Managing technology resources across multiple platforms

• US 9,172,773 B2
• Filed: 12/20/2012
• Issued: 10/27/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 12/20/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Inventors: Burns, Steven P., Abel, Todd J., Meleshuk, Vadim, Tu, Weiqing, Sheinker, Dov, Flashner, Amit
• Primary Examiner(s): Gillis, Brian J
• Assistant Examiner(s): Lee, Gil H.
• Application Number:
  US13/721,042
• Publication Number:
  US 20140181277A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,041 Days
• Field of Search: 709/203, 709/220, 709/221, 709/223, 709/246
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/541 via adapters, e.g. between incompatible applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/08 Configuration management of networks or network elements address allocation H04L61/50
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0803 Configuration setting
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0813 characterised by the conditions triggering a change of settings
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/34 involving the movement of software or configuration parameters network booting or remote initial program loading [RIPL] G06F9/4416
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/56 Provisioning of proxy services store-and-forward switching systems in data switching networks H04L12/54
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/565 Conversion or adaptation of application format or content adding application control or application functional data H04L67/561
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/08 Protocols for interworking; Protocol conversion
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/18 Multiprotocol handlers, e.g. single devices capable of handling multiple protocols

Abstract

The present invention extends to methods, systems, and computer program products for managing technology resources across multiple platforms. Embodiments of the invention can be used to manage the configuration of a plurality of different devices. A management server/service can utilize native management capabilities of different devices to provide configuration management without requiring agents to be installed on the devices. In general, the management server/service adapts to the unique characteristics and behaviors of different devices, platforms, and external systems to provide configuration management for the different devices, platforms, and external systems. As such, configuration management can be provided in a unified fashion across different platforms, both on-premise and off-premise, and indirectly. When client agents are present, the management server/service can adjust to compatibly operate with the client agents.

Claims

1. At a computer system, the computer system including one or more processors, system memory, and a platform-specific gateway, the platform-specific gateway situated between a directive dispatcher and a specific targeted device, a method for managing technology resources at the specified target device, the method comprising:

the platform-specific gateway receiving a device-neutral configuration directive routed from a distribution component to the platform-specific gateway via network communication based on the device-neutral configuration directive being directed to the specified target device, the device-neutral configuration directive issued by a directive dispatcher to the distribution component via network communication, the device-neutral configuration directive directing the specified target device to implement a configuration change defined in the device-neutral configuration directive, the device-neutral configuration directive having been modified by one or more directive processors based on operational data collected from one or more other target devices that previously attempted to implement the device-neutral configuration directive, the operational data providing feedback for use in modifying the device-neutral configuration for the specified target device;

the platform-specific gateway translating the device-neutral directive into a device-specific configuration directive for the specified target device based on the feedback, the device-specific configuration directive of a form suitable for execution at the specified target device to implement the defined configuration change; and

the platform-specific gateway sending the device-specific configuration directive to the specified target device so as to realize the defined configuration change at the specified target device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the platform-specific gateway translating the device-neutral configuration directive into a form suitable for execution at the specified target device comprises the platform-specific gateway translating the device-neutral configuration directive into a form suitable for execution by a native device agent.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the platform-specific gateway translating the device-neutral configuration directive into a form suitable for execution at the specified target device comprises legacy gateway translating the device-neutral configuration directive into a form suitable for execution by a legacy device agent.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the platform-specific gateway translating the device-neutral configuration directive into a form suitable for execution at the specified target device comprises the platform-specific gateway translating the device-neutral configuration directive into a form suitable for execution by a 3^rd party intermediary, the 3^rd party intermediary in communication with a 3^rd party device agent.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the platform-specific gateway translating the device-neutral configuration directive into a form suitable for execution at the specified target device comprises an external off-premises system-specific gateway translating the device-neutral configuration directive into a form suitable for execution by an off-premises external system.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the platform-specific gateway translating the device-neutral configuration directive into a form suitable for execution at the specified target device comprises an external on-premises system-specific gateway translating the device-neutral configuration directive into a form suitable for execution by an on-premises adaptor, the on-premises adaptor in communication with an on-premises external system.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving a device-neutral configuration directive from a distribution component comprises receiving a device-neutral configuration directive, the device-neutral configuration directive having been modified by the one or more directive processors subsequent to issuance of the device-neutral configuration directive from the directive dispatcher.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein receiving a device-neutral configuration directive from a distribution component comprises receiving a device-neutral configuration directive from a distribution component wherein the one or more directive processors have performed one or more of:

tabulating results, analyzing the device-neutral configuration directive, predicting the impact of implementing the device-neutral configuration directive, and determining an historical trend with respect to the device-neutral configuration directive.

9. At a computer system, the computer system including one or more processors, system memory, and a platform-specific gateway, the platform-specific gateway situated between a directive dispatcher and a specific targeted device, a method for managing technology resources at the specified target device, the method comprising:

the platform-specific gateway collecting operational data via network communication from the specified target device, the operational data in the device-specific data format, the operational data responsive to a device-specific configuration directive issued via network communication from the platform-specific gateway to the specified target device, the operational data providing details related to the success or failure of implementing the device-specific configuration directive at the specified target device, the platform-specific gateway having translated a device-neutral configuration directive into the device-specific configuration directive, the device-neutral configuration directive issued from the directive dispatcher and routed from a network distribution component to the platform-specific gateway;

the platform-specific gateway translating the operational data from the device-specific data format into a device-neutral data format; and

the platform-specific gateway submitting the operational data in the device-neutral data format to a uniform data collection service via network communication, the operation data for storage in a data persistence store along with operational data collected in response to other issued device-specified configuration directives, the operational data providing feedback for use by business logic to modify subsequent device-neutral configuration directives from the directive dispatcher prior to issuance to other targeted devices.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the platform-specific gateway translating the operational data from the device-specific data format into the device-neutral data format comprises a legacy client/server gateway translating operational data from a legacy device client agent into the device-neutral data format.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the platform-specific gateway translating the operational data from the device-specific data format into the device-neutral data format comprises an external system-specific gateway translating operational data from an external system into the device-neutral data format.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein the platform-specific gateway translating the operational data from the device-specific data format into the device-neutral data format comprises a platform-specific gateway translating the operational data from the device-specific data format into the device-neutral data format in accordance with a device-neutral data schema defined by a data collector.

13. A technology resources management system, the technology resources management system comprising service-side components, a plurality of platform-specific gateways, and a plurality of specified targeted devices,

the service-side components, including:

one or more processors;

system memory;

a data persistence store, the data persistence store storing operational data collected from one or more of the plurality of specified targeted devices; and

one or more computer storage media having stored thereon computer-executable instructions representing a directive dispatcher, one or more directive processors, a data collector, and a distribution router, (i) the directive dispatcher configured to;

receive directives via an administrative console, the directives for implementing a configuration change at one or more of the plurality of specified target devices;

dispatch the directives as device-neutral configuration directives to at least one of the one or more directive processors, the device-neutral configuration directives in a device-neutral format;

(ii) each of the one or more directive processors configured to;

receive device-neutral configuration directives from the directive dispatcher;

access operational data from the data persistence store, the operational data providing feedback relevant to the attempted installation of previously issued device-neutral configuration directives at targeted devices;

apply business logic to modify the received device-neutral configuration directive based on the feedback into a modified device-neutral configuration directive for execution at the one or more of the plurality of specified targeted devices; and

forward the modified device-neutral configuration directive to the distribution router;

(iii) the data collector configured to;

receive operational data submitted from platform-specific gateways in a device-neutral data format; and

store the operational data in the data persistence store in the device-neutral format as feedback providing details related to the success or failure of implementing a device-specific configuration directive at a targeted device;

(iv) the distribution router configured to;

receive device-neutral configuration directives from the one or more directive processors;

identify the appropriate platform-specific gateways, from among the plurality of platform-specific gateways, that are to receive the device-neutral configuration directives, the appropriate platform-specific gateways identified based on the one or more of the plurality of specified target devices that are to implement the configuration change; and

forwarding the device-neutral configuration directives to the identified appropriate platform-specific gateways;

each of the plurality of platform-specific gateways configured to interface between the service-side components and a corresponding specified target device, including processing device-neutral configuration directives issued from the directive dispatcher and processing operational data from a specified target device;

processing device-neutral configuration directives including;

receive a device-neutral configuration directive from the distribution router;

translate the device-neutral configuration directive into device-specific configuration directive of a form suitable for execution at the specified target device to implement the configuration change; and

send the device-specific configuration directive for execution at the specified target device to the specified target device so as to realize the configuration change at the specified target device;

processing operational data including;

collect operational data from the specified target device, the operational data in a device-specific data format, the operational data related to the success or failure of implementing a device-neutral configuration directive issued from the directive dispatcher;

translate the operational data from the device-specific data format into the device-neutral data format; and

submit the operational data in the device-neutral data format to the uniform data collection service for storage in a data persistence store; and

each of the plurality of specified targeted devices configured to;

receive a device-specific configuration from a corresponding platform-specific gateway;

execute the device-specific configuration directive to realize the configuration change; and

return operation data related to the success or failure of implementing the configuration change to the corresponding platform-specific gateway in the device-specific data format.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein one or more directive processors include one or more of:

a policy computation directive processor, a remote task directive processor, a software distribution directive processor, and a backup directive processor.

15. The system of claim 13, wherein one or more directive processors include core services that is available to other directive processors.

16. The system of claim 13, wherein the data collector is further configured to define a data schema for device-neutral data format.

17. The system of claim 13, wherein the plurality of platform-specific gateways includes one or more of:

a legacy client/server gateway and an external system-specific gateway.

18. The system of claim 13, wherein each of the one or more directive processors being configured to apply business logic to modify the received device-neutral configuration directive comprises at least one directive processor being configured to apply business logic to modify the received device-neutral configuration directive a prior implementation of the received device-neutral configuration directive.

19. The system of claim 13, wherein each of the one or more directive processors being configured to apply business logic to modify the received device-neutral configuration directive comprises at least one directive processor being configured to apply business logic to modify the received device-neutral configuration, includes performing one or more of:

tabulating results, analyzing the device-neutral configuration directive, predicting the impact of implementing the device-neutral configuration directive, and determining an historical trend with respect to the device-neutral configuration directive, to determine how to modify the device-neutral configuration directive.

20. The system of claim 13, wherein each of the plurality of platform-specific gateways being configured to interface between the service-side components and a corresponding specified target device comprises at least one platform-specific gateway being configured to interface service-side components and a manufacturer proprietary management protocol.