Remote support of an IT infrastructure

• US 20040186903A1
• Filed: 03/20/2003
• Published: 09/23/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 03/20/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Lambertz, Bernd
• Application Number:
  US10/391,559
• Publication Number:
  US 20040186903A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/224
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/12 Discovery or management of network topologies
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/22 comprising specially adapted graphical user interfaces [GUI]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/00 Arrangements for monitoring or testing data switching networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/06 Generation of reports
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0817 by checking functioning

Abstract

A method of providing an automated remote IT network support service is provided. The method has the following steps: Information about a customer'"'"'s IT infrastructure is collected. A data representation of at least part of the IT infrastructure is generated from the collected data. The data representation is transferred to a support service provider via a network connection. The data representations taken at different points in time are compared to find differences and changes of the IT infrastructure. The differences found between said data representations are analyzed. The results of the analysis are provided.

Claims

1. A computer implemented method of providing remote support for an IT infrastructure by a support service provider, comprising the steps of:

collecting within the IT infrastructure information about the IT infrastructure so as to obtain a data representation of at least part of the IT infrastructure;

transferring the data representation to the support service provider;

comparing the data representation with at least one previously collected data representation so as to find differences between said data representations;

analyzing the differences found between said data representations;

providing the results of the analysis.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the method is automatically initiated.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the collecting step comprises automatically detecting the appearance, disappearance or changes of IT infrastructure elements.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the data representation of at least part of the IT infrastructure is based on a relational data model.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein IT infrastructure elements are contained in the data representation and references are included in the data representation which are assigned to at least some of these IT infrastructure elements and reference files which include IT-infrastructure-element-related information.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein the data representation is structured in related layers corresponding to layers of the IT infrastructure.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the IT infrastructure is located at an IT infrastructure site and the support service provider is located at a support service provider'"'"'s site and wherein the data is transferred from the IT infrastructure site to the support service provider'"'"'s site via a network connection.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the comparing step comprises applying a difference algorithm to the data representations to be compared.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the analysis step comprises analyzing the differences as to whether they relate to present or future functional behavior of the IT infrastructure.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the analysis step comprises analyzing the differences as to whether they have an impact on present or future operability, performance, availability or security of the IT infrastructure.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the results of the analysis step are categorized according to the severity of the impact indicated by them.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the analysis step is based on predefined rules.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the providing step comprises manifesting the analysis results in a human ore machine readable form.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the providing step comprises outputting the results of the analysis step as a document.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the providing step comprises automatically sending the results of the analysis step to an operator of the IT infrastructure.

16. A computer implemented method of providing remote support for an IT infrastructure by a support service provider, comprising the steps of:

receiving a data representation of at least part of the IT infrastructure which was obtained by collecting information within the IT infrastructure;

comparing the data representation with at least one previously received data representation so as to find differences between said data representations;

analyzing the differences found between said data representations;

providing the results of the analysis.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the data representation of at least part of the IT infrastructure is based on a relational data model.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein IT infrastructure elements are contained in the data representation and references are included in the data representation which are assigned to at least some of these IT infrastructure elements and reference files which include IT-infrastructure-element-related information.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein the data representation is structured in related layers corresponding to layers of the IT infrastructure.

20. The method of claim 16, wherein the comparing step comprises applying a difference algorithm to the data representations to be compared.

21. The method of claim 16, wherein the analysis step comprises analyzing the differences as to whether they relate to present or future functional behavior of the IT infrastructure.

24. The method of claim 16, wherein the analysis step is based on predefined rules.

25. The method of claim 16, wherein the providing step comprises manifesting the analysis results in a human ore machine readable form.

26. The method of claim 16, wherein the providing step comprises outputting the results of the analysis step as a document.

27. The method of claim 16, wherein providing step comprises automatically sending the results of the analysis step to an operator of the IT infrastructure.

22. The method of claim 16, wherein the analysis step comprises analyzing the differences as to whether they have an impact on present or future operability, performance, availability or security of the IT infrastructure.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein the results of the analysis step are categorized according to the severity of the impact indicated by them.

22-1. A computer system for providing remote support for an IT infrastructure by a support service provider programmed so that it acts as having the following functional components:

a receiving component for receiving a data representation of at least part of the IT infrastructure which was obtained by collecting information within the IT infrastructure;

a comparing component for comparing the data representation with at least one previously received data representation so as to find differences between said data representations;

an analysis component for analyzing the differences found between said data representations;

a providing component for providing the results of the analysis.

28. A computer program product including program code for carrying out a method, when executed on a computer system, for providing remote support for an IT infrastructure by a support service provider, the program code being arranged to:

receive a data representation of at least part of the IT infrastructure which was obtained by collecting information within the IT infrastructure;

compare the data representation with at least one previously received data representation so as to find differences between said data representations;

analyze the differences found between said data representations;

provide the results of the analysis.