Autonomic control of a distributed computing system using an application matrix to control application deployment

A method comprising:

• generating an application matrix that includes an application matrix entry for each of the applications in a set of two or more different applications to be executed on a plurality of application nodes interconnected via a communications network, wherein each application matrix entry contains application-specific parameters for controlling the deployment, undeployment, and execution of the corresponding applications within a distributed computing system, and wherein the parameters for each of the application matrix entries include parameters that are based on information that is specific to an installation instance of the corresponding application that has been previously deployed within a staging environment and customized for subsequent deployment within the distributed computing system;
• providing, with one or more application-neutral rule engines, autonomic control of the application nodes and autonomic control over the deployment, undeployment, and execution of each of the applications within the distributed computing system in accordance with a set of one or more application-neutral rules and the application-specific parameters stored within the corresponding entry within the application matrix, wherein each of the one or more application-neutral rule engines comprises a working memory that includes one or more local objects, wherein each rule in the set of one or more application-neutral rules includes a match condition and an implied action, wherein the set of one or more application-neutral rules is compiled into a discrimination network that includes a translation of the match conditions of the set of one or more rules such that redundant tests are avoided during rule execution, wherein providing, with one or more application-neutral rule engines, autonomic control comprises matching the set of one or more compiled rules within the discrimination network against the one or more local objects within the working memory;
• detecting new rule attributes within application entries of the application matrix that specify application-specific deployment constraints for the corresponding applications with respect to one or more application nodes;
• creating local objects reflecting the new rule attributes within the working memories of the one or more application-neutral rule engines without having to recompile the set of application-neutral rules in order to autonomically control the deployment of the applications to the application nodes in accordance with a current state of the application matrix;
• detecting new rule attributes within application entries of the application matrix that specify application-specific service levels for the corresponding applications;
• and
• creating local objects reflecting the new rule attributes within the working memories of the one or more application-neutral rule engines without having to recompile the set of application-neutral rules in order to autonomically monitor the execution of the applications when deployed to the application nodes in accordance with a current state of the application matrix.

A computer-readable medium comprising instructions that cause a programmable processor to:

• generate an application matrix that includes an application matrix entry for each of the applications in a set of two or more different applications to be executed on a plurality of application nodes interconnected via a communications network, wherein each application matrix entry contains application-specific parameters for controlling the deployment, undeployment, and execution of the corresponding applications within a distributed computing system, and wherein the parameters for each of the application matrix entries include parameters that are based on information that is specific to an installation instance of the corresponding application that has been previously deployed within a staging environment and customized for subsequent deployment within the distributed computing system;
• provide, with one or more application-neutral rule engines, autonomic control of the application nodes and autonomic control over the deployment, undeployment, and execution of each of the applications within the distributed computing system in accordance with a set of one or more application-neutral rules and the application-specific parameters stored within the corresponding entry within the application matrix, wherein each of the one or more application-neutral rule engines comprises a working memory that includes one or more local objects, wherein each rule in the set of one or more application-neutral rules includes a match condition and an implied action, wherein the set of one or more application-neutral rules is compiled into a discrimination network that includes a translation of the match conditions of the set of one or more rules such that redundant tests are avoided during rule execution, wherein the instructions that cause the programmable processor to provide, with one or more application-neutral rule engines, autonomic control comprise instructions that cause the processor to match the set of one or more compiled rules within the discrimination network against the one or more local objects within the working memory;
• detect new rule attributes within application entries of the application matrix that specify application-specific deployment constraints for the corresponding applications with respect to one or more application nodes;
• create local objects reflecting the new rule attributes within the working memories of the one or more application-neutral rule engines without having to recompile the set of application-neutral rules in order to autonomically control the deployment of the applications to the application nodes in accordance with a current state of the application matrix;
• detect new rule attributes within application entries of the application matrix that specify application-specific service levels for the corresponding applications;
• and
• create local objects reflecting the new rule attributes within the working memories of the one or more application-neutral rule engines without having to recompile the set of application-neutral rules in order to autonomically monitor the execution of the applications when deployed to the application nodes in accordance with a current state of the application matrix.