Systems and methods for configuration of information management systems

• US 20020059274A1
• Filed: 06/12/2001
• Published: 05/16/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 03/03/2000
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Surgient Networks, Inc. (Quest Software, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Surgient Networks, Inc. (Quest Software, Inc.)
• Inventors: Jackson, Gregory J., Richter, Roger K., Johnson, Scott C., Qiu, Chaoxin C., Fernander, Robert B., Hartsell, Neal D.
• Application Number:
  US09/879,836
• Publication Number:
  US 20020059274A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 707/100
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/046 comprising network management agents or mobile agents therefor
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0803 Configuration setting
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0893 Assignment of logical groups to network elements
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0894 Policy-based network configuration management
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0895 Configuration of virtualised networks or elements, e.g. virtualised network function or OpenFlow elements
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0896 Bandwidth or capacity management, i.e. automatically increasing or decreasing capacities flow or congestion control using dynamic resource allocation, e.g. in-call renegotiation, H04L47/76
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/5003 Managing SLA; Interaction between SLA and QoS
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/5019 Ensuring fulfilment of SLA
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/5022 by giving priorities, e.g. assigning classes of service
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/5032 Generating service level reports
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/509 wherein the managed service relates to media content delivery, e.g. audio, video or TV
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0829 Packet loss
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0852 Delays
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/16 Threshold monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/10 Flow control; Congestion control
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/43 Assembling or disassembling of packets, e.g. segmentation and reassembly [SAR]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/025 for remote control or remote monitoring of applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/61 taking into account QoS or priority requirements
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/08 Protocols for interworking; Protocol conversion

Abstract

Methods and systems for providing differentiated service that may be employed, for example, to deliver content or services in a network environment. Differentiated services that may be so delivered include both differentiated information service that may be implemented, for example, at the system and/or processing level, as well as differentiated business service that may be implemented, for example, to differentiate information exchange between different network entities such as different network provider entities, different network user entities, etc. The methods and systems may include or facilitate provisioning of system service parameters such as service level agreement (“SLA”) policies and may be employed in network computing system environments to enable differentiated service provisioning, for example, in accordance with business objectives.

Claims

1. A method of configuring an information management system, comprising configuring an information management system as at least one of a session-aware information management system, a deterministic information management system, an information management system capable of dynamic resource allocation or dynamic resource re-allocation, or a combination thereof.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said method comprises configuring said information management system as a session-aware information management system.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said method comprises configuring said information management system as an information management system capable of dynamic resource allocation, dynamic resource re-allocation, or a combination thereof.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising assembling said information management system based on said system configuration.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein said configuring comprises engineering of system characteristics, engineering of subsystem characteristics, or a combination thereof.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein said method further comprises using an automated software program to configure said information management system.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein said method comprises configuring said information management system by defining at least one of a configuration of subsystem components within a chassis, a configuration of subsystem components within a data center, a configuration of subsystem components across a network, a configuration of an internal or external cluster of systems, or a combination thereof.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein said method comprises configuring said information management system based at least in part on one or more defined business objectives.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein said method comprises configuring said information management system based at least in part on service monitoring information obtained for one or more existing information management systems.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein said method comprises configuring said information management system based at least in part on a combination of one or more defined business objectives and on service monitoring information obtained for one or more existing information management systems.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein said service monitoring information comprises at least one of historically monitored system throughput information, historically monitored system service level adherence information, historically monitored number of concurrent system subscribers, or a combination thereof.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein said configuring comprises at least one of capacity planning based on said service monitoring information, solution engineering based on said service monitoring information, or a combination thereof.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein said method further comprises modifying a system configuration of said information management system based at least in part on service monitoring information obtained for said system.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein said method further comprises assembling said information management system based on said system configuration.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein said information management system comprises a network endpoint information management system.

16. An information management system configured and assembled according to the method of claim 14.

17. A network endpoint information management system configured and assembled according to the method of claim 15.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein said method comprises configuring said content delivery system as a session-aware content delivery system.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein said method comprises configuring said content delivery system as a content delivery system capable of dynamic resource allocation, dynamic resource re-allocation, or a combination thereof.

21. The method of claim 18, further comprising assembling said content delivery system based on said system configuration.

22. The method of claim 18, wherein said configuring comprises engineering of system characteristics, engineering of subsystem characteristics, or a combination thereof.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein said method further comprises using an automated software program to configure said content delivery system.

24. The method of claim 22, wherein said method comprises configuring said content delivery system by defining at least one of a configuration of subsystem components within a chassis, a configuration of subsystem components within a data center, a configuration of subsystem components across a network, a configuration of an internal or external cluster of systems, or a combination thereof.

25. The method of claim 18, wherein said method comprises configuring said content delivery system based at least in part on one or more defined business objectives.

26. The method of claim 18, wherein said method comprises configuring said content delivery system based at least in part on service monitoring information obtained for one or more existing content delivery systems.

27. The method of claim 18, wherein said method comprises configuring said content delivery system based at least in part on a combination of one or more defined business objectives and on service monitoring information obtained for one or more existing content delivery systems.

28. The method of claim 26, wherein said service monitoring information comprises at least one of historically monitored system throughput information, historically monitored system service level adherence information, historically monitored number of concurrent system subscribers, or a combination thereof.

29. The method of claim 28, wherein said configuring comprises at least one of capacity planning based on said service monitoring information, solution engineering based on said service monitoring information, or a combination thereof.

30. The method of claim 18, wherein said method further comprises modifying a system configuration of said content delivery system based at least in part on service monitoring information obtained for said system.

31. The method of claim 18, wherein said content delivery system comprises a network endpoint content delivery system.

32. The method of claim 18, wherein said method further comprises assembling said content delivery system based on said system configuration.

33. The method of claim 32, wherein said content delivery system comprises a network endpoint content delivery system.

34. A content delivery system configured and assembled according to the method of claim 32.

35. A network endpoint content delivery system configured and assembled according to the method of claim 33.

37. The method of claim 36, further comprising configuring said information management system to be capable of providing session-aware differentiated service.

38. The method of claim 36, further comprising configuring said information management system to be capable of dynamic resource allocation, dynamic resource reallocation, or a combination thereof.

39. The method of claim 36, wherein said method further comprises defining one or more business objectives and configuring said information management system based on said defined business objectives.

40. The method of claim 39, wherein said defined business objectives comprise at least one of service definition objectives, service differentiation objectives, service level agreement objectives, service monitoring objectives, service reporting objectives, information processing management objectives, or a combination thereof.

41. The method of claim 39, wherein said defined business objectives comprise at least one of quality of service capability, desired SLA policies, billing policy, metering policy, admission control policy, rerouting policy, or a combination thereof.

42. The method of claim 39, further comprising defining said business objectives based on information obtained from a purchaser or user of said information management system.

43. The method of claim 39, wherein said configuring comprises configuring types and number of system and subsystem hardware components.

44. The method of claim 39, wherein said configuring is accomplished using an automated software program.

45. The method of claim 39, wherein said method comprises configuring multiple processing engines in a distributed interconnected asymmetric configuration.

46. The method of claim 45, wherein said method comprises configuring said system in a fixed or variable hardware implementation platform.

47. The method of claim 45, wherein said method comprises configuring said system as at least one of a distributed set of system platforms, a distributed set of subsystem platforms, or a combination thereof;

wherein said platforms are distributively interconnected across a network.

48. The method of claim 45, wherein one or more of said platforms are physically remote platforms that are interconnected in a virtual manner across said network.

49. The method of claim 45, wherein said method comprises configuring said system to comprise distributively interconnected data center components.

50. The method of claim 36, wherein said differentiated service comprises differentiated information service.

51. The method of claim 36, wherein said differentiated service comprises differentiated business service.

52. The method of claim 36, wherein said method further comprises assembling said information management system based on said system configuration.

53. The method of claim 52, wherein said information management system comprises a network endpoint information management system.

54. An information management system configured and assembled according to the method of claim 52.

55. A network endpoint information management system configured and assembled according to the method of claim 53.

57. The method of claim 56, further comprising configuring said content delivery system to be capable of providing session-aware differentiated service.

58. The method of claim 56, further comprising configuring said content delivery system to be capable of dynamic resource allocation, dynamic resource re-allocation, or a combination thereof.

59. The method of claim 56, wherein said method further comprises defining one or more business objectives and configuring said content delivery system based on said defined business objectives.

60. The method of claim 59, wherein said defined business objectives comprise at least one of service definition objectives, service differentiation objectives, service level agreement objectives, service monitoring objectives, service reporting objectives, information processing management objectives, or a combination thereof.

61. The method of claim 59, wherein said defined business objectives comprise at least one of quality of service capability, desired SLA policies, billing policy, metering policy, admission control policy, rerouting policy, or a combination thereof.

62. The method of claim 59, further comprising defining said business objectives based on information obtained from a purchaser or user of said content delivery system.

63. The method of claim 59, wherein said configuring comprises configuring types and number of system and subsystem hardware components.

64. The method of claim 59, wherein said configuring is accomplished using an automated software program.

65. The method of claim 59, wherein said method comprises configuring multiple processing engines in a distributed interconnected asymmetric configuration.

66. The system of claim 65, wherein said multiple processing engines comprise a system management processing engine, a storage management processing engine, and an application processing engine.

67. The method of claim 65, wherein said method comprises configuring said system in a fixed or variable hardware implementation platform.

68. The method of claim 65, wherein said method comprises configuring said system as at least one of a distributed set of system platforms, a distributed set of subsystem platforms, or a combination thereof;

wherein said platforms are distributively interconnected across a network.

69. The method of claim 68, wherein one or more of said platforms are physically remote platforms that are interconnected in a virtual manner across said network.

70. The method of claim 65, wherein said method comprises configuring said system to comprise distributively interconnected data center components.

71. The method of claim 56, wherein said differentiated service comprises differentiated information service.

72. The method of claim 56, wherein said differentiated service comprises differentiated business service.

73. The method of claim 56, wherein said content delivery system comprises a network endpoint content delivery system.

74. The method of claim 56, wherein said method further comprises assembling said content delivery system based on said system configuration.

75. The method of claim 74, wherein said content delivery system comprises a network endpoint content delivery system.

76. A content delivery system configured and assembled according to the method of claim 74.

77. A network endpoint content delivery system configured and assembled according to the method of claim 75.

79. The method of claim 78, wherein said method further comprises defining one or more business objectives, and configuring or configuring said information management system based at least in part on a combination of said one or more defined business objectives and on said service monitoring information.

80. The method of claim 78, wherein said service monitoring information comprises at least one of historically monitored system throughput information, historically monitored system service level adherence information, historically monitored number of concurrent system subscribers, or a combination thereof.

81. The method of claim 78, wherein said configuring or re-configuring comprises at least one of capacity planning based on said service monitoring information, solution engineering based on said service monitoring information, or a combination thereof.

82. The method of claim 78, wherein said method comprises re-configuring an information management system based at least in part on service monitoring information obtained for said system during operation of said system.

83. The method of claim 78, wherein said method comprises configuring a new information management system based at least in part on service monitoring information obtained for another system during operation of said other system.

84. The method of claim 78, wherein said method further comprises using an automated software program to configure or re-configure said information management system.

85. The method of claim 78, wherein said method further comprises assembling or re-assembling said information management system based on said system configuration or reconfiguration.

86. The method of claim 85, wherein said system comprises a network endpoint information management system.

87. The method of claim 85, wherein said system comprises a content delivery system.

88. The method of claim 87, wherein said system comprises a network endpoint content delivery system.

89. An information management system configured or reconfigured, and assembled according to the method of claim 85.

90. A content delivery system configured or reconfigured, and assembled according to the method of claim 87.

91. A network endpoint content delivery system configured or reconfigured, and assembled according to the method of claim 88.

18. A method of configuring a content delivery system, comprising configuring a content delivery system as at least one of a session-aware content delivery system, a deterministic content delivery system, a content delivery system capable of dynamic resource allocation or dynamic resource re-allocation, or a combination thereof.

36. A method of configuring an information management system, wherein said method comprises configuring an information management system comprising a deterministic system architecture and capable of providing differentiated service.

56. A method of configuring a content delivery system, wherein said method comprises configuring a content delivery system comprising a deterministic system architecture and capable of providing differentiated service.

78. A method of configuring or re-configuring an information management system, comprising:

obtaining service monitoring information for one or more existing information management systems; and

configuring or reconfiguring said information management system based at least in part on said service monitoring information obtained for said one or more existing information management systems.

92. A method of implementing differentiated service in an information management environment, comprising:

defining one or more business objectives, said business objectives comprising one or more differentiated service objectives;

defining an information management system configuration based at least in part on said defined business objectives;

assembling an information management system based at least in part on said defined information management configuration;

installing said information management system in said information management environment;

provisioning one or more system service parameters for said information management system;

managing performance of one or more information manipulation tasks performed by said information management system in said information management environment; and

differentially monitoring one or more performance parameters related to information management performed by said information management system in said information management environment.

93. The method of claim 92, wherein said method further comprises re-defining a configuration of said information management system based at least in part on said one or more differentially monitored performance parameters.

94. The method of claim 92, wherein said method further comprises reporting information based at least in part on said one or more differentially monitored performance parameters.

95. The method of claim 92, wherein performance of one or more information manipulation tasks is managed based at least in part on said one or more provisioned system service parameters.

96. The method of claim 92, wherein performance of one or more information manipulation tasks is managed based at least in part on said differentially monitored performance parameters.

97. The method of claim 92, wherein said provisioning of said one or more system service parameters is performed using a provisioning utility capable of providing guidance for provisioning a system according to desired service level support.

98. The method of claim 97, wherein said provisioning utility is adapted to analyze and suggest changes to service level provisioning based on actual system performance.

99. The method of claim 92, wherein said information management system comprises at least one of a deterministic system architecture capable of providing differentiated service, a system capable of providing session-aware differentiated service, a system capable of performing dynamic resource allocation or dynamic resource re-allocation, or a combination thereof.

100. The method of claim 92, wherein said differentiated service comprises differentiated information service.

101. The method of claim 92, wherein said differentiated service comprises differentiated business service.

102. The method of claim 92, wherein said system comprises a network endpoint information management system.

103. The method of claim 92, wherein said system comprises a content delivery system.

104. The method of claim 103, wherein said system comprises a network endpoint content delivery system.

105. An information management system configured or reconfigured, and assembled according to the method of claim 92.

106. A content delivery system configured and assembled according to the method of claim 103.

107. A network endpoint content delivery system configured and assembled according to the method of claim 104.