Patent ID: 7836489
Filing Date: 2010-11-16
Classification: G06F

Abstract:
1. At a computer system, the computing system comprising a processor and a computer-readable media storing computer-executable instructions which, when executed by the processor, implement a method for selecting a compatible combination of communication options appropriate for communicating with another computer system, the method comprising: an act of accessing a first hierarchical policy document corresponding to the computer system, the first hierarchal policy document arranged in a hierarchical format that includes a node for representing each of a first plurality of communication aspects including at least some of a service, a protocol, an endpoint, a message, a message part, an addressing-information, and a web services aspect, a plurality of sub-nodes of each node for representing each of a plurality of communication options, the communication options including an integrity protected option and a confidential option, wherein each sub-node includes an indication of whether the corresponding communication option is supported for the associated communication aspect, and at least one sub-node of a sub-node for representing a sub-option of the corresponding communication option, wherein the at least one sub-node of the sub-node also includes an indication of whether the corresponding sub-option is supported for the associated communication aspect, such that the first hierarchical policy document describes compatible combinations of communication options appropriate for communicating with the computer system; an act of accessing a second hierarchical policy document corresponding to the other computer system, the second hierarchal policy document arranged in a hierarchical format that includes a node for representing each of a second plurality of communication aspects including at least some of a service, a protocol, an endpoint, a message, a message part, an addressing-information, and a web services aspect, a plurality of sub-nodes of each node for representing each of a plurality of communication options, the communication options including an integrity protected option and a confidential option, wherein each sub-node includes an indication of whether the corresponding communication option is supported for the associated communication aspect, and at least one sub-node of a sub-node for representing a sub-option of the corresponding communication option, wherein the at least one sub-node of the sub-node also includes an indication of whether the corresponding sub-option is supported for the associated communication aspect, such that the second hierarchical policy document describes compatible combinations of communication options appropriate for communicating with the other computer system; an act of matching a sub-node of the first hierarchical policy document to a corresponding sub-node of the second hierarchical policy document for at least one compatible communication option that is supported for the associated communication aspect; an act of recursively matching a sub-node of a sub-node of the first hierarchical policy document to a corresponding sub-node of a sub-node of the second hierarchical policy document for at least one corresponding compatible communication sub-option of the at least one compatible communication option that is supported for the associated communication aspect; and an act of determining that compatible communication between the computer system and the other computer system is possible using the at least one compatible communication option along with the corresponding compatible communication sub-option.