Configuration Record Retrieval Using Attribute Scoring
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Solution Overview
Problem
In large and complex IT management environments, identifying a configuration record in a configuration management database based on event messages is challenging due to incompatible identification schemes between the incident management system and the configuration management database, making it difficult to retrieve relevant information for remedying failures.
Innovation Solution
A method and system that provide a message with unidentified attribute values and an identified host value to retrieve configuration records from the database, selecting the best match based on attribute value comparisons and scoring, using index structures and scoring functions to efficiently map message information to configuration records.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a configuration management database uses its own internal identification scheme to store configuration records, then the database can efficiently manage and query its data, but external systems (like incident management systems) cannot directly identify the correct configuration records using their different identification schemes
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a mediator component that sits between the incident management system and the configuration management database. This mediator receives event messages with external identification schemes, translates them into the database's internal identification scheme, and retrieves the corresponding configuration records. This intermediary layer resolves the incompatibility between different identification schemes without requiring changes to either system's core architecture.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a mapping mechanism that copies the identification information from the external event message into the database's identification field. By copying the essential identifying characteristics from one scheme to another, the system enables cross-system identification without requiring the external system to understand the database's internal structure or vice versa.
2Measurement precision
If the system retrieves all configuration records matching a host value without using scoring, then the retrieval process is simple and fast, but the system cannot accurately identify the correct configuration record when multiple matches exist
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the parameters used for matching configuration records from simple exact matches to a scoring mechanism that evaluates multiple attributes. By assigning weights and scores to different attribute matches (such as host value, service type, version numbers), the system can accurately identify the most relevant configuration record even when multiple records match the search criteria, thereby improving identification precision.
3Productivity
If the incident management system waits for manual mapping of identification schemes before retrieving configuration information, then the system can ensure accurate matching, but the time to retrieve information increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements preliminary action by pre-establishing mapping rules and scoring criteria between different identification schemes. The system proactively translates identification information and prepares matching configuration records before they are actually needed for incident resolution. This preliminary processing enables fast retrieval while maintaining high reliability through automated, rule-based matching rather than manual intervention.
Data Source
AI summary
A method is provided of retrieving a configuration record from a configuration management database pertaining to an IT-infrastructure including host devices, a configuration record having attributes and assigned attribute values, the IT-infrastructure being managed by an operation management system providing messages indicating events in the IT-infrastructure. The method includes providing a message including a set of unidentified attribute values and an identified host value, retrieving from the configuration management database one or more configuration records containing the identified host value, and selecting from the one or more retrieved configuration records a configuration record depending on the number of matches between the unidentified attribute values and the attribute values of the retrieved configuration records.