US 7,406,682 B2 · Translator-compiler for converting legacy management software

Abstract

A translator-compiler for converting legacy architecture. In the area of management software or distributed management software, a standard architecture is evolving from legacy or proprietary architecture, and the standard embraces CIM/XML (Common Information Model/eXtensible Markup Language) computer language. Many vendors have developed proprietary languages for their respective management products that are incompatible with such standard. To accomplish compatibility between standard architecture and various different proprietary architectures, a substantial amount of code must be written at great effort and expense, unless an automatic, easily-applied and universal solution can be achieved. A translator-compiler is disclosed which meets these solution criteria and therefore solves this incompatibility problem. Flowcharts depicting algorithms along with sample input and output code in C++, as well as an example of the final XML result are also disclosed. Particular detail is disclosed with regard to storage management software aspects, although embodiments of the present invention are also operable with printer, server and other functional-component management software.

Claims83

Dependent claims

A computer system employing management software written in a first computer language compatible with legacy software architecture and not compatible with second software architecture, said system comprising:

a proprietary and non-standard schema formed within said legacy software architecture, said legacy software architecture being other than distributed management task force (DMTF) common information model (CIM) architecture;
header files contained within said schema, said header files being represented in said first language and capable of being utilized by said management software;
means for manipulating said header files to locate public functions and/or data attributes of said header files;
means, responsive to operation of said manipulating means, for emitting code that calls said public functions and/or data attributes in said first language to obtain called public functions and/or data attributes;
means for converting said called public functions and/or data attributes to representations of said called public functions and/or data attributes formed in a different computer language compatible with said second software architecture;
and
means for compiling said representations into machine language and linking said machine language with other machine-language corresponding to said header files to form an executable program that runs both machine languages together in accordance with both said second software architecture and said legacy software architecture to convert requests in accordance with said second software architecture into converted requests in accordance with said legacy software architecture and to re-convert obtained results in accordance with said legacy software architecture into re-converted results in accordance with said second software architecture.

4 more elements

A computer network employing a computer system utilizing management software written in a first computer language compatible with legacy software architecture and not compatible with second software architecture, said network comprising:

a proprietary and non-standard schema formed within said legacy software architecture, said legacy software architecture being other than distributed management task force (DMTF) common information model (CIM) architecture;
header files contained within said schema, said header files being represented in said first language and capable of being utilized by said management software;
apparatus for manipulating said header files to locate public functions and/or data attributes of said header files;
apparatus, responsive to operation of said manipulating apparatus, for emitting code that calls said public functions and/or data attributes in said first language to obtain called public functions and/or data attributes and that converts said called public functions and/or data attributes to representations of said called public functions and/or data attributes formed in a different computer language compatible with said second software architecture;
and
apparatus for compiling said representations into machine language and linking said machine language with other machine-language corresponding to said header files to form an executable program that runs both machine languages together in accordance with both said second software architecture and said legacy software architecture to convert requests in accordance with said second software architecture into converted requests in accordance with said legacy software architecture and to re-convert obtained results in accordance with said legacy software architecture into re-converted results in accordance with said second software architecture.

3 more elements

A method for utilizing standardized software architecture to be practiced in a computer system employing management software written in a first computer language compatible with legacy software architecture and not compatible with said standardized software architecture, said method comprising:

said management software utilizing a proprietary and non-standard schema having header files in said first language, said schema formed within said legacy software architecture, said legacy software architecture being other than distributed management task force (DMTF) common information model (CIM) architecture;
manipulating said header files to locate public functions and/or data attributes of said header files;
responsive to operation of said manipulating, emitting code that calls said public functions and/or data attributes in said first language to obtain called public functions and/or data attributes and converts said called public functions and/or data attributes to representations of said called public functions and/or data attributes formed in a different computer language compatible with said standardized software architecture;
and
compiling said representations into machine language and linking said machine language with other machine-language corresponding to said header files to form an executable program that runs both machine languages together in accordance with both said standardized software architecture and said legacy software architecture to convert requests in accordance with said standardized software architecture into converted requests in accordance with said legacy software architecture and to re-convert obtained results in accordance with said legacy software architecture into re-converted results in accordance with said standardized software architecture.

2 more elements

A computer program product including management software written in a first language and embodied in a computer system for operation on said computer system designed in accordance with legacy software architecture and not compatible with other than said legacy software architecture, said computer program product comprising:

programmable code for utilizing a proprietary and non-standard schema having header files in said first language, said schema formed within said legacy software architecture, said legacy software architecture being other than distributed management task force (DMTF) common information model (CIM) architecture;
programmable code for manipulating said header files to locate public functions and/or data attributes of said header files;
programmable code, responsive to said manipulating, for emitting special code that calls said public functions and/or data attributes in said first language to obtain called public functions and/or data attributes and converts said called public functions and/or data attributes to representations of said called public functions and/or data attributes formed in a different computer language compatible with said other than said legacy software architecture;
and
programmable code for compiling said representations into machine language and linking said machine language with other machine-language corresponding to said header files to form an executable program that runs both machine languages together in accordance with both said other than said legacy software architecture and said legacy software architecture to convert request in accordance with said other than said legacy software architecture into converted request in accordance with said legacy software architecture and to re-convert obtained results in accordance with said legacy software architecture into re-converted results in accordance with said other than said legacy software architecture.

2 more elements

A computer program product compatible with preferred non-legacy software architectures and operating in a computer system employing management software written in a first computer language compatible with legacy software architecture and not compatible with said preferred non-legacy software architectures, said computer program product embodied in said system and comprising:

programmable code for utilizing a proprietary and non-standard schema having header files in said first language compatible with said legacy software architecture, said legacy software architecture being other than distributed management task force (DTMF) common information model (CIM) architecture;
programmable code for manipulating said header files to locate public functions and/or data attributes of said header files;
programmable code, responsive to said manipulating, for emitting special code that calls said public functions and/or data attributes in said first language to obtain called public functions and/or data attributes;
programmable code for converting said called public functions and/or data attributes to representations of said called public functions and/or data attributes formed in a plurality of different computer languages each being compatible with at least one of said preferred non-legacy software architectures;
and
programmable code for compiling said representations into machine language and linking said machine language with other machine-language corresponding to said header files to form an executable program that runs both machine languages together in accordance with both said preferred non-legacy software architectures and said legacy software architecture to convert requests in accordance with said preferred non-legacy software architectures into converted requests in accordance with said legacy software architecture and to re-convert obtained results in accordance with said legacy software architecture into re-converted results in accordance with said second preferred non-legacy architectures.

3 more elements

In a computer network including a computer system having a functional system therein with management software, a translator-compiler embodied in said computer system, said translator-compiler comprising:

program code for accessing header files within a proprietary and non-standard schema formed within legacy software architecture to obtain a header file containing particular information, said legacy software architecture being other than distributed management task force (DMTF) common information model (CIM) architecture;
program code for parsing said header file to obtain a particular result;
program code for opening an output file for storage of other than said particular information related to said particular result;
program code for continued parsing of said header file to locate public functions and/or data attributes;
program code for emitting special code to said output file that calls said public functions and/or data attributes to obtain called public functions and/or data attributes and for converting said called public functions and/or data attributes to representations of said called public function and or data attributes formed in a different language compatible with non-legacy software architecture;
and
program code for compiling said representations into machine language and linking said machine language with other machine-language corresponding to said header files to form an executable program that runs both machine languages together in accordance with both said non-legacy software architecture and said legacy software architecture to convert request in accordance with said non-legacy software architecture into converted request in accordance with said legacy software architecture and to re-convert obtained results in accordance with said legacy software architecture into re-converted results in accordance with said non-legacy software architecture.

4 more elements

In a computer network including a computer system and a storage system controlled by said computer system, a method for managing storage compatible with legacy software architecture having header files, said method being deployed on both said computer system and said storage system, said method comprising:

translating and manipulating said header files in a manner to call public functions and/or data attributes of said header files in computer language compatible with said legacy software architecture and to convert said called public functions and/or said data attributes to representations thereof in a different computer language compatible with non-legacy software architecture;
receiving first requests from outside of said network in first language incompatible with said legacy software architecture, said legacy software architecture being other than distributed management task force (DMTF) common information model (CIM) architecture;
compiling said representations into machine language and linking said machine language with other machine-language corresponding to said header files to form an executable program that runs both machine languages together in accordance with both said non-legacy software architecture and said legacy software architecture to convert said first requests in accordance with said non-legacy software architecture into converted requests in accordance with said legacy software architecture and to re-convert obtained results in accordance with said legacy software architecture into re-converted results in accordance with said non-legacy software architecture.

In an improved network including a first computer network operating in accordance with legacy software architecture and a second computer network operating in accordance with non-legacy software architecture, said legacy software architecture being other than distributed management task force (DMTF) common information model (CIM) architecture, the improvement comprising:

an interface between said first computer network and said second computer network comprising an executable program formed from a binary derived from said legacy software architecture linked with a binary derived from said non-legacy software architecture, said linked binaries running together in said executable program on a processor in accordance with both said non-legacy software architecture and said legacy software architecture to automatically convert communication from said second computer network into a form compatible with said first computer network, and to automatically convert response to said communication generated by said first computer network into a form compatible with said second computer network;
whereby a user of said second computer network operating in accordance with said non-legacy software architecture automatically communicates with said first computer network operating in accordance with said legacy software architecture.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Translator-compiler for converting legacy management software

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Translator-compiler for converting legacy management software

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Abstract

Claims83