Consolidating Namespace for Multi-Tenant CIM Management
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Solution Overview
Problem
Managing CIM objects in a multiple namespace environment poses challenges for client management applications, as they cannot simultaneously act on objects in multiple vendor namespaces without prior knowledge, leading to complexity and increased development overhead.
Innovation Solution
A system and method that implement a consolidating namespace, hiding vendor namespace implementation details from client management applications, using an object manager that instantiates class instances in a unified uber namespace, allowing actions to be performed across multiple vendor namespaces through an uber provider that maps and routes requests.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If client management applications directly interact with multiple vendor namespaces, then they can access all CIM objects, but the complexity of discovering and managing multiple namespaces increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary component (namespace consolidator or gateway) that sits between client management applications and multiple vendor namespaces. This intermediary consolidates the multiple vendor-specific namespaces into a single unified namespace, allowing applications to access all CIM objects through one interface without needing to discover or manage multiple vendor namespaces directly. The intermediary handles the complexity of namespace mapping and object resolution transparently.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges multiple vendor-specific namespaces into a single consolidated namespace. By combining the namespace structures from different vendors into one unified namespace, the system allows client applications to interact with all CIM objects through a single namespace interface, eliminating the need to manage multiple separate namespaces while maintaining access to the complete set of CIM objects.
2Reliability
If client management applications must know all vendor namespaces in advance, then they can perform actions on objects, but the development overhead and prior knowledge requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The intermediary component automatically discovers and manages vendor namespaces, eliminating the need for application developers to have prior knowledge of all vendor namespaces. The intermediary handles namespace discovery, object resolution, and action routing transparently, allowing applications to execute actions on CIM objects without needing to pre-know or pre-configure vendor-specific namespace information.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements self-service through automatic namespace discovery and dynamic object resolution. The namespace consolidator automatically detects available vendor namespaces, builds the unified namespace structure, and resolves object paths without requiring manual configuration or prior knowledge from application developers. This self-organizing behavior reduces development overhead while maintaining reliable action execution.
3Ease of operation
If a unified namespace is implemented to simplify client interaction, then namespace management complexity is reduced, but the need for mapping and routing mechanisms increases
Solution Approach 1:
The intermediary component internalizes the complexity of mapping and routing operations. While mapping and routing mechanisms are indeed introduced, they are contained within the intermediary layer rather than being exposed to client applications. This allows the unified namespace to present a simple interface to clients while the intermediary handles the complex mapping and routing to vendor-specific namespaces in the background.
Solution Approach 2:
The system segments the namespace management functionality into distinct layers: a simplified unified namespace interface for clients and an internal mapping/routing layer for vendor-specific implementations. This segmentation allows the complex mapping and routing logic to be isolated in the intermediary layer, keeping the client-facing namespace simple while still providing the necessary translation and routing capabilities.
4Adaptability or versatility
If multiple vendor namespaces are maintained separately, then vendor-specific implementations are preserved, but client applications cannot simultaneously act on objects across namespaces
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple vendor-specific namespaces into a single unified namespace structure that preserves vendor-specific implementations while enabling cross-namespace operations. By combining the namespaces under a unified namespace, the system allows client applications to perform actions on objects from different vendor namespaces simultaneously without needing to switch between or know about separate namespace contexts.
Solution Approach 2:
The unified namespace provides a universal interface that works with objects from any vendor namespace. The namespace consolidator implements multi-functionality by handling object resolution, action routing, and vendor-specific protocol translation within a single unified namespace interface, allowing client applications to interact with diverse vendor implementations through a common, vendor-agnostic interface.
Data Source
AI summary
An information handling system includes a processor, system memory, and a storage medium. The storage medium includes an object manager that is accessible to a client management application. The object manager includes first and second sets of class instances instantiated in first and second vendor namespaces, respectively. An uber set of class instances is instantiated in an uber namespace. A class instance in the uber set of class instances is associated with a vendor namespace class instance in one of the first or second sets of class instances. An uber provider instantiates objects in the uber namespace. The uber provider services a client management application request by indicating an action and a class including identifying instances of the class in the first and second vendor namespaces and causing the action to be performed with respect to the identified class instances.