Intensional Category Assignment for CMDB Dynamic Configuration
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional configuration management databases (CMDBs) are inflexible and unable to dynamically adapt to new types of configuration items or changes in existing items, leading to inefficiencies in managing IT systems, particularly in handling runtime situations and regulatory compliance.
Innovation Solution
A configuration management database system utilizing intensional category definitions with predicates for dynamic categorization of configuration items, allowing for efficient processing of queries and supporting mechanisms like change, incident, and service level management, with synchronous and asynchronous category configurations to manage item modifications and retrievals.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If conventional schema-based CMDB implementations are used, then data structure stability is maintained, but flexibility to accommodate new CI types and property changes is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic categorization where CI categories are not fixed in the data model but are determined at runtime through predicates that evaluate CI properties. This allows the system to adapt to new CI types and property changes without modifying the underlying schema, resolving the contradiction between data stability and adaptability.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the approach from static schema definitions to dynamic parameter-based categorization. Instead of defining fixed categories in the data model, the system uses predicates that evaluate CI properties (parameters) at runtime to determine category membership, enabling flexible adaptation without schema changes.
2Adaptability or versatility
If intensional category definitions with predicates are implemented, then dynamic categorization flexibility is improved, but query processing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system pre-computes category membership data structures based on predicate evaluations before queries are executed. This preliminary categorization stores the results of complex predicate evaluations in advance, so that subsequent queries can leverage these pre-computed results rather than re-evaluating predicates, thereby reducing query processing complexity while maintaining dynamic categorization flexibility.
3Productivity
If pre-computed category membership data structures are used, then query processing speed is improved, but data update timeliness may be delayed
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements periodic or event-driven updates to pre-computed category membership data structures. When CI properties change, the system periodically re-evaluates predicates and updates the cached category memberships, balancing the need for fast query processing with the requirement for timely data updates. This periodic refresh approach resolves the contradiction between query speed and update timeliness.
Data Source
AI summary
A configuration management database system includes a plurality of configuration items. Each of the configuration items includes at least one property relating to a component of an IT system. The system also includes a plurality of intensional category definitions that provide dynamic categorization of the plurality of information items. Each of the intensional category definitions includes a predicate that is operable to identify an input one of the configuration items as a member of the category based on the at least one property in the input one of the configuration items. The configuration management database system also includes at least one pre-computed category membership data structure to support efficient processing of at least one query.