Application server with automatic and autonomic application configuration validation

1. A method performed by an application server for configuring an application element during deployment in a network ready to be accessed by a remote client application via a network protocol, wherein an application server processes a plurality of application components, comprising:

receiving a deployment request for the application element, wherein the request includes configuration parameters that are specific for an instance of the application element;

extracting the instance-specific configuration parameters from the request;

automatically retrieving further configuration parameters associated with the application element from a datastore accessible to the application server;

merging the instance-specific configuration parameters and the further configuration parameters;

preparing a data object by inserting the merged configuration parameters;

retrieving from a datastore configuration parameters of application instances that are currently deployed in the application server;

inserting the configuration parameters into the data object;

invoking a data mining based deviation detection algorithm passing the data object, the data mining based deviation detection algorithm verifying the merged configuration parameters against the configuration parameters of application instances that are currently deployed in the application server to determine configuration parameter deviations that indicate configuration errors;

receiving an output of the deviation detection algorithm;

if at least one of the configuration parameters associated with the application element is marked as a deviation, issuing an indication to a user;

otherwise creating an application element instance;

storing a description of the application element instance and the configuration parameters of the application element instance in the datastore; and

in case an error is detected, sending back a request to an end-user including an error-prone instance specific parameter and a respective expected parameter for the error-prone instance specific parameter with a prompt for the end-user to input a correction of the error-prone instance specific parameter, wherein the respective expected parameter comprises a specific computed expected value for the error-prone instance specific parameter.

2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the application element is an application template.

3. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the application element is an application.

4. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the application element is an application template instance and wherein the deployment includes an instantiation of an application.

5. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising:

assessing a relevance of a detected difference; and

issuing a qualified hint including a comment qualifying a severity of the detected difference.

6. An electronic data processing system performed by an application server for configuring an application element during deployment in a network ready to be accessed by a remote client application via a network protocol, wherein an application server processes a plurality of application components, comprising:

at least one computer device including;

a system for receiving a deployment request for the application element, wherein the request includes configuration parameters that are specific for an instance of the application element;

a system for extracting the instance-specific configuration parameters from the request;

a system for automatically retrieving further configuration parameters associated with the application element from a datastore accessible to the application server;

a system for merging the instance-specific configuration parameters and the further configuration parameters;

a system for preparing a data object, by inserting the merged configuration parameters;

a system for retrieving from a datastore configuration parameters of application instances that are currently deployed in the application server;

a system for inserting the configuration parameters into the data object;

a system for invoking a data mining based deviation detection algorithm passing the data object, the data mining based deviation detection algorithm verifying the merged configuration parameters against the configuration parameters of application instances that are currently deployed in the application server to determine configuration parameter deviations that indicate configuration errors;

a system for receiving an output of the deviation detection algorithm;

a system for issuing an indication to a user if at least one of the configuration parameters associated with the application element is marked as a deviation, or for creating an application element instance if none of the configuration parameters associated with the application element is marked as a deviation;

a system for storing a description of the application element instance and the configuration parameters of the application element instance in the datastore; and

wherein in case an error is detected, sending back a request to an end-user including an error-prone instance specific parameter and a respective expected parameter for the error-prone instance specific parameter with a prompt for the end-user to input a correction of the error-prone instance specific parameter, wherein the respective expected parameter comprises a specific computed expected value for the error-prone instance specific parameter.

7. A program product stored on a non-transitory computer readable medium, which when executed, configures an application element during deployment, the computer readable medium comprising program code for:

receiving a deployment request for an application element, wherein the request includes configuration parameters that are specific for an instance of the application element;

extracting the instance-specific configuration parameters from the request;

automatically retrieving further configuration parameters associated with the application element from a datastore accessible to an application server;

merging the instance-specific configuration parameters and the further configuration parameters;

preparing a data object by inserting the merged configuration parameters;

retrieving from a datastore configuration parameters of application instances that are currently deployed in the application server;

inserting the configuration parameters into the data object;

invoking a data mining based deviation detection algorithm passing the data object, the data mining based deviation detection algorithm verifying the merged configuration parameters against the configuration parameters of application instances that are currently deployed in the application server to determine configuration parameter deviations that indicate configuration errors;

receiving an output of the deviation detection algorithm;

if at least one of the configuration parameters associated with the application element is marked as a deviation, issuing an indication to a user;

otherwise creating an application element instance;

storing a description of the application element instance and the configuration parameters of the application element instance in the datastore; and

wherein in case an error is detected, sending back a request to an end-user including an error-prone instance specific parameter and a respective expected parameter for the error-prone instance specific parameter with a prompt for the end-user to input a correction of the error-prone instance specific parameter, wherein the respective expected parameter comprises a specific computed expected value for the error-prone instance specific parameter.

8. The system of claim 6 , wherein the application element is an application template.

9. The system of claim 6 , wherein the application element is an application.

10. The system of claim 6 , wherein the application element is an application template instance and wherein the deployment includes an instantiation of an application.

11. The system of claim 6 , further comprising:

a system for assessing a relevance of a detected difference; and

a system for issuing a qualified hint including a comment qualifying a severity of the detected difference.

12. The program product of claim 7 , wherein the application element is an application template.

13. The program product of claim 7 , wherein the application element is an application.

14. The program product of claim 7 , wherein the application element is an application template instance and wherein the deployment includes an instantiation of an application.

15. The program product of claim 7 , further comprising program code for:

assessing a relevance of a detected difference; and

issuing a qualified hint including a comment qualifying a severity of the detected difference.

16. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the instance-specific configuration parameters comprise points of variability specified during application instantiation by a user requesting the application instantiation, and wherein the further configuration parameters associated with the application element are associated with an application template and are specified during deployment of the application template.