Methods and apparatus for storing and transmitting historical configuration data associated with information technology assets

• US 8,407,688 B2
• Filed: 11/27/2007
• Issued: 03/26/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 11/27/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Red Hat, Inc. (International Business Machines Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Managelq Incorporated
• Inventors: Fitzgerald, Joseph, Barenboim, Oleg, McCullough, Gregory, Tanzillo, Gregg, Oliveri, Richard, Clarizio, Daniel A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Dao, Thuy
• Assistant Examiner(s): CHEN, XI DONALD
• Application Number:
  US11/945,947
• Publication Number:
  US 20090138869A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,946 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 717/172
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1464 for networked environments
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1469 Backup restoration techniques
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/60 Software deployment
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/658 Incremental updates; Differential updates
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99953 Recoverability
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99954 Version management

Abstract

Methods and apparatus for storing and transmitting historical configuration data associated with information technology assets are disclosed. The system reads and stores a first version of data with a timestamp. The system then performs a local update by reading a second version of data with a timestamp, replacing the first set of data and timestamp, and storing the changes between the first and second versions of data. The system also may receive update requests from a remote location for the latest version of data. The changes between versions of data are sent to the remote location, where the changes between versions of data are stored and are usable to create the requested latest version of data and/or prior versions of data.

Claims

1. A method for storing and transmitting historical configuration data, the method comprising:

reading a first configuration data set from a local machine at a first time;

storing the first configuration data set locally, wherein a first timestamp is stored with the first configuration data set;

reading a second configuration data set at a second time;

replacing the first configuration data set with the second configuration data set, wherein a second timestamp is stored with the second configuration data set, the second timestamp being chronologically after the first timestamp;

storing a first change between the first configuration data set and the second configuration data set on the local machine;

reading a third configuration data set from a local machine at a third time;

replacing the second configuration data set with the third configuration data set, wherein a third timestamp is stored with the third configuration data set, the third timestamp being chronologically after the second timestamp;

storing a second change between the second configuration data set and the third configuration data set on the local machine;

requesting the local machine to update a remote machine;

updating the remote machine, wherein the local machine transmits the first change between the first configuration data set and the second configuration data set and the second change between the second configuration data set and the third configuration data set to the remote machine;

the remote machine using the first change between the first configuration data set and the second configuration data set and the second change between the second configuration data set and the third configuration data set to determine the third configuration data set; and

persistently storing the first change between the first configuration data set and the second configuration data set and the second change between the second configuration data set and the third configuration data set on the remote machine after the remote machine determines the third configuration data set to allow for a restore of any one of the first configuration data set, the second configuration data set, and the third configuration data set.

2. The method of claim 1, including:

reading a fourth configuration data set at a fourth time;

replacing the third configuration data set with the fourth configuration data set, wherein a fourth timestamp is stored with the fourth configuration data set, the fourth timestamp being chronologically after the third timestamp; and

persistently storing a third change between the third configuration data set and the fourth configuration data set to allow for a restore of any one of the first configuration data set, the second configuration data set, the third configuration data set, and the fourth configuration data set.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the first configuration data set is associated with an information technology asset.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the information technology asset is a physical machine.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein the information technology asset is a virtual machine.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the first change between the first configuration data set and the second configuration data set includes a reverse delta.

7. A method for storing historical configuration data associated with information technology assets, the method comprising:

reading a first configuration data set from a machine at a first time;

storing the first configuration data, wherein a first timestamp is stored with the first configuration data set;

reading a second configuration data set at a second time;

replacing the first configuration data set with the second configuration data set, wherein a second timestamp is stored with the second configuration data set, the second timestamp being chronologically after the first timestamp;

reading a third configuration data set at a third time;

replacing the second configuration data set with the third configuration data set, wherein a third timestamp is stored with the third configuration data set, the third timestamp being chronologically after the second timestamp

reading a fourth configuration data set at a fourth time;

replacing the third configuration data set with the fourth configuration data set, wherein a fourth timestamp is stored with the fourth configuration data set, the fourth timestamp being chronologically after the third timestamp; and

persistently storing a first reverse delta between the first configuration data set the second configuration data set, a second reverse delta between the second configuration data set and the third configuration data set, and a third reverse delta between the third configuration data set and the fourth configuration data set, after the fourth configuration data set replaced the first configuration data set to allow for a restore of any one of the first configuration data set the second configuration data set, and the third configuration data set.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the information technology asset is a physical machine.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the information technology asset is a virtual machine.

10. An apparatus for storing and transmitting historical configuration data, the apparatus comprising:

a processor; and

a storage device, the storage device storing a software program structured to cause the processor to;

read a first configuration data set from the apparatus at a first time;

store the first configuration data set, wherein a first timestamp is stored with the first configuration data set;

read a second configuration data set at a second time;

replace the first configuration data set with the second configuration data set, wherein a second timestamp is stored with the second configuration data set, the second timestamp being chronologically after the first timestamp;

store a first change between the first configuration data set and the second configuration data set;

read a third configuration data set at a third time;

replace the second configuration data set with the third configuration data set, wherein a third timestamp is stored with the third configuration data set, the third timestamp being chronologically after the second timestamp;

store a second change between the second configuration data set and the third configuration data set;

receive a request at the apparatus to update a remote machine; and

transmit the first change between the first configuration data set and the second configuration data set and the second change between the second configuration data set and the third configuration data set to the remote machine, wherein the first change between the first configuration data set and the second configuration data set and the second change between the second configuration data set and the third configuration data set are persistently stored on the remote machine after the remote machine determines the third configuration data set to allow for a restore of any one of the first configuration data set, the second configuration data set, and the third configuration data set.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the software program is structured to cause the processor to:

read a fourth configuration data set at a fourth time;

replace the third configuration data set with the fourth configuration data set, wherein a fourth timestamp is stored with the fourth configuration data set, the fourth timestamp being chronologically after the third timestamp; and

persistently store a third change between the third configuration data set and the fourth configuration data set to allow for a restore of any one of the first configuration data set, the second configuration data set, the third configuration data set, and the fourth configuration data set.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the first configuration data set is associated with an information technology asset.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the information technology asset is a physical machine.

14. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the information technology asset is a virtual machine.

15. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the first change between the first configuration data set and the second configuration data set includes a reverse delta.

16. A memory storing instructions structured to cause an apparatus to:

read a first configuration data set from the apparatus at a first time;

store the first configuration data set, wherein a first timestamp is stored with the first configuration data set;

read a second configuration data set at a second time;

replace the first configuration data set with the second configuration data set, wherein a second timestamp is stored with the second configuration data set, the second timestamp being chronologically after the first timestamp;

store a first change between the first configuration data set and the second configuration data set;

read a third configuration data set at a third time;

replace the second configuration data set with the third configuration data set, wherein a third timestamp is stored with the third configuration data set, the third timestamp being chronologically after the second timestamp;

store a second change between the second configuration data set and the third configuration data set;

receive a request at the apparatus to update a remote machine; and

transmit the first change between the first configuration data set and the second configuration data set and the second change between the second configuration data set and the third configuration data set to the remote machine, wherein the first change between the first configuration data set and the second configuration data set and the second change between the second configuration data set and the third configuration data set are persistently stored on the remote machine after the remote machine determines the third configuration data set to allow for a restore of any one of the first configuration data set, the second configuration data set, and the third configuration data set.

17. The memory of claim 16, wherein the instructions are structured to cause the apparatus to:

read a fourth configuration data set at a fourth time;

replace the third configuration data set with the fourth configuration data set, wherein a fourth timestamp is stored with the fourth configuration data set, the fourth timestamp being chronologically after the third timestamp; and

persistently store a third change between the third configuration data set and the fourth configuration data set to allow for a restore of any one of the first configuration data set, the second configuration data set, the third configuration data set, and the fourth configuration data set.

18. The memory of claim 17, wherein the first configuration data set is associated with an information technology asset.

19. The memory of claim 18, wherein the information technology asset is a physical machine.

20. The memory of claim 18, wherein the information technology asset is a virtual machine.

21. The memory of claim 16, wherein the first change between the first configuration data set and the second configuration data set includes a reverse delta.