Software-based problem-resolution production system with standardized information providers & solution interpreters

Abstract

A problem-resolution software system is organized into a “solution cube” which interacts with a problem-resolution framework consisting of a production-system engine. The solution cube incorporates production-system rules, “solution interpreters” for implementing chosen solutions, and a common interface mechanism for standardizing the interaction between the solution interpreters and the production system. The solution cube may also incorporate “information providers” for obtaining information from specific information sources, and another common interface mechanism for standardizing the interaction between the information providers and the production system. Each solution cube, which is a uniquely identifiable problem-resolution object, is organized into sub-units of one or more “knowledge elements,” each of which may be reusable by other solution cubes. The knowledge elements operate to add semantic information to the CIM data model which defines the components of a computing environment in terms of objects. The knowledge elements, by using the production system rules to set restrictions and dependencies on the properties of CIM objects, specify the “preferred state” of a given computer system and performs necessary actions based on the rules to maintain the preferred state, which rules may request additional information for the purpose of clarifying the context of the initial CIM data model by using heuristics and reasoning. “Information providers,” each of which is a provider module that retrieves information from a specific information source, facilitate a streamlined channeling of information to the production system by sharing a common interface with the production system, thereby allowing implementation of a generalized query mechanism in the production system regardless of the actual physical implementation of the information source. In addition, “solution providers” are provided to interpret a requested solution, perform it, and notify the production system when the solution has completed, as well as notify the production system of any results. Because a common interface is used to request any one of the available solutions, the common interface allows developers to implement a generalized solution mechanism in the production system regardless of the actual physical implementation of the solution provider.