Patent ID: 6167408
Filing Date: 2000-12-26
Classification: H04L,Y10S

Abstract:
In a multiprocessing system that includes:a configuration manager maintaining the following data:reference data, comprising:a record of reference characteristics;a record of reference profiles, each reference profile having a name and an associated profile version code, each reference profile identifying one or more constituent reference characteristics; anda subscription list identifying each managed unit subscribing to any of the reference profiles, and in association with each subscribing managed unit, all reference profiles subscribed to and their profile version codes;multiple managed units, each coupled to the configuration manager, each managed unit maintaining the following data:a record of one or more operating characteristics;a record of one or more subscribed-to profiles, each subscribed-to profile comprising a name of a counterpart reference profile maintained by the configuration manager at a past time, and the counterpart reference profile's profile version code; anda profile master view containing master copy counterparts of all reference profiles maintained by the configuration manager at a past time;where each managed unit functions according to contents of its record of operating characteristics;a method of comparative update tracking to change local configuration settings at the managed units for synchronization with centrally maintained configuration settings at the configuration manager, comprising operations of:the configuration manager receiving changes to the reference data;in response to the changes, determining whether profile version codes of any of the subscribed-to profiles are older than profile version codes of their reference profile counterparts currently being maintained by the configuration manager;if so, comparing the master copy counterpart of the subscribed-to profile to the reference profile counterpart of the subscribed-to profile as maintained by the configuration manager to identify any differences there between, andin response to finding any new reference characteristics identified by the reference profile counterpart of the subscribed-to profile but not identified by the master copy counterpart of the subscribed-to profile, copying the new reference characteristics to the record of operating characteristics;in response to finding any updated reference characteristics identified by the reference profile counterpart of the subscribed-to profile where previous versions of the reference characteristic are identified by the master copy counterpart of the subscribed-to-profile, copying the updated reference characteristics to the record of operating characteristics; andin response to finding any omitted reference characteristics not identified by the reference profile counterpart of the subscribed-to profile but identified by the master copy counterpart of the subscribed-to-profile, determining whether any other master copy counterparts of subscribed-to profiles refer to the omitted reference characteristic, and if not, deleting the omitted reference characteristic from the record of operating characteristics.