Systems and methods for journaling and executing device control instructions

• US 8,990,536 B2
• Filed: 06/01/2011
• Issued: 03/24/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 06/01/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Schneider Electric IT Corporation (Schneider Electric SE)
• Original Assignee: Schneider Electric IT Corporation (Schneider Electric SE)
• Inventors: White, Sean
• Primary Examiner(s): Rigol, Yaima
• Assistant Examiner(s): Waddy, Jr., Edward
• Application Number:
  US13/150,487
• Publication Number:
  US 20120311290A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,392 Days
• Field of Search: 711/170, 711/E12.008, 711/103, 711/E12.059, 711/E12.001, 711/E12.002, 711/E12.103, 711/162, 711/161, 711/165
• US Class Current: 711/170
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 23/0264 Control of logging system, e.g. decision on which data to store; time-stamping measurements
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 13/102 where the programme performs an interfacing function, e.g. device driver G06F13/105 takes precedence; scheduling within device drivers G06F9/52; contention policies within device drivers G06F9/4881
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/455 Emulation; Interpretation; Software simulation, e.g. virtualisation or emulation of application or operating system execution engines

Abstract

A constrained computing device is provided. The constrained computing device includes a memory, a processor coupled to the memory, and a journaling component executed by the processor in kernel mode. The journaling component is configured to receive information descriptive of a device control, allocate, in the memory, a variable record structured according to a variable definition associated with the device control, store the information within the variable record, receive updated information descriptive of the device control, allocate, in the memory, an update record structured according to an update variable definition, store the updated information within the update record, and link the variable record to the update record.

Claims

1. A constrained computing device comprising:

a memory;

a processor coupled to the memory;

a journaling component executed by the processor in kernel mode and configured to;

receive information descriptive of a first device control instruction for a device control included in a managed device;

allocate, in the memory, a variable record structured according to a variable definition associated with the first device control instruction for the device control;

store the information within the variable record;

receive updated information descriptive of a second device control instruction for the device control, wherein the updated information is descriptive of a control operation;

allocate, in the memory, an update record structured according to an update variable definition; and

store the updated information within the update record; and

a device management component configured to;

find the update record; and

issue an instruction to the device control to perform the control operation described in the update record.

2. The constrained computing device according to claim 1, wherein the journaling component is further configured to:

receive environmental information descriptive of data received via a sensor;

allocate, in the memory, a sensor variable record structured according to a sensor variable definition associated with the sensor;

store the environmental information within the sensor variable record;

receive updated environmental information descriptive of updated data received via the sensor;

allocate, in the memory, a sensor update record structured according to a sensor update variable definition;

store the updated environmental information within the sensor update record; and

link the sensor variable record to the sensor update record.

3. The constrained computing device according to claim 1, wherein the update variable definition includes a metadata variable definition.

4. The constrained computing device according to claim 1, wherein the journaling component is configured to provide an interface to a user mode program.

5. The constrained computing device according to claim 1, wherein the control operation is executable by at least one of an uninterruptible power supply, a power distribution unit, or a rack data access device.

6. The constrained computing device according to claim 1, wherein the journaling component is further configured to store the variable record and the update record in non-volatile data storage.

7. The constrained computing device according to claim 6, wherein the journaling component is further configured to initialize a journal from the variable record and the update record stored in the non-volatile data storage.

8. A method of using a computer-implemented journal to manage device control operation, the method comprising:

receiving, by a computer operating in kernel mode, information descriptive of a first device control instruction for a device control included in a managed device;

allocating, by the computer operating in kernel mode, a variable record structured according to a variable definition associated with the device control instruction;

storing, by the computer operating in kernel mode, the information within the variable record;

receiving, by a computer operating in kernel mode, updated information descriptive of a second device control instruction for the device control, wherein the updated information is descriptive of a control operation;

allocating, by the computer operating in kernel mode, an update record structured according to an update variable definition;

storing, by the computer operating in kernel mode, the updated information within the update record;

finding the update record; and

issuing an instruction to the device control to perform the control operation described in the update record.

9. The method according to claim 8, further comprising:

receiving environmental information descriptive of data received via a sensor;

allocating a sensor variable record structured according to a sensor variable definition associated with the sensor;

storing the environmental information within the sensor variable record;

receiving updated environmental information descriptive of updated data received via the sensor;

allocating a sensor update record structured according to a sensor update variable definition;

storing the updated environmental information within the sensor update record; and

linking the sensor variable record to the sensor update record.

10. The method according to claim 8, wherein allocating the update record includes allocating a metadata record.

11. The method according to claim 8, wherein receiving the information includes receiving the information from a program executing in user mode.

12. The method according to claim 8, wherein receiving the updated information descriptive of the control operation includes receiving updated information that is descriptive of a control operation executable by at least one of an uninterruptible power supply, a power distribution unit, or a rack data access device.

13. The method according to claim 8, further comprising storing the variable record and the update record in non-volatile data storage.

14. The method according to claim 13, further comprising initializing a journal from the variable record and the update record stored in the non-volatile data storage.

15. A non-transitory computer readable medium having stored thereon sequences of instruction for managing device control operation using a journal implemented by a journaling component executing in kernel mode, the sequences of instruction including instructions that will cause at least one processor to:

receive, while operating in kernel mode, information descriptive of a first device control instruction for a device control included in a managed device;

allocate, while operating in kernel mode, a variable record structured according to a variable definition associated with the first device control instruction;

store, while operating in kernel mode, the information within the variable record;

receive, while operating in kernel mode, updated information descriptive of a second device control instruction for the device control, the updated information being descriptive of a control operation;

allocate, while operating in kernel mode, an update record structured according to an update variable definition;

store, while operating in kernel mode, the updated information within the update record;

find, while operating in kernel mode, the update record; and

issue, while operating in kernel mode, an instruction to the device control to perform the control operation described in the update record.

16. The non-transitory computer readable medium according to claim 15, wherein the sequences of instruction include further instructions that will cause the at least one processor to:

receive environmental information descriptive of data received via a sensor;

allocate a sensor variable record structured according to a sensor variable definition associated with the sensor;

store the environmental information within the sensor update record;

receive updated environmental information descriptive of data received via the sensor;

allocate a sensor update record structured according to a sensor update variable definition;

store the updated environmental information within the sensor update record; and

link the sensor variable record to the sensor update record.

17. The non-transitory computer readable medium according to claim 15, wherein the control operation is executable by at least one of an uninterruptible power supply, a power distribution unit, or a rack data access device.