Cloning a computing environment

• US 10,691,986 B2
• Filed: 02/23/2018
• Issued: 06/23/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 02/23/2018
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Rodriguez, Jean-Michel
• Primary Examiner(s): Bekele, Mekonen T
• Assistant Examiner(s): Delaney, Molly
• Application Number:
  US15/903,232
• Publication Number:
  US 20190266453A1
• Time in Patent Office: 851 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/285 Clustering or classification
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 10/457 by analysing connectivity, e.g. edge linking, connected component analysis or slices
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/10 Terrestrial scenes scenes under surveillance with static cameras G06V20/52; scenes perceived from the exterior of a vehicle G06V20/56; scenes perceived from the interior of a vehicle G06V20/59
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 30/422 Technical drawings; Geographical maps

Abstract

A computer implemented method comprises receiving one or more images of a computing environment comprising a plurality of interconnected components, analyzing the or each received image to identify each component shown in the image(s) and the connection(s) of each identified component, by identifying a set of attributes for each component from the image(s) and matching the identified attributes to attributes of known components stored in a database, obtaining a specification for each identified component, and generating a document comprising each identified component, its respective specification and the connection(s) of each identified component.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for generating a computer environment cloning document, the method comprising:

receiving one or more images of a computing environment, the one or more color images depicting a plurality of interconnected components;

analyzing the one or more color images to identify each component of the plurality of interconnected components and each connection among the plurality of interconnected components, by identifying a set of attributes for each component from the one or more color images, wherein the set of attributes includes component color, cable color, cable interconnections, physical position, and the amount of space occupied by each component, and matching the identified set of attributes to a second set of attributes, the second set of attributes associated with a known component and stored in a database;

determining, based on the matching, a specification for each component of the plurality of interconnected components; and

generating, based on the determining, a document including the identity of each component of the plurality of interconnected components, a respective specification of each component of the plurality of interconnected components, and each connection among the plurality of interconnected components.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein determining a specification for each component of the plurality of interconnected components further includes accessing an external database of computing components.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein analyzing the one or more color images includes identifying the relative position of each component of the plurality of interconnected components in the computing environment.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the document includes building instructions for replicating the computing environment.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein analyzing the one or more color images further comprises:

determining a generic component type for each component of the plurality of interconnected components; and

based on the generic component type, identifying a specific component type.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein analyzing the one or more color images to identify each component of the plurality of interconnected components includes receiving a set of logical attributes, including data from probes and sensors and management system data, and wherein the set of logical attributes is included in the set of identified attributes.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein matching the identified set of attributes to a second set of attributes further comprises:

determining the identified set of attributes and the second set of attributes do not match;

receiving, from an administrator, a confirmation to use the known component associated with the second set of attributes; and

including the known component in the generated document.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the generated document includes step-by-step instructions on how to build a replica of the computing environment.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising:

building the replica of the computing environment;

generating a color image of the replica;

analyzing the color image of the replica;

determining, based on the analysis, the replica was built incorrectly;

in response to determining the replica was built incorrectly, displaying, to the administrator, a set of deviations and a set of suggestions for correcting the set of deviations.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the set of suggestions further includes a set of suggestions for optimizing power and data cable connections.

6. A system for generating a computer environment cloning document, the system comprising:

a memory; and

a processor in communication with the memory, wherein the computer system is configured to perform a method, the method comprising;

receiving one or more images of a computing environment, the one or more color images depicting a plurality of interconnected components;

analyzing the one or more color images to identify each component of the plurality of interconnected components and each connection among the plurality of interconnected components, by identifying a set of attributes for each component from the one or more color images, wherein the set of attributes includes component color, cable color, cable interconnections, physical position, and the amount of space occupied by each component, and matching the identified set of attributes to a second set of attributes, the second set of attributes associated with a known component and stored in a database;

determining, based on the matching, a specification for each component of the plurality of interconnected components; and

generating, based on the determining, a document including the identity of each component of the plurality of interconnected components, a respective specification of each component of the plurality of interconnected components, and each connection among the plurality of interconnected components.

7. The system according to claim 6, wherein determining a specification for each component of the plurality of interconnected components further includes accessing an external database of computing components.

8. The system according to claim 6, wherein analyzing the one or more color images includes identifying the relative position of each component of the plurality of interconnected components in the computing environment.

9. The system according to claim 6, wherein the document includes building instructions for replicating the computing environment.

10. The system according to claim 6, wherein analyzing the one or more color images further comprises:

determining a generic component type for each component of the plurality of interconnected components; and

based on the generic component type, identifying a specific component type.

11. A computer program product for generating a computer environment cloning document, the computer program product comprising a computer readable storage medium having program instructions embodied therewith, the program instructions executable by a device to cause the device to perform a method, the method comprising:

receiving one or more images of a computing environment, the one or more color images depicting a plurality of interconnected components;

analyzing the one or more color images to identify each component of the plurality of interconnected components and each connection among the plurality of interconnected components, by identifying a set of attributes for each component from the one or more color images, wherein the set of attributes includes component color, cable color, cable interconnections, physical position, and the amount of space occupied by each component, and matching the identified set of attributes to a second set of attributes, the second set of attributes associated with a known component and stored in a database;

determining, based on the matching, a specification for each component of the plurality of interconnected components; and

generating, based on the determining, a document including the identity of each component of the plurality of interconnected components, a respective specification of each component of the plurality of interconnected components, and each connection among the plurality of interconnected components.

12. The computer program product according to claim 11, wherein determining a specification for each component of the plurality of interconnected components further includes accessing an external database of computing components.

13. The computer program product according to claim 11, wherein analyzing the one or more color images includes identifying the relative position of each component of the plurality of interconnected components in the computing environment.

14. The computer program product according to claim 11, wherein the document includes building instructions for replicating the computing environment.

15. The computer program product according to claim 11, wherein analyzing the one or more color images further comprises:

determining a generic component type for each component of the plurality of interconnected components; and

based on the generic component type, identifying a specific component type.