System and method providing automatic policy enforcement in a multi-computer service application

Abstract

A system and procedure to automatically enforce policy in distributed multi-computer service applications. Such service applications include multiple software modules that execute on multiple computers. The computers have access to communications media that allow data communications between the computers. Logical ports are configured on different modules according to a logical model of the multi-computer service application. Each logical port is defined by port software. Logical data connections between the logical ports are configured in accordance with the logical model. Each port is configured to communicate through different numbers of logical data connections without modifying the port software. In response to the occurrence of a condition, a module sends an event notification to a policy module. The policy module responds to the notification by formulating a request for one or more destination modules. The policy module provides the request to an output port of the policy module. The output port forwards the request to input ports of multiple modules according to the configured logical data connections.