Data model for automated server configuration

Abstract

The present invention is directed to a data model. The data model allows for modeling of all information relating to a computer network to be conveniently stored in a database in a manner which minimizes the effort associated with the addition of new devices to the network and maximizes software code reuse. The information relating to the network that may be modeled in the data model of the present invention include: software information, configuration information, monitoring information, hardware information, domain name server (DNS) information, network information, and information regarding queues that may be used by business logic, or intelligent agents in accessing and maintaining various portions of the network.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A network data model for relating network objects of a computer network to other network objects, and for expressing the network objects of a computer network in a form accessible by other network components, comprising: 
 accounts entities that represent customer accounts of customers accessing the computer network;    customer tiers entities that represent various levels of customer network application support;    data center tiers entities that represent various data center application support layers;    IP addresses entities that represent IP addresses of components accessing the computer network; and    VLAN IP pools entities that represent VLAN IP pools of devices accessing the computer network.    
     
     
         2 . The network data model of  claim 1 , wherein the accounts entities relate to various software entities.  
     
     
         3 . The network data model of  claim 1 , wherein the customer tiers entities relate to one or more software entities.  
     
     
         4 . The network data model of  claim 1 , wherein the data center tiers entities relate to software entities.  
     
     
         5 . The network data model of  claim 1 , wherein the IP addresses entities relate to one or more configuration entities.  
     
     
         6 . The network data model of  claim 1 , wherein said accounts entities relate to said customer tiers entities allowing for support associated with various customer tiers to be implemented within various customer accounts represented by said accounts entities.  
     
     
         7 . The network data model of  claim 1 , wherein said customer tiers entities are related to said data center tiers entities by way of data centers entities.  
     
     
         8 . A network data model for relating network objects of a computer network to other network objects, and for expressing the network objects of a computer network in a form accessible by other network components, comprising: 
 accounts entities;    customer tiers entities;    IP addresses entities; and    VLAN IP pools entities;    wherein said accounts entities represent customer accounts of customers accessing the computer network;    wherein said customer tiers entities represent customer application layers associated with the customer accounts represented by the accounts entities;    wherein said IP addresses entities represent IP addresses of hardware components connected to the network; and    wherein VLAN IP pools entities represent IP pools of VLANs of the computer network.    
     
     
         9 . A computer-readable set of instructions residing on a computer-readable medium that produces a network data model comprising: 
 accounts entities;    customer tiers entities;    IP addresses entities; and    VLAN IP pools entities;    wherein said accounts entities represent customer accounts of customers accessing the computer network;    wherein said customer tiers entities represent customer application layers associated with the customer accounts represented by the accounts entities;    wherein said IP addresses entities represent IP addresses of hardware components connected to the network; and    wherein VLAN IP pools entities represent IP pools of VLANs of the computer network.    
     
     
         10 . A network data model for characterizing the interaction of network components on a computer network and to various software, hardware and DMS components, comprising: 
 a plurality of accounts entities;    a plurality of account configuration entities;    a plurality of account configuration values entities;    a plurality of customer tiers entities;    a plurality of data center configuration values entities;    a plurality of data center configuration entities;    a plurality of VLAN compartments entities;    a plurality of data centers entities;    a plurality of device pool VLAN platforms entities;    a plurality of VLAN IP pools entities;    a plurality of data centered tiers entities;    a plurality of VLAN pool type entities;    a plurality of VLAN sub type entities;    a plurality of IP addresses entities; and    a plurality of VLAN CIDR reserved entities.    
     
     
         11 . The data model of  claim 10 , further comprising a plurality of site configuration entities.  
     
     
         12 . The data model of  claim 10  wherein said accounts entities represent customer account on a network, and wherein said accounts entities relate to: 
 a plurality of software entities by at least one one-to-many relationship;  
 said account configuration entities by a one-to-many relationship;  
 said customer tiers entities by a one-to-many relationship; and  
 a plurality of DNS entities by an optional one-to-many relationship;.  
 
     
     
         13 . The data model of  claim 10  wherein said account configuration entities represent configuration information of a customer account, wherein said account configuration entities relate to: 
 said accounts entities by a many-to-one relationship; and  
 said account configuration values entities by a one-to-many relationship.  
 
     
     
         14 . The data model of  claim 10  wherein said account configuration values represent configuration values associated with configurations of customer accounts, and wherein said account configuration values relate to: 
 said account configuration entities by a many-to-one relationship.  
 
     
     
         15 . The data model of  claim 10  wherein said customer tiers entities represent tiers of services accessible to customers on a network, and wherein said customer tiers entities relate to: 
 said accounts entities by a many-to-one relationship;  
 said VLAN compartments entities by a one-to-many relationship;  
 said data centers entities by a many-to-one relationship; and  
 a plurality of software entities by an optional one-to-many relationship;.  
 
     
     
         16 . The data model of  claim 10  wherein said data centered configuration values entities relate to said data center configuration entities by a many-to-one relationship.  
     
     
         17 . The data model of  claim 10  wherein the data center configuration entities relate to said data center configuration values entities by a one-to-many relationship, and to said data centers entities by a many-to-one relationship.  
     
     
         18 . The data model of  claim 10  wherein said VLAN compartments entities relate to said customer tiers entities by a many-to-one relationship, and to said VLAN IP pools by a one-to-many relationship.  
     
     
         19 . The data model of  claim 10  wherein said data centers entities relate to said customer tiers entities by a one-to-many relationship and to said data center configuration entities by a one-to-many relationship.  
     
     
         20 . The data model of  claim 10  wherein said device pool VLAN platforms entities relate to said VLAN IP pools entities by a many-to-one relationship.  
     
     
         21 . The data model of  claim 10  wherein said VLAN IP pools entities relate to said VLAN compartments entities and said VLAN SUB Type entities by many-to-one relationships, and to said device pool VLAN platforms entities and IP addresses entities by one-to-many relationships.  
     
     
         22 . The data model of  claim 10  wherein said data centered tiers entities relate to said data centers entities and to a plurality of software entities by many-to-one relationships.  
     
     
         23 . The data model of  claim 10  wherein said VLAN pool type entities represent information regarding the allowed types of VLAN pools.  
     
     
         24 . The data model of  claim 10  wherein said VLAN sub type entities relate to said VLAN IP Pools by a one-to-many relationship.  
     
     
         25 . The data model of  claim 10  wherein said IP addresses entities relate to said VLAN IP pools by a many-to-one relationship, and to a plurality of configuration entities by at least one one-to-many relationship.  
     
     
         26 . The data model of  claim 10  wherein said VLAN CIDR reserve entities indicate the CIDR VLAN addresses that are reserved for network operation and the addresses that are available for assignment.