first modified prospective policy to the information regarding the at least one managed entity achieves the specified result; and

in response to determining that the result of applying the first modified prospective policy does not achieve the specified result, then the operations performed by the computing system further comprise performing operations (a), (b), and (c); and

outputting, by the computing system, each prospective policy and modified prospective policy that is determined to achieve the specified result.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the list of parameters includes information prioritizing the parameters in a particular order, wherein the list of parameters includes information indicating a range for each parameter, wherein the parameter in the list varied in the first range has a first priority, wherein the operations performed by the computing system further comprise:

varying, within a second range, a second parameter in the list of parameters having a second priority to create a second modified prospective policy;

applying the second modified prospective policy to the information regarding the at least one managed entity;

determining if the result of applying the second modified prospective policy to the information regarding the at least one managed entity achieves the specified result;

and if so, outputting the second modified prospective policy.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the operations performed by the computing system further comprise:

varying, within a third range, a parameter in the list of parameters having a third priority to create a third modified prospective policy;

applying the third modified prospective policy to the information regarding the at least one managed entity;

determining if the result of applying the third modified prospective policy to the information regarding the at least one managed entity achieves the specified result;

and if so, outputting the third modified prospective policy.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein, if it is determined that the results of applying the first modified prospective policy and the second modified prospective policy and the third prospective policy to the information regarding the at least one managed entity do not achieve the specified result, then the operations performed by the computing system further comprise:

varying, within a fourth range, a parameter in the list of parameters having a fourth priority to create a fourth modified prospective policy; and

applying the fourth modified prospective policy to the information regarding the at least one managed entity;

determining if the result of applying the fourth modified prospective policy to the information regarding the at least one managed entity achieves the specified result;

and if so, outputting the fourth modified prospective policy.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising storing information regarding the at least one managed entity in an information repository.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the information indicates the amount of space in a filesystem, and how much of the space is in use.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the policy is for automatic policy-based filesystem extension in a computing system.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one managed entity includes a storage device entity.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one managed entity includes a memory entity.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one managed entity includes a CPU entity.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

in response to determining that the specified result has not been achieved when applying the first modified prospective policy to the information regarding the at least one management entity determining that the additional policy is desired, then the computing system operations further comprise;

(d) varying, within a second range, a parameter in the list of parameters having a second priority to create a second modified prospective policy;

(e) applying the second modified prospective policy to the information regarding the at least one managed entity; and

(f) in response to determining that the result of applying the second modified prospective policy to the information regarding the at least one managed entity does not achieve the specified result, then the operations further comprise repeating operations (d), (e), and (f);

and if it is determined that the result of applying the second modified prospective policy does not achieve the specified result, then the operations further comprise performing operations (a), (b), and (c);

and wherein the operations further comprise outputting each prospective policy and modified prospective policy that is determined to achieve the specified result.

12. A machine-readable data storage device embodying a program of machine-readable instructions executable by a digital processing apparatus to perform real-time feedback regarding the effect of applying a policy definition used for management in a computing system, wherein the instructions when executed perform operations, the operations comprising:

receiving a specified result;

receiving a prospective policy and a list of parameters of the prospective policy that may be adjusted;

accessing stored information regarding at least one managed entity in the computing system;

applying the prospective policy to the information regarding the at least one managed entity;

determining if the result of applying the prospective policy to the information regarding the at least one managed entity achieves the specified result;

outputting the prospective policy in response to determining that the result of applying the prospective policy achieves the specified result;

in response to determining that the result of applying the prospective policy does not achieve the specified result, performing;

varying, within a first range, a first parameter in the list of parameters to create a first modified prospective policy;

applying the first modified prospective policy to the information regarding the at least one managed entity; and

determining if the result of applying the first modified prospective policy to the information regarding the at least one managed entity achieves the specified result, and if so, outputting the first modified prospective policy;

in response to determining that the result of applying the prospective policy achieves the specified result and that additional policies are desired, then the operations performed further comprise;

(a) varying, within a first range, a parameter in the list of parameters having a first priority to create a first modified prospective policy;

(b) applying the first modified prospective policy to the information regarding the at least one managed entity; and

(c) determining if the result of applying the first modified prospective policy to the information regarding the at least one managed entity achieves the specified result;

in response to determining that the result of applying the first modified prospective policy does not achieve the specified result, then the operations performed further comprise performing operations (a), (b), and (c); and

outputting each prospective policy and modified prospective policy that is determined to achieve the specified result.

13. The machine-readable data storage device of claim 12, wherein the list of parameters includes information prioritizing the parameters in a particular order, wherein the list of parameters includes information indicating a range for each parameter, wherein the parameter in the list varied in the first range has a first priority, wherein the operations further comprise:

varying, within a second range, a second parameter in the list of parameters having a second priority to create a second modified prospective policy;

applying the second modified prospective policy to the information regarding the at least one managed entity;

determining if the result of applying the second modified prospective policy to the information regarding the at least one managed entity achieves the specified result;

and if so, outputting the second modified prospective policy.

14. The machine-readable data storage device of claim 13, wherein the operations further comprise:

varying, within a third range, a parameter in the list of parameters having a third priority to create a third modified prospective policy;

applying the third modified prospective policy to the information regarding the at least one managed entity;

determining if the result of applying the third modified prospective policy to the information regarding the at least one managed entity achieves the specified result;

and if so, outputting the third modified prospective policy.

15. The machine-readable data storage device of claim 14, wherein, if it is determined that the results of applying the first modified prospective policy and the second modified prospective policy and the third prospective policy to the information regarding the at least one managed entity do not achieve the specified result, then the operations further comprise:

varying, within a fourth range, a parameter in the list of parameters having a fourth priority to create a fourth modified prospective policy; and

applying the fourth modified prospective policy to the information regarding the at least one managed entity;

determining if the result of applying the fourth modified prospective policy to the information regarding the at least one managed entity achieves the specified result;

and if so, outputting the fourth modified prospective policy.

16. The machine-readable data storage device of claim 12, wherein in response to determining that the specified result has not been achieved when applying the first modified prospective policy to the information regarding the at least one management entity determining that the additional policy is desired, then the computing system operations further comprise:

(d) varying, within a second range, a parameter in the list of parameters having a second priority to create a second modified prospective policy;

(e) applying the second modified prospective policy to the information regarding the at least one managed entity; and

(f) in response to determining that the result of applying the second modified prospective policy to the information regarding the at least one managed entity does not achieve the specified result, then the operations further comprise repeating operations (d), (e), and (f);

and if it is determined that the result of applying the second modified prospective policy does not achieve the specified result, then the operations further comprise performing operations (a), (b), and (c);

and wherein the operations further comprise outputting each prospective policy and modified prospective policy that is determined to achieve the specified result.

17. A computing system, comprising:

a memory including a program of machine-readable instructions executed to perform real-time feedback regarding the effect of applying a policy definition used for management in the computing system;

a processing device coupled to the memory, wherein the processing device executes the program of machine-readable instructions to perform operations, the operations comprising;

receiving a specified result;

receiving a prospective policy and a list of parameters of the prospective policy that may be adjusted;

accessing stored information regarding at least one managed entity in the computing system;

applying the prospective policy to the information regarding the at least one managed entity;

determining if the result of applying the prospective policy to the information regarding the at least one managed entity achieves the specified result;

outputting the prospective policy in response to determining that the result of applying the prospective policy achieves the specified result;

in response to determining that the result of applying the prospective policy does not achieve the specified result, performing;

varying, within a first range, a first parameter in the list of parameters to create a first modified prospective policy;

applying the first modified prospective policy to the information regarding the at least one managed entity; and

determining if the result of applying the first modified prospective policy to the information regarding the at least one managed entity achieves the specified result, and if so, outputting the first modified prospective policy;

in response to determining that the result of applying the prospective policy achieves the specified result and that additional policies are desired, then the operations performed further comprise;

(a) varying, within a first range, a parameter in the list of parameters having a first priority to create a first modified prospective policy;

(b) applying the first modified prospective policy to the information regarding the at least one managed entity; and

(c) determining if the result of applying the first modified prospective policy to the information regarding the at least one managed entity achieves the specified result; and

in response to determining that the result of applying the first modified prospective policy does not achieve the specified result, then the operations performed further comprise performing operations (a), (b), and (c); and

outputting each prospective policy and modified prospective policy that is determined to achieve the specified result.

18. The computing system of claim 17, wherein the list of parameters includes information prioritizing the parameters in a particular order, wherein the list of parameters includes information indicating a range for each parameter, wherein the parameter in the list varied in the first range has a first priority, wherein the operations further comprise:

varying, within a second range, a second parameter in the list of parameters having a second priority to create a second modified prospective policy;

applying the second modified prospective policy to the information regarding the at least one managed entity;

determining if the result of applying the second modified prospective policy to the information regarding the at least one managed entity achieves the specified result;

and if so, outputting the second modified prospective policy.

19. The computing system of claim 18, wherein the operations further comprise:

varying, within a third range, a parameter in the list of parameters having a third priority to create a third modified prospective policy;

applying the third modified prospective policy to the information regarding the at least one managed entity;

determining if the result of applying the third modified prospective policy to the information regarding the at least one managed entity achieves the specified result;

and if so, outputting the third modified prospective policy.

20. The computing system of claim 19, wherein, if it is determined that the results of applying the first modified prospective policy and the second modified prospective policy and the third prospective policy to the information regarding the at least one managed entity do not achieve the specified result, then the operations further comprise:

varying, within a fourth range, a parameter in the list of parameters having a fourth priority to create a fourth modified prospective policy; and

applying the fourth modified prospective policy to the information regarding the at least one managed entity;

determining if the result of applying the fourth modified prospective policy to the information regarding the at least one managed entity achieves the specified result;

and if so, outputting the fourth modified prospective policy.