Node names types and keys

The majority of nodes created by patterns are Software Instances and Business Application Instances. Both node kinds have attributes name and type, and, in common with all nodes maintained by patterns, must have a key. This appendix discusses how to set those attributes in a number of scenarios. In the following scenarios, the node kind is consistently referred to as a Software Instance (SI), but equivalent suggestions apply to Business Application Instances (BAIs).

The name attribute is intended to be a human-readable summary of the identity of the node - it need not be globally unique, but it should give the reader a good idea about which instance it is.

SI on single host, uniquely identified and versioned

Scenario 1 — The SI is running on a single host. The pattern can determine a unique identity, and determine the version for each SI:

SI on single host, uniquely identified but not versioned

Scenario 2 — The SI is running on a single host. The pattern can determine a unique identity, but cannot determine the version for each SI:

SI versioned but not uniquely identified

Scenario 3 — Cannot determine a unique name for each SI, but can find version

SI not versioned or uniquely identified

Scenario 4 — No unique name or version available

Product with only one instance on a host

Scenario 5 — A product that can fundamentally only have one instance running on a host

An SI or BAI spanning multiple hosts

Scenario 6 — A Software Instance or Business Application Instance spanning multiple hosts: