Powertag: manufacturing and support system method and apparatus for multi-computer solutions

• US 20030033387A1
• Filed: 07/27/2001
• Published: 02/13/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 07/27/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dell Products LP (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Dell Products LP (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Inventors: Yardumian, Edward, Mashayekhi, Victor V.R., Adams, Mark A.
• Granted Patent: US 7,401,136 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/220
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/20 Administration of product repair or maintenance
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/5061 characterised by the interaction between service providers and their network customers, e.g. customer relationship management
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1097 for distributed storage of data in networks, e.g. transport arrangements for network file system [NFS], storage area networks [SAN] or network attached storage [NAS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]

Abstract

A solutions-based computer system manufacturing process includes assembling computer and storage system components for creation of a given solution-based product as a function of a customer order or plan. The process further includes assigning a solution identifier to the solution-based product. The solution identifier includes a solution type and a unique identifier within the solution type.

Claims

1. A solutions-based computer system manufacturing process comprising:

responsive to a customer order or plan, assembling at least one or more selected from the group consisting of distinct computer and storage system components for creation of a given solution-based product as a function of the customer order or plan; and

assigning a solution identifier to the solution-based product, the solution identifier including a solution type and a unique identifier within the solution type.

2. The computer system solutions-based manufacturing process of claim 1, wherein the solution-based product includes solution-based storage products.

3. The computer system solutions-based manufacturing process of claim 1, wherein the solution-based product includes at least one selected from the group consisting of storage area network (SAN), network attached storage (NAS), storage domain management (SDM) product, storage virtualization product, server cluster, and e-commerce configuration product.

4. The computer system solutions-based manufacturing process of claim 3, wherein the solutions-based products include at least one of storage area networks (SANs), network attached storage (NAS), server clusters, and e-commerce configurations, the solutions-based products further including at least one of multiple servers, storage systems, software components, and networking interconnects.

5. The computer system solutions-based manufacturing process of claim 1, wherein the solution-based products includes at least one component forming an integral part of a larger solution with complex interdependencies.

6. The computer system solutions-based manufacturing process of claim 1, wherein assigning the solution identifier further includes associating service tags of the components of a respective system solution with the solution identifier.

7. The computer system solutions-based manufacturing process of claim 6, further including storing the associated service tags in a table and indexing the table according to the solution identifier.

8. A method of implementing solutions-based system support comprising:

providing an entry form for entering at least one of solution objects and service tags of components of a respective solutions-based system; and

responsive to a completion of the entering of solution objects and service tags, generating a PowerTag identifier, the PowerTag identifier suitable for use in connection with obtaining custom support services as a function of the PowerTag identifier.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein providing an entry form includes providing a on-line web form implementation of the entry form hosted by a web server.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the components of a solutions-based system include at least one of hardware, software, documentation, and service components.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein the components of the solutions-based system include complex interdependencies between select ones of the components.

12. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

providing an entry form for entering at least one of solution objects and service tags of additional components of a respective solutions-based system post issuance of the PowerTag identifier; and

responsive to a completion of the entering of the at least one of solution objects and service tags of the additional components, updating associations of the solution objects and service tags of the additional components with the PowerTag identifier, wherein the updated PowerTag identifier associations facilitate obtaining of custom support services for the additional components as a function of the PowerTag identifier.

13. The method of claim 8, wherein the PowerTag identifier is generated as part of a factory integration effort, further wherein multiple systems and software components are linked into a defined solution, along with services in support of the solution.

14. The method of claim 8, wherein the at least one of solution objects and service tags of components of a respective solutions-based system includes at least one of

at least one server, including at least one of each model and associated service tags, operating system (O/S), basic input output system (BIOS), peripherals and respective software drivers of a respective at least one server;

at least one storage component, including at least one of each model and associated service tags, firmware, programmable read only memory revision (PROM rev.) of a respective at least one storage component;

at least one software component, including at least one of clustering software, backup software, storage consolidation software, storage management and configuration software, factory installed applications, and on-site installation of software applications;

at least one service offering, including at least one of a standard, 7×

24×

7, availability guarantee, “

Gold”

, and “

Platinum”

service offering;

at least one on-site installation choice; and

at least one link to an entitlement statement of work, product documentation, software update, and technical bulletin as they relate to the solution and the solution'"'"'s components.

15. A method of implementing solutions-based system support comprising:

inputting a PowerTag identifier particular for a solution-based system; and

responsive to the input of the PowerTag identifier, outputting custom web support services as a function of the PowerTag identifier.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein outputting the custom web support services includes dynamically generating web pages particular to the specific solution-based system.

17. The method of claim 16, further wherein dynamically generating the web pages includes constructing respective web pages using information obtained from at least one of a documentation system, a file library system, and a knowledgebase system, as a function of the PowerTag identifier.

18. The method of claim 17, further wherein each of the documentation system, the file library system, and the knowledgebase system includes at least one of a server system, storage system, management system, and corresponding software for a respective documentation, file library, and knowledgebase system.

19. The method of claim 16, further wherein the dynamically generated web pages are a function of the type of support service being requested, including at least one selected from sales, on-line support, on-line documentation, phone-based technical support, on site service, update, upgrade, entitlement, and training.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the support service includes a software update specific to a cluster configuration.

21. The method of claim 19, wherein the update service includes a firmware update to a component of the solutions-based system, the method further comprising identifying service tags of other systems within the solutions-based system having a need for firmware upgrades as a function of the firmware update to the component.

22. The method of claim 15, further comprising determining a scope of work and any products required for use in an upgrading of the solutions-based product as a function of the PowerTag identifier.

23. A computer system comprising:

at least one processor; and

at least one storage accessible by said processor, said storage including program code processible by said processor for implementing a solutions-based 5 computer system manufacturing process, the manufacturing process including assembling computer system components for creation of a given solution-based product as a function of at least one of a customer order and a customer plan, and assigning a solution identifier to the solution-based product, wherein the solution identifier includes a solution type and a unique identifier within the solution type.

24. The computer system of claim 23, wherein the solution-based product includes at least one component forming an integral part of a larger solution with complex interdependencies.

25. The computer system of claim 23, wherein the solution-based product includes at least one selected from the group consisting of storage area network (SAN), network attached storage (NAS), storage domain management (SDM) product, server cluster, and e-commerce configuration product.

26. The computer system of claim 25, wherein the solutions-based products include further include at least one of multiple servers, storage systems, software components, and networking interconnects.

27. The computer system of claim 23, wherein assigning the solution identifier further includes associating service tags of the components of a respective system solution with the solution identifier.

28. The computer system of claim 27, further wherein

said at least one storage is further for storing a table of associated service tags, the table being indexed according to the solution identifier.

29. A computer system comprising:

at least one processor; and

at least one storage, said at least one storage including software processible by said at least one processor for of implementing solutions-based system support including a) providing an entry form for entering at least one of solution objects and service tags of components of a respective solutions-based system, and b) responsive to a completion of the entering of solution objects and service tags, generating a PowerTag identifier, the PowerTag identifier suitable for use in connection with obtaining custom support services as a function of the PowerTag identifier.

30. A computer system comprising:

at least one processor; and

at least one storage, said at least one storage including software processible by said at least one processor for implementing solutions-based system support including a) inputting a PowerTag identifier particular for a solution-based system, and b) responsive to the input of the PowerTag identifier, outputting custom support services as a function of the PowerTag identifier.