Automated Configuration Data Extraction and Loading System
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for configuring application programs are manual and prone to errors, requiring extensive knowledge of the software package and its configuration constructs, making it difficult to replicate and manage configuration settings across different instances.
Innovation Solution
A system and method for automating the setup of configuration data by identifying, extracting, and saving configuration data from one instance of an application program, creating a manifest in a portable format, and loading it into another instance, allowing users to select subsets of configuration data for inclusion.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If manual configuration extraction and loading methods are used, then configuration data can be transferred between instances, but the process is complex and error-prone requiring extensive knowledge of the software package
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary configuration management system that mediates between the source and target instances. This intermediary automatically extracts, validates, transforms, and loads configuration data, eliminating the need for users to manually navigate complex software constructs while ensuring data integrity through automated validation rules and relationships enforcement.
Solution Approach 2:
The configuration extraction and loading process is designed to be self-service oriented, where the system automatically identifies configuration data, determines its relevance, extracts it in the proper format, and loads it into the target instance without requiring user intervention or specialized knowledge of the software's internal configuration structures.
2Productivity
If configuration data is manually extracted and documented, then it can be reused in new implementations, but the process is time-consuming and prone to omissions
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by pre-identifying and pre-validating configuration data in the source instance before extraction. Configuration items are pre-categorized and pre-formatted according to the target instance requirements, so that when replication is needed, the data is already prepared and ready for immediate transfer, eliminating manual documentation time.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements automated copying of configuration data from source to target instances. The system creates accurate copies of configuration settings, relationships, and dependencies through automated extraction and loading processes, ensuring complete replication without manual transcription, thereby dramatically reducing both time and error rates.
3Adaptability or versatility
If configuration settings are manually captured from prior implementations, then they can be applied to new customers, but the process requires specialized knowledge and is difficult to standardize
Solution Approach 1:
The configuration management system is designed with universal capabilities that work across different instances, customers, and software configurations. The automated extraction and loading mechanisms are generic and adaptable, requiring no specialized knowledge of specific customer configurations or software internal structures, thereby making the process easy to operate while maintaining high configurability and reusability.
Data Source
AI summary
Systems, methods, and machine-readable media are disclosed for automating setup of configuration data for an application program. In one embodiment, a method of automating setup of configuration data for an application program can comprise identifying a set of configuration data used by a first instance of the application program. The set of configuration data can contain data for substantially replicating a configuration for the first instance of the application program. The method can further include extracting the set of configuration data from the first instance of the application program. A manifest can be created identifying data in the set of configuration data. The set of configuration data can be saved in a portable format that includes the set of configuration data and the manifest.