Unified Web Services Interface for Heterogeneous Network Management

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current management systems face challenges in centralizing the management of nodes with different system stacks due to platform-dependent management interfaces, requiring maintenance of distinct protocols and knowledge of the underlying system stack for each managed node.

Innovation Solution

A unified web services interface is provided for managing networked resources, allowing management nodes to communicate with nodes having different system stacks through a common schema for encoding management requests and responses, independent of the underlying system software stack.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If a unified web services interface is implemented to enable centralized management of diverse system stacks, then adaptability and ease of operation are improved, but device complexity increases due to the need to maintain a common interface layer across multiple platforms

Engineering Contradiction:

ImproveadaptabilityVSAvoiddevice complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces a web services interface as an intermediary layer between the management node and managed nodes with different system stacks. This mediator translates and standardizes communication protocols, allowing diverse platforms to be managed through a unified interface without requiring the management node to know platform-specific details, thus resolving the contradiction between adaptability and complexity

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The web services interface is designed as a universal communication layer that can handle multiple types of managed nodes (ABAP, J2EE, C-based platforms) through a single standardized protocol. This multi-functional interface eliminates the need for separate management interfaces for each platform, improving adaptability while managing complexity through standardization

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

2Device complexity

If platform-dependent management interfaces are maintained for each system stack, then device complexity is reduced by keeping interfaces simple and specific, but adaptability deteriorates making centralized management cumbersome or impossible

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedevice complexityVSAvoidadaptability

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the management system into two distinct layers: a simplified platform-specific interface layer at the managed nodes and a unified web services interface layer at the management node. This segmentation allows each layer to remain simple while the combination provides high adaptability, resolving the contradiction between simplicity and versatility

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Data Source

PatentUS9037695B2Management of networked resources on different platforms with a common interface

Publication Date: 2015.05.19 SAP SE

AI summary

A system and method to manage networked resources from a central management node. The management node is exposed to a common web services interface for a plurality of managed nodes having different system stacks. The management node and the managed nodes employ a schema to encode arbitrary data corresponding to management requests and responses into web services messages.