Resource configuration change management

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9288074-B2
Application number	US-201113174579-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 30, 2011
Priority date	Jun 30, 2011
Publication date	Mar 15, 2016
Grant date	Mar 15, 2016

Abstract

Prior to a first configuration change of a first resource, such as a network resource of a network, a processor determines a first performance metric of a second resource, such as a second network resource of the network. The first configuration change does not result in complete failure or fault of the second resource. Subsequent to the first configuration change of the first resource, the processor determines a second performance metric of the second resource and compares the second performance metric to at least one of the first performance metric and a service objective to yield comparison results. Based on the comparison results, the processor can cause a second configuration change of the first resource. The second configuration change of the first resource can revert a configuration of the first resource to its state prior to the first configuration change.

First claim

We claim:

1. A computer program product comprising:
a computer-readable storage medium having computer-readable code embodied therein, the computer-readable code executable by a processor, the computer-readable code comprising:
first computer-readable code to determine a first performance metric of a second network resource of a network prior to a first configuration change of a first network resource of the network, and to determine a second performance metric of the second network resource subsequent to the first configuration change of the first network resource; and,
second computer-readable code to compare the second performance metric to at least one of a service objective and the first performance metric to yield comparison results, and to based on the comparison results perform one of:
maintain the first configuration change of the first network resource;
cause a second configuration change of the first network resource,

wherein the first configuration change does not result in complete failure or fault of the second network resource,
wherein explicitly and just in response to a user indicating that the first configuration change should be performed, the first computer-readable code automatically and without user interaction determines the first performance metric prior to permitting the first configuration change to be applied,
wherein the first computer-readable code determines the second performance metric automatically and without user interaction subsequent to the first configuration change having been applied,
wherein the second computer-readable code maintains the first configuration change without notifying the user if the comparison results do not indicate performance degradation such that where the comparison results do not indicate performance degradation the user is never notified that the first performance metric and the second performance metric have been determined and compared to one another,
wherein the second computer-readable code notifies the user if the comparison results indicate degradation and indication of the second configuration change that should be applied is received from the user prior to the second configuration change being applied,
wherein, the first computer-readable code is to, subsequent and responsive to, and commencing at a time of, the first configuration change of the first network resource, purposefully wait for a predetermined length of time, prior to determining the second performance metric of the second network resource,
wherein the predetermined length of time is specified so as to allow the second performance metric to reflect the first configuration change that has been made to the first network resource,
wherein while the predetermined length of time is purposefully waited for, no determination of any performance metric of the second network resource is made or occurs,
wherein just the first performance metric and the second performance metric are determined in relation to the first configuration change of the first network resource, such that in relation to the first configuration change of the first network resource no determination of any performance metric of the first network resource is made or occurs,
wherein no monitoring of the first network resource is performed, such that no performance metric of the first network resource is made or occurs,
and wherein just two performance metrics of the second network resource are determined, the two performance metrics being the first performance metric and the second performance metric.

2. The computer program product of claim 1 , wherein the processor is part of a device other than the first network resource and the second network resource.

3. The computer program product of claim 1 , wherein the second computer-readable code is further to determine the service objective associated with the second network resource, and is further to compare the second performance metric to both the first performance metric and the service objective to yield the comparison results.

4. The computer program product of claim 3 , wherein the second computer-readable code is to maintain the first configuration change of the first network resource where the second performance metric better satisfies the service objective than the first performance metric does,
and wherein the second computer-readable code is to cause the second configuration change of the first network resource where the second performance metric does not better satisfy the service objective than the first performance metric does.

5. The computer program product of claim 1 , wherein the second computer-readable code is to maintain the first configuration change of the first network resource where the second performance metric is better than the first performance metric,
and wherein the second computer-readable code is to cause the second configuration change of the first network resource where the second performance metric is worse than the first performance metric.

6. The computer program product of claim 1 , wherein the second configuration change of the first network resource reverts a configuration of the first network resource to a state prior to the first configuration change having been made.

7. A system comprising:
a first network resource of a network to which at least a first configuration change is to be made;
a second network resource of the network; and,
a device to determine a first performance metric of the second network resource and a second performance metric of the second network resource, to compare the second performance metric to at least one of a service objective and the first performance metric, yielding comparison results, and based on the comparison results to perform one of:
maintain the first configuration change of the first network resource;
cause a second configuration change of the first network resource,

wherein the first performance metric is determined prior to the first configuration change of the first network resource, and the second performance metric is determined subsequent to the second configuration change of the first network resource,
wherein the first configuration change does not result in complete failure or fault of the second network resource,
wherein explicitly in response to a user indicating that the first configuration change should be performed, the device automatically and without user interaction determines the first performance metric prior to permitting the first configuration change to be applied,
wherein the device determines the second performance metric automatically and without user interaction subsequent to the first configuration change having been applied,
wherein the device maintains the first configuration change without notifying the user if the comparison results do not indicate performance degradation such that where the comparison results do not indicate performance degradation the user is never notified that the first performance metric and the second performance metric have been determined and compared to one another,
wherein the device notifies the user if the comparison results indicate degradation and indication of the second configuration change that should be applied is received from the user prior to the second configuration change being applied,
wherein no monitoring of the first network resource is performed, such that no performance metric of the first network resource is made or occurs,
and wherein just two performance metrics of the second network resource are determined, the two performance metrics being the first performance metric and the second performance metric.

8. The system of claim 7 , wherein the second configuration change of the first network resource reverts a configuration of

Assignees

• Stern Edith H
• George Randy
• Tindal Glen D
• IBM

Inventors

• Stern Edith H
• George Randy
• Tindal Glen D

Classifications

• H04L41/085

  Retrieval of network configuration; Tracking network configuration history · CPC title

• H04L12/4641 Primary

  Virtual LANs, VLANs, e.g. virtual private networks [VPN] (LAN interconnection over a bridge based backbone H04L12/462; encapsulation techniques H04L12/4633; routing of packets H04L45/00; packet switches H04L49/00; virtual private networks for security H04L63/0272) · CPC title

• H04L41/0813

  characterised by the conditions triggering a change of settings · CPC title