Managing configuration drift

1. A method of managing configuration drift in a multi-resource computing system, comprising:

defining a plurality of functional roles to be played by resource instances within the multi-resource computing system;

identifying, for a first functional role of the plurality of functional roles, a group of resource instances for carrying out the first functional role;

for the first functional role, selecting a designated exemplar from the group of resource instances;

capturing a first plurality of characteristics of the designated exemplar;

assigning the captured first plurality of characteristics to a first functional role template for the first functional role;

specifying a first characteristic of the first functional role template as a triggering characteristic;

specifying a predefined change amount for the triggering characteristic;

during operation of the multi-resource computing system, measuring configuration drift by comparing resource instances for the first functional role to the first functional role template;

in response to a detection of the predefined change amount for the triggering characteristic:

selecting a second designated exemplar from the group of resource instances;

capturing a second plurality of characteristics of the second designated exemplar; and

automatically generating a second functional role template for the first functional role using the second plurality of characteristics.

2. The method of claim 1 , where the predefined change amount for the triggering characteristic is associated with an improved efficiency for the first functional role.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising using the second functional role template to measure configuration drift in resource instances associated with the first functional role.

4. The method of claim 1 , where the predefined change amount for the triggering characteristic is associated with a reduced equipment expense for the first functional role.

5. The method of claim 1 , where the predefined change amount for the triggering characteristic is associated with an improved maintenance for the first functional role.

6. The method of claim 1 , where the predefined change amount for the triggering characteristic is associated with an improved installation for the first functional role.

7. The method of claim 1 , where the predefined change amount for the triggering characteristic is indicative of file corruption in a database file structure.

8. The method of claim 1 , where the measuring is performed at different time intervals for different characteristics in the first plurality of characteristics of the first functional role template.

9. The method of claim 1 , where selecting the designated exemplar includes selecting multiple resource instances from the group of resource instances so that a multiple-instance grouping serves as the designated exemplar.

10. A system for managing configuration drift, comprising:

a processor;

a storage device containing instructions executable by the processor to:

receive a definition of functional roles to be played by resource instances within a multi-resource computing system;

receive, for a first functional role of the functional roles, an identification of a group of resource instances for carrying out the first functional role;

select, for the first functional role of the functional roles, a designated exemplar from the group of resource instances;

capture a first plurality of characteristics of the designated exemplar;

assign the captured first plurality of characteristics to a first functional role template for the first functional role;

specify a first characteristic of the first functional role template as a triggering characteristic;

specify a predefined change amount for the triggering characteristic;

during operation of the multi-resource computing system, measure configuration drift by comparing resource instances for the first functional role to the first functional role template; and

in response to a detection of the predefined change amount in the triggering characteristic:

select a second designated exemplar;

capture a second plurality of characteristics of the second designated exemplar; and

automatically generate a second functional role template for the first functional role using the second plurality of characteristics.

11. The system of claim 10 , where the predefined change amount for the triggering characteristic is associated with an improved efficiency for the first functional role.

12. The system of claim 10 , where the predefined change amount for the triggering characteristic is associated with a reduced equipment expense for the first functional role.

13. The system of claim 10 , where the predefined change amount for the triggering characteristic is indicative of file corruption in a database file structure.

14. The system of claim 10 , where to select the designated exemplar, the instructions are executable to select multiple resource instances from the group of resource instances so that a multiple-instance grouping serves as the designated exemplar.

15. A non-transitory machine-readable storage medium storing instructions executable by a processor to:

receive a definition of functional roles to be played by resource instances within a multi-resource computing system;

receive, for a first functional role of the functional roles, an identification of a group of resource instances for carrying out the first functional role;

select, for the first functional role of the functional roles, a designated exemplar from the group of resource instances;

capture a first plurality of characteristics of the designated exemplar;

assign the captured first plurality of characteristics to a first functional role template for the first functional role;

specify a first characteristic of the first functional role template as a triggering characteristic;

specify a predefined change amount for the triggering characteristic;

during operation of the multi-resource computing system, measure configuration drift by comparing resource instances for the first functional role to the first functional role template; and

in response to a detection of the predefined change amount in the triggering characteristic:

select a second designated exemplar from the group of resource instances, the second designated exemplar different from the designated exemplar;

capture a second plurality of characteristics of the second designated exemplar;

automatically generate a second functional role template for the first functional role using the second plurality of characteristics.

16. The storage medium of claim 15 , where the predefined change amount for the triggering characteristic is associated with an improved efficiency for the first functional role.

17. The storage medium of claim 15 , where the predefined change amount for the triggering characteristic is associated with a reduced equipment expense for the first functional role.

18. The storage medium of claim 15 , where the predefined change amount for the triggering characteristic is associated with an improved maintenance for the first functional role.

19. The storage medium of claim 15 , where the predefined change amount for the triggering characteristic is indicative of file corruption in a database file structure.

20. The storage medium of claim 15 , where to select the designated exemplar, the instructions are executable to select multiple resource instances from the group of resource instances so that a multiple-instance grouping serves as the designated exemplar.