Agentless Configuration Management Service
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing configuration management systems are often vendor-specific, hardware-dependent, and rely on agents or daemons that operate outside administrator control, making it difficult to manage configurations across heterogeneous systems, especially those behind firewalls or NATs.
Innovation Solution
A generic, agentless configuration management service implemented as a web service that allows clients to specify and manage configurations across diverse target systems using standardized protocols like HTTP and XML, enabling package generation and delivery independent of specific platforms, and facilitating communication through firewalls and NATs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If vendor-specific configuration management systems are used, then management of specific applications is improved, but adaptability to heterogeneous systems deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The configuration management system is designed with a universal architecture that can manage multiple types of applications and operating systems through a common interface. The system uses standardized protocols (HTTP, XML) and abstracted communication mechanisms that work across different platforms, allowing a single system to perform configuration management for diverse applications without requiring vendor-specific implementations.
2Extent of automation
If agents or daemons are deployed on client systems, then background management tasks are automated, but system security and administrator control deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the configuration management functionality from resident agents/daemons on client systems and consolidates it into a standalone configuration management application. This extracted architecture allows the management application to perform verification tasks and communicate with target systems without requiring persistent background processes on each client, thereby maintaining automation while improving administrator control and system security.
Solution Approach 2:
The configuration management system enables target systems to self-verify their configuration states by executing verification logic locally without requiring external agents. The system uses self-service mechanisms where the configuration management application can directly interact with target systems through standardized protocols, eliminating the need for trusted third-party agents while maintaining automated verification capabilities.
3Device complexity
If agents communicate with remote servers, then centralized management is achieved, but communication through firewalls and NATs deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The invention introduces an intermediary configuration management application that acts as a mediator between administrators and target systems behind firewalls or NATs. This intermediary uses standardized web protocols (HTTP, XML) that can traverse firewalls and NAT devices, enabling centralized management functionality without requiring direct agent-to-server communication that would be blocked by network security devices.
4Manufacturing precision
If platform-specific configuration systems are used, then optimization for specific hardware is improved, but portability across heterogeneous systems deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The configuration management system uses parameter changes to adapt to different platforms while maintaining consistent management functionality. The system dynamically adjusts communication parameters, data formats, and verification methods based on the target system's platform characteristics, allowing accurate configuration management across heterogeneous systems without requiring platform-specific system implementations.
Data Source
AI summary
System and method for agentless computing system configuration management in networked environments. A configuration management service may be implemented as a service on a network with a standard network interface. A client may communicate with the service to specify a configuration for a target system, for example through a browser interface. The specified configuration may be stored by the service. The service may generate a package according to the specified configuration. The package may be delivered to the target system via the network. The package may then install the configuration, for example, one or more software, data, or other digital components, on the target systems in accordance with the specified configuration. The clients may request that the service verify and/or update the installed configuration on the target system. The service may, in response, generate an update package for the installed configuration. Target systems may include computer systems and virtual machines.