Operator Node Policy Generation for Diverse Configurations
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Solution Overview
Problem
Managing networks with diverse node configurations, such as varying operating systems, hardware, and software, poses challenges in ensuring consistent and efficient application installation and configuration across multiple nodes.
Innovation Solution
An operator node is configured to manage node configurations by selecting and generating policies that test and enforce consistent configurations across nodes, using domain-specific or universal languages to adapt to different node domains.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If manual configuration methods are used for each node, then flexibility to handle diverse node configurations is maintained, but management complexity and time consumption increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a virtualized configuration management system where configuration policies are defined once and automatically copied/applied to multiple nodes. The system scans nodes, generates policies based on scanned configurations, and automatically deploys these policies across the network, eliminating manual configuration of each individual node.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces manual mechanical configuration processes with automated policy-based management. Instead of manually configuring each node, the system uses automated scanning, policy generation, and enforcement mechanisms that automatically apply configurations, reducing human intervention and management complexity.
2Manufacturing precision
If policies are written in domain-specific languages for each node type, then policy precision for specific domains is improved, but system complexity and interoperability issues increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a universal configuration language that can describe policies applicable across multiple node types and domains. This universal language serves as a common framework that can be translated or adapted to domain-specific requirements, allowing a single policy definition to work across diverse node configurations without requiring separate specialized languages for each domain.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses a universal configuration language as an intermediary between policy authors and diverse node types. The universal language acts as a mediator that translates high-level policy intentions into domain-specific configurations, eliminating the need for authors to directly work with multiple domain-specific languages while maintaining precision for each domain.
3Reliability
If comprehensive node scanning and policy enforcement is implemented, then configuration compliance is improved, but system resource consumption and processing time increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs node scanning and configuration analysis as a preliminary action before policy generation and enforcement. By scanning nodes in advance and understanding their configurations beforehand, the system can generate more targeted policies and reduce the time needed for subsequent policy application and compliance verification, as the foundational information is already gathered.
Solution Approach 2:
The system enables nodes to self-report their configurations through automated scanning mechanisms, and nodes can self-comply with policies through automated enforcement. This self-service approach reduces the overhead of centralized manual monitoring and verification, allowing nodes to manage their own configuration compliance efficiently.
Data Source
AI summary
An operator node is configured to enable the management of nodes communicatively coupled to the operator node via a network. A selection of node objects is received by the operator node, the selected node objects including software components for inclusion within a node configuration. A configuration policy is generated based on the selected objects, the configuration policy including a set of tests (such as scripts or executables) that, when run, test for the presence of one or more of the selected node objects. A target node is scanned to determine the configuration of the target node, and the set of tests are applied to identify a set of objects identified by the policy but not installed at the target node. The target node is then re-configured to install the identified set of objects at the target node.