Process for executing approval workflows and fulfillment workflows
First Claim
1. A process to bring an instance of an information technology (hereafter IT) service into existence, comprising the steps of:
- using a computer to access a data structure of a service action and perform a fulfillment process comprising the steps;
(A) using a computer to follow pointers in said data structure to an appropriate fulfillment workflow;
(B) loading said fulfillment workflow into memory of said computer;
(C) using said computer to execute computer instructions pointed to by one or more pointers in said fulfillment workflow; and
(D) receiving and recording any feedback data entered by a human who has been given instructions by said computer to carry out one or more steps of said fulfillment workflow.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A computer implemented process which executes computer instructions to carry out the steps of at least one fulfillment workflow to bring an instance of an information technology service into existence. If management approvals are necessary, at least one approval workflow is also executed. The steps of the preferred embodiment of the process are: using a computer to access a data structure of a service action and perform a fulfillment process comprising the steps: (A) using a computer to follow pointers in said data structure to an appropriate fulfillment workflow; (B) loading said fulfillment workflow into memory of said computer; (C) using said computer to execute computer instructions pointed to by one or more pointers in said fulfillment workflow; and (D) receiving and recording any feedback data entered by a human who has been given instructions by said computer to carry out one or more steps of said fulfillment workflow. In the preferred embodiment, the computer also executes the instructions of an approval workflow to get approval from management to implement the instance of the requested IT process.
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Citations
15 Claims
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1. A process to bring an instance of an information technology (hereafter IT) service into existence, comprising the steps of:
using a computer to access a data structure of a service action and perform a fulfillment process comprising the steps;
(A) using a computer to follow pointers in said data structure to an appropriate fulfillment workflow;
(B) loading said fulfillment workflow into memory of said computer;
(C) using said computer to execute computer instructions pointed to by one or more pointers in said fulfillment workflow; and
(D) receiving and recording any feedback data entered by a human who has been given instructions by said computer to carry out one or more steps of said fulfillment workflow. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A process to bring an instance of an information technology (hereafter IT) service into existence, comprising the steps of:
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(1) using a computer to obtain management approval for creation of an information technology service instance by accessing a data structure of a service action and executing computer instructions linked to steps of an approval workflow defined in or pointed to by said data structure, said approval workflow having been defined in advance by an IT professional to define steps that need to be taken to obtain approval in accordance with an approval policy;
(2) if approval is obtained, using a computer to perform a fulfillment process comprising the steps;
(A) using a computer to follow pointers in said data structure to an appropriate fulfillment workflow;
(B) loading said fulfillment workflow into memory of said computer;
(C) using said computer to execute computer instructions pointed to by one or more pointers in said fulfillment workflow; and
(D) receiving and recording any feedback data entered by a human who has been given instructions by said computer to carry out one or more steps of said fulfillment workflow. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A computer readable medium having computer-executable instructions for performing a method comprising:
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(1) using a computer to obtain management approval for creation of an information technology service instance by accessing a data structure of a service action and executing computer instructions linked to steps of an approval workflow defined in or pointed to by said data structure, said approval workflow having been defined in advance by an IT professional to define steps that need to be taken to obtain approval in accordance with an approval policy;
(2) if approval is obtained, using a computer to perform a fulfillment process comprising the steps;
(A) using a computer to follow pointers in said data structure to an appropriate fulfillment workflow;
(B) loading said fulfillment workflow into memory of said computer;
(C) using said computer to execute computer instructions pointed to by one or more pointers in said fulfillment workflow; and
(D) receiving and recording any feedback data entered by a human who has been given instructions by said computer to carry out one or more steps of said fulfillment workflow.
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15. A computer programmed to carry out the following process:
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(1) using said computer to obtain management approval for creation of an information technology service instance by accessing a data structure of a service action and executing computer instructions linked to steps of an approval workflow defined in or pointed to by said data structure, said approval workflow having been defined in advance by an IT professional to define steps that need to be taken to obtain approval in accordance with an approval policy;
(2) if approval is obtained, using said computer to perform a fulfillment process comprising the steps;
(A) using said computer to follow pointers in said data structure to an appropriate fulfillment workflow;
(B) loading said fulfillment workflow into memory of said computer;
(C) using said computer to execute computer instructions pointed to by one or more pointers in said fulfillment workflow; and
(D) receiving and recording any feedback data entered by a human who has been given instructions by said computer to carry out one or more steps of said fulfillment workflow.
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Specification