Claims
- 1. A computer based method for managing at least one component in a computing environment, the method comprising:
identifying a particular functionality required by a first component in a data processing system; locating information in a directory regarding at least one additional component, wherein the at least one additional component is adapted to provide the particular functionality; negotiating terms by which the first component and the at least one additional component will operate; and binding with the at least one additional component to form a relationship with the at least one additional component so as to provide the particular functionality to the first component.
- 2. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one additional component includes at least one of a hardware component and a software component.
- 3. The method of claim 1, wherein the information includes at least one of an address of the at least one additional component, usage instructions for the at least one additional component, and program code for the at least one additional component.
- 4. The method of claim 1, wherein the directory forms a component in the data processing system.
- 5. The method of claim 1, wherein binding with the at least one additional component includes initiating communication between the first component and the at least one additional component.
- 6. The method of claim 1, wherein binding with the at least one additional component includes deploying the at least one additional component.
- 7. The method of claim 1, wherein negotiating terms includes:
receiving a set of proposed terms; reviewing the set of proposed terms to determine if the set of proposed terms comply with a pre-determined policy; and in response to the set of proposed terms violating the pre-determined policy, sending a second set of proposed terms that complies with the pre-determined policy.
- 8. The method of claim 1, wherein negotiating terms includes:
receiving a set of proposed terms; reviewing the set of proposed terms to determine if the set of proposed terms reflect recommendations in a pre-determined policy; and in response to the set of proposed terms not reflecting the recommendations in the pre-determined policy, sending a second set of proposed terms that better reflect the recommendations in the pre-determined policy.
- 9. The method of claim 1, wherein negotiating terms includes:
receiving a set of proposed terms; reviewing the set of proposed terms in view of a pre-determined policy; and in response to the set of proposed terms not reflecting recommendations and requirements in the pre-determined policy, sending a message indicating rejection of the set of proposed terms.
- 10. The method of claim 1, wherein negotiating terms includes:
receiving a plurality of sets of proposed terms; reviewing the plurality of sets of proposed terms in view of a pre-determined policy; and sending a message indicating acceptance of a subset of the plurality of sets of proposed terms, wherein the subset of the plurality of sets of proposed terms is selected on the basis of the pre-determined policy.
- 11. The method of claim 1, further comprising:
detecting a fault in the at least one additional component; in response to detecting the fault, terminating the relationship with the at least one additional component; and in response to terminating the relationship with the at least one additional component, binding with at least one replacement component.
- 12. The method of claim 11, wherein the fault is a malfunction.
- 13. The method of claim 11, wherein the fault is an attack on the at least one additional component.
- 14. The method of claim 11, further comprising:
binding with at least one redundant component, wherein the at least one redundant component maintains state information matching state information associated with the at least one additional component; in response to terminating the relationship with the at least one additional component, restoring the state information from the at least one redundant component to the at least one replacement component.
- 15. A computer program product in a computer-readable medium comprising functional descriptive material that, when executed by a computer, enables the computer to perform acts including:
identifying a particular functionality required by a first component in a data processing system; locating information in a directory regarding at least one additional component, wherein the at least one additional component is adapted to provide the particular functionality; negotiating terms by which the first component and the at least one additional component will operate; and binding with the at least one additional component to form a relationship with the at least one additional component so as to provide the particular functionality to the first component.
- 16. The computer program product of claim 15, wherein the at least one additional component includes at least one of a hardware component and a software component.
- 17. The computer program product of claim 15, wherein the information includes at least one of an address of the at least one additional component, usage instructions for the at least one additional component, and program code for the at least one additional component.
- 18. The computer program product of claim 15, wherein the directory forms a component in the data processing system.
- 19. The computer program product of claim 15, wherein binding with the at least one additional component includes initiating communication between the first component and the at least one additional component.
- 20. The computer program product of claim 15, wherein binding with the at least one additional component includes deploying the at least one additional component.
- 21. The computer program product of claim 15, wherein negotiating terms includes:
receiving a set of proposed terms; reviewing the set of proposed terms to determine if the set of proposed terms comply with a pre-determined policy; and in response to the set of proposed terms violating the pre-determined policy, sending a second set of proposed terms that complies with the pre-determined policy.
- 22. The computer program product of claim 15, wherein negotiating terms includes:
receiving a set of proposed terms; reviewing the set of proposed terms to determine if the set of proposed terms reflect recommendations in a pre-determined policy; and in response to the set of proposed terms not reflecting the recommendations in the pre-determined policy, sending a second set of proposed terms that better reflect the recommendations in the pre-determined policy.
- 23. The computer program product of claim 15, wherein negotiating terms includes:
receiving a set of proposed terms; reviewing the set of proposed terms in view of a pre-determined policy; and in response to the set of proposed terms not reflecting recommendations and requirements in the pre-determined policy, sending a message indicating rejection of the set of proposed terms.
- 24. The computer program product of claim 15, wherein negotiating terms includes:
receiving a plurality of sets of proposed terms; reviewing the plurality of sets of proposed terms in view of a pre-determined policy; and sending a message indicating acceptance of a subset of the plurality of sets of proposed terms, wherein the subset of the plurality of sets of proposed terms is selected on the basis of the pre-determined policy.
- 25. The computer program product of claim 15, comprising additional functional descriptive material that, when executed by the computer, enables the computer to perform additional acts including:
detecting a fault in the at least one additional component; in response to detecting the fault, terminating the relationship with the at least one additional component; and in response to terminating the relationship at least one additional component, binding with at least one replacement component.
- 26. The computer program product of claim 25, wherein the fault is a malfunction.
- 27. The computer program product of claim 25, wherein the fault is an attack on the at least one additional component.
- 28. The computer program product of claim 25, comprising additional functional descriptive material that, when executed by the computer, enables the computer to perform additional acts including:
binding with at least one redundant component, wherein the at least one redundant component maintains state information matching state information associated with the at least one additional component; in response to terminating the relationship with at least one additional component, restoring the state information from the at least one redundant component to the at least one replacement component.
- 29. A data processing system comprising:
means for identifying a particular functionality required by a first component in a data processing system; means for locating information in a directory regarding at least one additional component, wherein the at least one additional component is adapted to provide the particular functionality; means for negotiating terms by which the first component and the at least one additional component will operate; and means for binding with the at least one additional component to form a relationship with the at least one additional component so as to provide the particular functionality to the first component.
- 30. The data processing system of claim 29, wherein the at least one additional component includes at least one of a hardware component and a software component.
- 31. The data processing system of claim 29, wherein the information includes at least one of an address of the at least one additional component, usage instructions for the at least one additional component, and program code for the at least one additional component.
- 32. The data processing system of claim 29, wherein the directory forms a component in the data processing system.
- 33. The data processing system of claim 29, wherein binding with the at least one additional component includes initiating communication between the first component and the at least one additional component.
- 34. The data processing system of claim 29, wherein binding with the at least one additional component includes deploying the at least one additional component.
- 35. The data processing system of claim 29, wherein negotiating terms includes:
receiving a set of proposed terms; reviewing the set of proposed terms to determine if the set of proposed terms comply with a pre-determined policy; and in response to the set of proposed terms violating the pre-determined policy, sending a second set of proposed terms that complies with the pre-determined policy.
- 36. The data processing system of claim 29, wherein negotiating terms includes:
receiving a set of proposed terms; reviewing the set of proposed terms to determine if the set of proposed terms reflect recommendations in a pre-determined policy; and in response to the set of proposed terms not reflecting the recommendations in the pre-determined policy, sending a second set of proposed terms that better reflect the recommendations in the pre-determined policy.
- 37. The data processing system of claim 29, wherein negotiating terms includes:
receiving a set of proposed terms; reviewing the set of proposed terms in view of a pre-determined policy; and in response to the set of proposed terms not reflecting recommendations and requirements in the pre-determined policy, sending a message indicating rejection of the set of proposed terms.
- 38. The data processing system of claim 29, wherein negotiating terms includes:
receiving a plurality of sets of proposed terms; reviewing the plurality of sets of proposed terms in view of a pre-determined policy; and sending a message indicating acceptance of a subset of the plurality of sets of proposed terms, wherein the subset of the plurality of sets of proposed terms is selected on the basis of the pre-determined policy.
- 39. The data processing system of claim 29, further comprising:
means for detecting a fault in the at least one additional component; means, responsive to detecting the fault, for terminating the relationship with the at least one additional component; and means, responsive to terminating the relationship with the at least one additional component, for binding with at least one replacement component.
- 40. The data processing system of claim 39, wherein the fault is a malfunction.
- 41. The data processing system of claim 39, wherein the fault is an attack on the at least one additional component.
- 42. The data processing system of claim 39, further comprising:
means for binding with at least one redundant component, wherein the at least one redundant component maintains state information matching state information associated with the at least one additional component; means, responsive to terminating the relationship with the at least one additional component, for restoring the state information from the at least one redundant component to the at least one replacement component.
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] The present invention is related to the following applications entitled: “Method and Apparatus for Publishing and Monitoring Entities Providing Services in a Distributed Data Processing System”, Ser. No. ______, attorney docket no. YOR920020173US1; “Method and Apparatus for Automatic Updating and Testing of Software”, Ser. No. ______, attorney docket no. YOR920020174US1; “Composition Service for Autonomic Computing”, Ser. No. ______, attorney docket no. YOR920020176US1; and “Adaptive Problem Determination and Recovery in a Computer System”, Ser. No. ______, attorney docket no. YOR920020194US1; all filed even date hereof, assigned to the same assignee, and incorporated herein by reference.