Composition service for autonomic computing

Abstract

A method, computer program product, and data processing system for providing an improved directory service for storing information about hardware and software components is disclosed. The directory service stores not only the information that other hardware and software components require to locate, and make use of, the components listed in the directory, but is also able to dynamically construct ‘meta services’ that fulfill a client's functionality requirements.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A computer-implemented process for storing information about hardware and software components comprising: 
 receiving a request containing a functional requirement;    consulting a directory to determine if a single component exists that satisfies the functional requirement;    in response to a determination that a single component that satisfies the functional requirements does not exist, identifying a plurality of functionalities that, when combined according to a combination method, would satisfy the functional requirement; and    identifying a plurality of components satisfying the plurality of functionalities.    
     
     
         2 . The process of  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 verifying that the plurality of components is combinable.    
     
     
         3 . The process of  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 deriving instructions for combining the plurality of components according to the combination method to achieve the functional requirement.    
     
     
         4 . The process of  claim 3 , wherein the request is made by a client and the process further comprises: 
 returning the instructions to the client,    whereby the client may utilize the plurality of components to achieve the functional requirement.    
     
     
         5 . The process of  claim 3 , wherein the request is made by a client and the process further comprises: 
 providing the instructions to a remote meta-service provider so that the remote meta-service provider may provide functionality satisfying the functional requirement to the client by combining the plurality of components into a meta-service.    
     
     
         6 . The process of  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 registering the plurality of components with a history database for future use without reidentifying the plurality of components.    
     
     
         7 . The process of  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 registering an identification of the plurality of components with the directory for future use without reidentifying the plurality of components.    
     
     
         8 . The process of  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 registering an identification of the plurality of components with a plurality of directories for future use from multiple sources without reidentifying the plurality of components.    
     
     
         9 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein the request is made by a client and the process further comprises: 
 making an identification of the plurality of components available to services other than the client.    
     
     
         10 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein the request is made by a client and the process further comprises: 
 identifying a plurality of combinations of components satisfying the plurality of functionalities; and    offering the client a choice of a combination from the plurality of combinations.    
     
     
         11 . The process of  claim 10 , wherein offering the client a choice of a combinations from the plurality of combinations further includes: 
 providing additional information regarding each of the plurality of combinations such that the client may utilize the additional information as selection criteria for choosing a combination from the plurality of combinations.    
     
     
         12 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein the request is made by a client and the process further comprises: 
 identifying a plurality of combinations of components satisfying the plurality of functionalities;    querying the client to determine additional preferences; and    choosing, based on the additional preferences, at least one combination from the plurality of combinations to offer to the client.    
     
     
         13 . 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: 
 receiving a request containing a functional requirement;    consulting a directory to determine if a single component exists that satisfies the functional requirement;    in response to a determination that a single component that satisfies the functional requirements does not exist, identifying a plurality of functionalities that, when combined according to a combination method, would satisfy the functional requirement; and    identifying a plurality of components satisfying the plurality of functionalities.    
     
     
         14 . The computer program product of  claim 13 , comprising additional functional descriptive material that, when executed by the computer, enables the computer to perform additional acts including: 
 verifying that the plurality of components is combinable.    
     
     
         15 . The computer program product of  claim 13 , comprising additional functional descriptive material that, when executed by the computer, enables the computer to perform additional acts including: 
 deriving instructions for combining the plurality of components according to the combination method to achieve the functional requirement.    
     
     
         16 . The computer program product of  claim 15 , wherein the request is made by a client and the computer program product comprises additional functional descriptive material that, when executed by the computer, enables the computer to perform additional acts including: 
 returning the instructions to the client,    whereby the client may utilize the plurality of components to achieve the functional requirement.    
     
     
         17 . The computer program product of  claim 15 , wherein the request is made by a client and the computer program product comprises additional functional descriptive material that, when executed by the computer, enables the computer to perform additional acts including: 
 providing the instructions to a remote meta-service provider so that the remote meta-service provider may provide functionality satisfying the functional requirement to the client by combining the plurality of components into a meta-service.    
     
     
         18 . The computer program product of  claim 13 , comprising additional functional descriptive material that, when executed by the computer, enables the computer to perform additional acts including: 
 registering the plurality of components with a history database for future use without reidentifying the plurality of components.    
     
     
         19 . The computer program product of  claim 13 , comprising additional functional descriptive material that, when executed by the computer, enables the computer to perform additional acts including: 
 registering an identification of the plurality of components with the directory for future use without reidentifying the plurality of components.    
     
     
         20 . The computer program product of  claim 13 , comprising additional functional descriptive material that, when executed by the computer, enables the computer to perform additional acts including: 
 registering an identification of the plurality of components with a plurality of directories for future use from multiple sources without reidentifying the plurality of components.    
     
     
         21 . The computer program product of  claim 13 , wherein the request is made by a client and the computer program product comprises additional functional descriptive material that, when executed by the computer, enables the computer to perform additional acts including: 
 making an identification of the plurality of components available to services other than the client.    
     
     
         22 . The computer program product of  claim 13 , wherein the request is made by a client and the computer program product comprises additional functional descriptive material that, when executed by the computer, enables the computer to perform additional acts including: 
 identifying a plurality of combinations of components satisfying the plurality of functionalities; and    offering the client a choice of a combination from the plurality of combinations.    
     
     
         23 . The computer program product of  claim 22 , wherein offering the client a choice of a combinations from the plurality of combinations further includes: 
 providing additional information regarding each of the plurality of combinations such that the client may utilize the additional information as selection criteria for choosing a combination from the plurality of combinations.    
     
     
         24 . The computer program product of  claim 13 , wherein the request is made by a client and the computer program product comprises additional functional descriptive material that, when executed by the computer, enables the computer to perform additional acts including: 
 identifying a plurality of combinations of components satisfying the plurality of functionalities;    querying the client to determine additional preferences; and    choosing, based on the additional preferences, at least one combination from the plurality of combinations to offer to the client.    
     
     
         25 . A data processing system comprising: 
 means for receiving a request containing a functional requirement;    means for consulting a directory to determine if a single component exists that satisfies the functional requirement;    means, responsive to a determination that a single component that satisfies the functional requirements does not exist, for identifying a plurality of functionalities that, when combined according to a combination method, would satisfy the functional requirement; and    means for identifying a plurality of components satisfying the plurality of functionalities.    
     
     
         26 . The data processing system of  claim 25 , further comprising: 
 means for verifying that the plurality of components is combinable.    
     
     
         27 . The data processing system of  claim 25 , further comprising: 
 means for deriving instructions for combining the plurality of components according to the combination method to achieve the functional requirement.    
     
     
         28 . The data processing system of  claim 27 , wherein the request is made by a client and the data processing system further comprises: 
 means for returning the instructions to the client,    whereby the client may utilize the plurality of components to achieve the functional requirement.    
     
     
         29 . The data processing system of  claim 27 , wherein the request is made by a client and the data processing system further comprises: 
 means for providing the instructions to a remote meta-service provider so that the remote meta-service provider may provide functionality satisfying the functional requirement to the client by combining the plurality of components into a meta-service.    
     
     
         30 . The data processing system of  claim 25 , further comprising: 
 means for registering the plurality of components with a history database for future use without reidentifying the plurality of components.    
     
     
         31 . The data processing system of  claim 25 , further comprising: 
 means for registering an identification of the plurality of components with the directory for future use without reidentifying the plurality of components.    
     
     
         32 . The data processing system of  claim 25 , further comprising: 
 means for registering an identification of the plurality of components with a plurality of directories for future use from multiple sources without reidentifying the plurality of components.    
     
     
         33 . The data processing system of  claim 25 , wherein the request is made by a client and the data processing system further comprises: 
 means for making an identification of the plurality of components available to services other than the client.    
     
     
         34 . The data processing system of  claim 25 , wherein the request is made by a client and the data processing system further comprises: 
 means for identifying a plurality of combinations of components satisfying the plurality of functionalities; and    means for offering the client a choice of a combination from the plurality of combinations.    
     
     
         35 . The data processing system of  claim 34 , wherein offering the client a choice of a combinations from the plurality of combinations further includes: 
 means for providing additional information regarding each of the plurality of combinations such that the client may utilize the additional information as selection criteria for choosing a combination from the plurality of combinations.    
     
     
         36 . The data processing system of  claim 25 , wherein the request is made by a client and the data processing system further comprises: 
 means for identifying a plurality of combinations of components satisfying the plurality of functionalities;    means for querying the client to determine additional preferences; and    means for choosing, based on the additional preferences, at least one combination from the plurality of combinations to offer to the client.