Goal-Based Compliance Management for Modular System Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current configuration management systems lack a mechanism to provide a view of only relevant, current information, leading to inconsistent states and monolithic management tool designs, which are harder to maintain and less flexible.
Innovation Solution
A goal-based compliance management system that uses a goal state repository to store objectives for a managed system, creating a subset of applicable goals based on the current state and modifying the system to comply with these goals, allowing for modular and flexible management tool operation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a complete management function is implemented in one piece of code, then the management system can perform full management operations, but the system becomes harder to maintain and less flexible
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the monolithic management code into separate management tools, each responsible for specific management functions. These tools communicate through a common data model and repository structure, allowing independent development, maintenance, and deployment of individual management components while maintaining overall system functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a universal data model and repository structure that can be shared across multiple management tools. This common infrastructure provides multi-functionality, allowing different management tools to operate on the same data structures and communicate through standardized interfaces, reducing overall system complexity.
2Loss of information
If all system information is stored in the CMDB, then complete system state is available, but management tools cannot effectively use it as a communication mechanism due to partial updates being considered authoritative
Solution Approach 1:
The patent establishes a preliminary framework of standardized data models, schemas, and repository structures before management tools operate. This pre-defined structure ensures that all management tools communicate using the same data formats and update mechanisms, preventing coordination conflicts and ensuring that partial updates are properly contextualized within the complete system state.
3Productivity
If management tools perform partial updates on the CMDB, then specific management tasks can be completed, but the CMDB may be left in an inconsistent state if tools fail to complete their purpose
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements feedback mechanisms where management tools report their operations and state changes back to the centralized repository. The standardized data models include validation rules and consistency checks that provide immediate feedback on update operations, ensuring that partial updates maintain data consistency and that failures can be detected and recovered from.
Data Source
AI summary
A system includes a goal state repository, a goal state repository instance and management tools. The goal state repository stores goals for a managed system. The goal state repository instance stores a subset of the goals applicable to a current state of the managed system. The goal state repository instance is created by comparing the current state of the managed system to the goals stored in the goal state repository. The management tools modify the managed system to be in compliance with the subset of goals stored in the goal state repository instance.