5.2 Definition of Metapolicies

A look at the policy life cycle and its related processes shows that there is a need to manage the policy system. There are in general, two different kinds of objects to control: policies and the processes involved in the policy life cycle. The supporting processes named in chapter  are refinement, delegation, distribution, testing, and enforcement. Reusing a policy-based management approach leads us to the definition of metapolicies.

Policies governing the phases of the policy life cycle and policies having other policies or policy supporting processes as targets are defined as metapolicies. Their statement is driven by management needs.

In the first case, the meaning of meta is self-evident: policies about policies. In the latter, the term metapolicies relates to the processes of the policy life cycle. It is the aim to manage these processes with metapolicies using the same infrastructure, processes, and management systems used for normal management policies.

The relationships of metapolicies and their integration into a policy-based management system is depicted in figure . The metapolicies are derived from the basic policy concept. As in the case of normal policies, there are active and passive metapolicies. The metapolicies are used to managed the entire policy life cycle of policies. This includes controlling the behaviour of the policy supporting processes and defining management activities on them. This affects normal policies through their moving processes, but stating constraints directly on policies is also possible. Metapolicies consequently have other policies or supporting processes as targets. The enforcement process performs activities on objects of the management system on behalf of metapolicies. These objects have the role of managed objects in this case.

Figure: Relationships and integration of metapolicies