Consistency checking mechanism for configuration parameters in embedded systems

Abstract

An arrangement is provided for consistent parameter configuration in an embedded system. A consistent parameter configuration mechanism comprises a management client and a configuration manager. When the management client receives a set of configuration requests, it notifies the configuration manager to start a transaction, during which the configuration manager requests relevant embedded modules to perform parameter configurations according to the configuration requests, to manage hard coded dependencies, and to enforce registered dependencies. Any detected inconsistency during parameter configuration causes the consistent parameter configuration mechanism to undo the parameter configuration.

1 . A system, comprising: 
 at least one embedded module in an embedded system; and    a consistent parameter configuration mechanism in the embedded system, communicating with the at least one embedded module to manage configuration parameters in a consistent fashion,    wherein configuration parameters are configurable parameters forming a current configuration database that determines behavior of the embedded system, and    wherein the consistent parameter configuration mechanism maintains configuration parameter dependency relationships associated with the at least one embedded module, wherein a configuration parameter dependency relationship defines a dependency relationship between at least two configuration parameters in the configuration database, the dependency being one of a dependency among configuration parameters within a single embedded module and a dependency among configuration parameters within different embedded modules.    
     
     
         2 . The system as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the consistent parameter configuration mechanism comprises: 
 the current configuration database to store a set of configuration parameters of the embedded system, the set of configuration parameters having run-time counterpart variables in the at least one embedded module, the configuration database additionally to determine the behavior of the at least one embedded module and the embedded system; and    a consistency assurance mechanism to ensure that the set of configuration parameters stored in the configuration database is consistent.    
     
     
         3 . The system as recited in  claim 2 , wherein the consistency assurance mechanism comprises: 
 a management client to receive a set of configuration requests to configure at least one configuration parameter from the set of configuration parameters and to manage the execution of the set of configuration requests; and    a configuration manager to manage the consistent configuration of the at least one configuration parameter according to the set of configuration requests, the configuration manager communicating with both the management client and the at least one embedded module to execute the set of configuration requests in a consistent fashion.    
     
     
         4 . A method for consistent parameter configuration in an embedded system, comprising: 
 receiving, by a management client, a set of configuration requests, the set of configuration requests corresponding to a transaction wherein each configuration request comprises a request to set at least one configuration parameter, where configuration parameters are configurable parameters forming a current configuration database that determines behavior of the embedded system;    creating, by a configuration manager, a temporary configuration database after the management client notifies the configuration manager of the start of the transaction;    requesting an appropriate embedded module, the appropriate embedded module being one of a plurality of embedded modules, to perform a parameter configuration according to one of the configuration requests;    performing, by the appropriate embedded module, the parameter configuration, the appropriate embedded module changing the value of a first parameter in the temporary configuration database and generating a first status code;    returning the first status code to the configuration manager, and undoing the parameter configuration if the first status code indicates an error;    recording the one of the configuration requests as an outstanding request if the first status code indicates that there is a hard coded dependency associated with the parameter configuration and defined based on the first parameter;    enforcing, if the first status code is not an error, a registered dependency that is identified to associate with the parameter configuration and defined based on the first parameter; and    maintaining configuration parameter dependency relationships associated with at least one embedded module, wherein a configuration parameter dependency relationship defines a dependency relationship between at least two configuration parameters in the configuration database, the dependency being one of a dependency among configuration parameters within a single embedded module and a dependency among configuration parameters within different embedded modules.    
     
     
         5 . The method as recited in  claim 4 , wherein the enforcing comprises: 
 identifying a dependent embedded module which contains a second parameter that depends on the first parameter according to the registered dependency; and    notifying the dependent embedded module to verify whether the first parameter remains consistent with the second parameter and to optionally configure the second parameter.    
     
     
         6 . The method as recited in  claim 4 , further comprising: 
 examining, by the configuration manager, configuration consistency at the end of the transaction to generate a second status code; and    finishing the transaction according to the second status code.    
     
     
         7 . The method as recited in  claim 4 , further comprising: 
 registering, by a module registration mechanism prior to the receiving, the appropriate embedded module; and    recording the appropriate embedded module, registered through the registering, in a module database.    
     
     
         8 . The method as recited in  claim 5 , further comprising: 
 registering, by a dependency registration mechanism prior to the receiving, a dependency relationship that is used in the identifying to determine the consistency; and    storing the dependency relationship as a registered dependency relationship in a dependency database.    
     
     
         9 . The method as recited in  claim 8 , wherein the registering includes: 
 specifying an independent parameter associated with an independent embedded module, the independent parameter being configurable in the independent embedded module, the independent embedded module being one of the plurality of embedded modules; and    specifying a dependent parameter associated with a dependent embedded module, the dependent parameter being configurable in the dependent embedded module, the dependent embedded module being one of the plurality of embedded modules, the independent embedded module and the dependent embedded module forming the registered dependency that triggers a parameter configuration to be performed on the dependent parameter whenever there is a change made to the independent parameter.    
     
     
         10 . The method as recited in  claim 6 , wherein the examining comprises: 
 determining, by the configuration manager, whether there is an outstanding request recorded by the recording;    sending the second status code indicating a consistent configuration if no outstanding request is recorded;    requesting an embedded module to perform a second parameter configuration based on the outstanding request that defines the embedded module and the parameter to be configured through the parameter configuration;    receiving a third status code specifying the status of the second parameter configuration; determining whether the number of outstanding request is reduced; and    sending the second status code indicating an inconsistent configuration if the number of outstanding request is not reduced.    
     
     
         11 . The method as recited in  claim 6 , wherein the finishing comprises: 
 determining whether the second status code indicates an inconsistent configuration;    undoing the transaction if the second status code indicates an inconsistent configuration; and    committing the transaction if the second status code indicates a consistent configuration.    
     
     
         12 . The method as recited in  claim 11 , wherein the undoing comprises sending a first command from the management client to the configuration manager; 
 deleting, by the configuration manager, the temporary configuration database based on the first command.    
     
     
         13 . The method as recited in  claim 11 , wherein the committing comprises: 
 sending a second command from the management client to the configuration manager; copying the content from the temporary configuration database to a configuration database based on the second command; introducing changes to run-time variables based on the configuration database; and    deleting the temporary configuration database after the copying.    
     
     
         14 . A machine readable storage medium having instructions stored therein for maintaining consistent parameter configuration in an embedded system, when the instructions are executed causing the system to: 
 receive, by a management client, a set of configuration requests, the set of configuration requests corresponding to a transaction wherein each configuration request comprises a request to set at least one configuration parameter, where configuration parameters are configurable parameters forming a current configuration database that determines behavior of the embedded system;    create, by a configuration manager, a temporary configuration database after the management client notifies the configuration manager of the start of the transaction;    request an appropriate embedded module, the appropriate embedded module being one of a plurality of embedded modules, to perform a parameter configuration according to one of the configuration requests;    perform, by the appropriate embedded module, the parameter configuration, the appropriate embedded module changing the value of a first parameter in the temporary configuration database and generating a first status code;    return the first status code to the configuration manager, and undoing the parameter configuration if the first status code indicates an error;    record the one of the configuration requests as an outstanding request if the first status code indicates that there is a hard coded dependency associated with the parameter configuration and defined based on the first parameter;    enforce, if the first status code is not an error, a registered dependency that is identified to associate with the parameter configuration and defined based on the first parameter; and    maintain configuration parameter dependency relationships associated with at least one embedded module, wherein a configuration parameter dependency relationship defines a dependency relationship between at least two configuration parameters in the configuration database, the dependency being one of a dependency among configuration parameters within a single embedded module and a dependency among configuration parameters within different embedded modules.    
     
     
         15 . The medium as recited in  claim 14 , wherein the enforcing comprises instructions that when executed cause the system to: 
 identify a dependent embedded module which contains a second parameter that depends on the first parameter according to the registered dependency; and    notify the dependent embedded module to verify whether the first parameter remains consistent with the second parameter and to optionally configure the second parameter.    
     
     
         16 . The medium as recited in to  claim 14 , further comprising instructions to: 
 examine, by the configuration manager, configuration consistency at the end of the transaction to generate a second status code; and    finish the transaction according to the second status code, wherein finishing further comprises instructions to: 
 determine whether the second status code indicates an inconsistent configuration;  
 undo the transaction if the second status code indicates an inconsistent configuration; and  
 commit the transaction if the second status code indicates a consistent configuration.  
   
     
     
         17 . The medium as recited by  claim 14 , further comprising instructions to: 
 register, by a module registration mechanism prior to the receiving, the appropriate embedded module; and    record the appropriate embedded module, registered through the registering, in a module database.    
     
     
         18 . The medium as recited by  claim 15 , further comprising instructions to: 
 register, by a dependency registration mechanism prior to the receiving, a dependency relationship that is used in the identifying to determine the consistency; and    store the dependency relationship as a registered dependency relationship in a dependency database.    
     
     
         19 . The medium as recited in  claim 18 , wherein the registering includes instructions to: 
 specify an independent parameter associated with an independent embedded module, the independent parameter being configurable in the independent embedded module, the independent embedded module being one of the plurality of embedded modules; and    specify a dependent parameter associated with a dependent embedded module, the dependent parameter being configurable in the dependent embedded module, the dependent embedded module being one of the plurality of embedded modules, the independent embedded module and the dependent embedded module forming the registered dependency that triggers a parameter configuration to be performed on the dependent parameter whenever there is a change made to the independent parameter.    
     
     
         20 . The medium as recited in  claim 16 , wherein the examining comprises instructions to: 
 determine, by the configuration manager, whether there is an outstanding request recorded by the recording;    send the second status code indicating a consistent configuration if no outstanding request is recorded;    request an embedded module to perform a second parameter configuration based on the outstanding request that defines the embedded module and the parameter to be configured through the parameter configuration;    receive a third status code specifying the status of the second parameter configuration; determining whether the number of outstanding request is reduced; and    send the second status code indicating an inconsistent configuration if the number of outstanding request is not reduced.