Method for coupling an ordering system to a management system in a data center environment

• US 20020169696A1
• Filed: 05/10/2001
• Published: 11/14/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 05/10/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Singhal, Sharad, Zara, Anna M.
• Granted Patent: US 7,117,169 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/28
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0875 Itemisation or classification of parts, supplies or services, e.g. bill of materials
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/203 Inventory monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/208 Input by product or record sensing, e.g. weighing or scanner processing

Abstract

A method including 1) generating an asset record in a management system database when an order for components of an asset corresponding to said asset record are ordered; and 2) tagging said asset when deployable with an asset identification (ID), said asset ID uniquely referring to said asset record.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

generating an asset record in a management system database when an order for components of an asset corresponding to said asset record are ordered; and

tagging said asset when deployable with an asset identification (ID), said asset ID uniquely referring to said asset record.

2. A method according to claim 1 further comprising:

generating a purchase order for said components, said purchase order having characteristics of said asset that could be associated with said asset record in said database.

3. A method according to claim 2 wherein generating includes:

determining if an existing asset template can be used in generating said purchase order;

if an existing asset template cannot be used, then creating a new asset template for said asset; and

utilizing one of said existing asset template and new asset template in said generating said purchase order.

4. A method according to claim 2 further comprising:

transmitting said purchase order to a supplier;

waiting for ordered components to be received; and

if any ordered components are received, then reading information related to said received components from the packages containing said received components.

5. A method according to claim 4 further comprising:

storing said information into said management database.

6. A method according to claim 4 further comprising:

determining if said received components are sufficient for an asset to be classified as deployable.

7. A method according to claim 6 wherein determining includes:

if said asset requires assembly, determining whether all components for assembly of an asset have been received; and

if said asset requires assembly, and if all components have not been received, then placing said received components in storage.

8. A method according to claim 7 wherein if said asset requires assembly, and if all components have been received, then assembling said received components such that it constitutes a deployable asset.

9. A method according to claim 1 wherein tagging includes:

generating said asset ID as a unique identification within a designated area containing many different assets.

10. A method according to claim 1 wherein said tagging further includes generating a sticker incorporating said asset ID therein;

and

affixing said sticker to said deployable asset.

11. A method according to claim 10 wherein said sticker is a bar-code readable sticker.

12. A method according to claim 1 further comprising:

updating the state in said asset management database of said asset to ‘

deployable’

.

13. A method according to claim 9 wherein said designated area is in part or in whole a data center.

14. A method according to claim 1 wherein configuration information for said asset is stored in its asset record.

16. A system according to claim 15 wherein said facility is a data center.

17. A system according to claim 15 wherein said connection mechanism includes network connectivity.

18. A system according to claim 15 wherein said asset record includes configuration information regarding said asset.

19. A system according to claim 15 wherein said asset record includes purchase order information regarding said components of said asset.

20. A system according to claim 15 wherein said asset record includes state information regarding said asset.

21. A system according to claim 15 wherein said asset is tagged with a sticker containing said asset ID.

15. A system comprising:

a management system database configured to store an asset record when an order for components of an asset corresponding to said asset record are ordered, said asset record indexed by a unique asset identification (ID), said asset ID uniquely referring to said asset within a facility; and

a connection mechanism coupling said management system database to various nodes located in said facility, and coupling said management system database to an inventory database;

22. An article comprising a computer readable medium having instructions stored thereon which when executed cause:

generating an asset record in a management system database when an order for components of an asset corresponding to said asset record are ordered; and

tagging said asset when deployable with an asset identification (ID), said asset ID uniquely referring to said asset record.

23. An article according to claim 22 which further causes:

generating a purchase order for said components, said purchase order having characteristics of said asset that could be associated with said asset record in said database.

24. An article according to claim 23 wherein generating includes:

determining if an existing asset template can be used in generating said purchase order;

if an existing asset template cannot be used, then creating a new asset template for said asset; and

utilizing one of said existing asset template and new asset template in said generating said purchase order.

25. An article according to claim 22 which further causes:

transmitting said purchase order to a supplier;

waiting for ordered components to be received; and

if any ordered components are received, then reading information related to said received components from the packages containing said received components.

26. An article according to claim 25 which further causes:

storing said information into said management database.

27. An article according to claim 25 which further causes:

determining if said received components are sufficient for an asset to be classified as deployable.

28. An article according to claim 27 wherein determining includes:

if said asset requires assembly, determining whether all components for assembly of an asset have been received; and

if said asset requires assembly, and if all components have not been received, then placing said received components in storage.

29. An article according to claim 28 wherein if said asset requires assembly, and if all components have been received, then assembling said received components such that it constitutes a deployable asset.

30. An article according to claim 22 wherein tagging includes:

generating said asset ID as a unique identification within a designated area containing many different assets.

31. An article according to claim 30 wherein said tagging further includes:

generating a sticker incorporating said asset ID therein; and

affixing said sticker to said deployable asset.