Method, system, and storage medium for implementing intelligent team management services

• US 20060106828A1
• Filed: 11/18/2004
• Published: 05/18/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 11/18/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Boss, Gregory J., Jones, Andrew R., McConnell, Kevin C., Hamilton, Rick A. II, Mitchell, Alan P., Wentworth, Robert R.
• Granted Patent: US 8,190,642 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/00 Administration; Management

Abstract

A method, system, and storage medium for implementing intelligent team management services. The method includes associating selected individuals with a datastore. The datastore houses content designated as key information and the selected individuals are designated as an entity. The method also includes creating a distribution list in a messaging application. The distribution list includes the selected individuals. The method further includes providing the selected individuals with access to the datastore.

Claims

1. A method for implementing intelligent team management services, comprising:

associating selected individuals with a datastore, the datastore housing content designated as key information and the selected individuals designated as an entity;

creating a distribution list in a messaging application, the distribution list including the selected individuals; and

providing the selected individuals with access to the datastore.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

associating a content item with the datastore; and

storing the content item in at least one of;

the datastore; and

a designated storage space, wherein a link to the designated storage space is associated with the content item.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

assigning access control levels to the entity.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

creating a sub-entity; and

assigning access control levels to the sub-entity.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

generating a content item; and

classifying the content item as a key content item.

6. The method of claim 2, wherein the content item includes at least one of a:

document;

calendar event;

email; and

report.

7. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

transmitting a notification to the selected individuals via the distribution list of the messaging application, the notification generated in response to creating the content item.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the content item is associated with an index of content items.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising deploying process software for implementing intelligent team management services, said deploying comprising:

installing said process software on at least one server;

identifying server addresses for users accessing said process software on said at least one server;

installing a proxy server if needed;

sending said process software to said at least one server and copying said process software to a file system of said at least one server;

sending the process software to at least a first client computer; and

executing said process software on said first client computer.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein said installing said process software further comprises:

determining if programs will reside on said at least one server when said process software is executed;

identifying said at least one server that will execute said process software; and

transferring said process software to storage for said at least one server.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein said sending said process software to said first client computer further includes having said at least one server automatically copy said process software to said first client computer, and running an installation program at said first client computer to install said process software on said first client computer.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein said sending said process software to said first client computer further comprises identifying a user and an address of said first client computer.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein said sending said process software to said first client computer includes sending said process software to at least one directory on said first client computer.

14. The method of claim 9, wherein said sending said process software to said first client computer includes sending said process software to said first client computer via e-mail.

15. The method of claim 1, further comprising integrating process software for implementing intelligent team management services, said integrating comprising:

determining if said process software will execute on at least one server;

identifying an address of said at least one server;

checking said at least one server for operating systems, applications, and version numbers for validation with said process software, and identifying any missing software applications for said at least one server that are required for integration;

updating said at least one server with respect to any operating system and application that is not validated for said process software, and providing any of said missing software applications for said at least one server required for said integration;

identifying client addresses and checking client computers for operating systems, applications, and version numbers for validation with said process software, and identifying any software applications missing from said client computers that are required for integration;

updating said client computers with respect to any operating system and application that is not validated for said process software, and providing any missing software application for said client computers required for said integration; and

installing said process software on said client computers and said at least one server.

16. The method of claim 1, further comprising on-demand sharing of process software for implementing intelligent team management services, said on demand sharing comprising:

creating a transaction containing unique customer identification, requested service type, and service parameters;

sending said transaction to at least one main server;

querying said at least one main server about processing capacity associated with said at least one main server to help ensure availability of adequate resources for processing of said transaction; and

allocating additional processing capacity when additional capacity appears needed to process said transaction, said additional processing capacity being selected from the group of additional capacities consisting of central processing unit capacity, processor memory capacity, network bandwidth capacity, and storage capacity.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising recording a plurality of usage measurements selected from the group of usage measurements consisting of network bandwidth, processor memory, storage, and central processing unit cycles.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

summing said usage measurements;

acquiring at least one multiplicative value associated with said usage measurements and with unit costs; and

recording any such acquired multiplicative value as an on demand charge to a requesting customer.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising at least one of:

posting said on demand charge on a web site if requested by said requesting customer; and

sending said on demand charge via e-mail to said requesting customer'"'"'s e-mail address.

20. The method of claim 18, further comprising charging said on demand charge to said requesting customer'"'"'s account if an account exists and if said requesting customer has selected a charge account payment method.

21. The method of claim 1, further comprising deploying, accessing, and executing process software for implementing intelligent team management services, said deploying, accessing, and executing process software implemented through a virtual private network, the method further comprising:

determining if a virtual private network is required;

checking for remote access to said virtual private network when it is required;

if said remote access does not exist, identifying a third party provider to provide secure, encrypted connections between a private network and remote users;

identifying said remote users; and

setting up a network access server operable for downloading and installing client software on desktop computers for remote access of said virtual private network;

accessing said process software;

transporting said process software to at least one remote user'"'"'s desktop computer; and

executing said process software on said at least one remote user'"'"'s desktop computer.

22. The method of claim 21, further comprising:

determining if said virtual private network has a site-to-site configuration for providing site-to-site access, and if said virtual private network is not so available, installing equipment required to establish a site-to-site configuration for said virtual private network;

installing large scale encryption into said site-to-site virtual private network; and

accessing said process software through said site-to-site configuration with large scale encryption.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein said accessing said process software further comprises at least one of:

dialing into said network access server, and

attaching directly via a modem into said network access server, said modem being selected from the group of modems consisting of telephone dial-up modems, cable modems, DSL modems, and wireless modems.

24. A storage medium encoded with machine-readable program code for implementing intelligent team management services, the program code including instructions for causing a host system to implement a method comprising:

associating selected individuals with a datastore, the datastore housing content designated as key information and the selected individuals designated as an entity;

creating a distribution list in a messaging application, the distribution list including the selected individuals; and

providing the selected individuals with access to the datastore.

25. The storage medium of claim 24, further comprising instructions for causing the host system to implement:

associating a content item with the datastore; and

storing the content item in at least one of;

the datastore; and

a designated storage space, wherein a link to the designated storage space is associated with the content item.

26. The storage medium of claim 24, further comprising instructions for causing the host system to implement:

assigning access control levels to the entity.

27. The storage medium of claim 26, further comprising instructions for causing the host system to implement:

creating a sub-entity; and

assigning access control levels to the sub-entity.

28. The storage medium of claim 24, further comprising instructions for causing the host system to implement:

generating a content item; and

classifying the content item as a key content item.

29. The storage medium of claim 25, wherein the content item includes at least one of a:

document;

calendar event;

email; and

report.

30. The storage medium of claim 25, further comprising instructions for causing the host system to implement:

transmitting a notification to the selected individuals via the distribution list of the messaging application, the notification generated in response to creating the content item.

31. The storage medium of claim 24, wherein the content item is associated with an index of content items.

32. The storage medium of claim 24, further comprising instructions for causing the host system to implement deploying process software for implementing intelligent team management services, said deploying comprising:

installing said process software on at least one server;

identifying server addresses for users accessing said process software on said at least one server;

installing a proxy server if needed;

sending said process software to said at least one server and copying said process software to a file system of said at least one server;

sending the process software to at least a first client computer; and

executing said process software on said first client computer.

33. The storage medium of claim 32, wherein said installing said process software further comprises:

determining if programs will reside on said at least one server when said process software is executed;

identifying said at least one server that will execute said process software; and

transferring said process software to storage for said at least one server.

34. The storage medium of claim 32, wherein said sending said process software to said first client computer further includes having said at least one server automatically copy said process software to said first client computer, and running an installation program at said first client computer to install said process software on said first client computer.

35. The storage medium of claim 32, wherein said sending said process software to said first client computer further comprises identifying a user and an address of said first client computer.

36. The storage medium of claim 32, wherein said sending said process software to said first client computer includes sending said process software to at least one directory on said first client computer.

37. The storage medium of claim 32, wherein said sending said process software to said first client computer includes sending said process software to said first client computer via e-mail.

38. The storage medium of claim 24, further comprising instructions for causing the host system to implement integrating process software for implementing intelligent team management services, said integrating comprising:

determining if said process software will execute on at least one server;

identifying an address of said at least one server;

checking said at least one server for operating systems, applications, and version numbers for validation with said process software, and identifying any missing software applications for said at least one server that are required for integration;

updating said at least one server with respect to any operating system and application that is not validated for said process software, and providing any of said missing software applications for said at least one server required for said integration;

identifying client addresses and checking client computers for operating systems, applications, and version numbers for validation with said process software, and identifying any software applications missing from said client computers that are required for integration;

updating said client computers with respect to any operating system and application that is not validated for said process software, and providing any missing software application for said client computers required for said integration; and

installing said process software on said client computers and said at least one server.

39. The storage medium of claim 24, further comprising instructions for causing the host system to implement on-demand sharing of process software for implementing intelligent team management services, said on demand sharing comprising:

creating a transaction containing unique customer identification, requested service type, and service parameters;

sending said transaction to at least one main server;

querying said at least one main server about processing capacity associated with said at least one main server to help ensure availability of adequate resources for processing of said transaction; and

allocating additional processing capacity when additional capacity appears needed to process said transaction, said additional processing capacity being selected from the group of additional capacities consisting of central processing unit capacity, processor memory capacity, network bandwidth capacity, and storage capacity.

40. The storage medium of claim 39, further comprising instructions for causing the host system to implement recording a plurality of usage measurements selected from the group of usage measurements consisting of network bandwidth, processor memory, storage, and central processing unit cycles.

41. The storage medium of claim 40, further comprising instructions for causing the host system to implement:

summing said usage measurements;

acquiring at least one multiplicative value associated with said usage measurements and with unit costs; and

recording any such acquired multiplicative value as an on demand charge to a requesting customer.

42. The storage medium of claim 41, further comprising instructions for causing the host system to implement at least one of:

posting said on demand charge on a web site if requested by said requesting customer; and

sending said on demand charge via e-mail to said requesting customer'"'"'s e-mail address.

43. The storage medium of claim 41, further comprising instructions for causing the host system to implement charging said on demand charge to said requesting customer'"'"'s account if an account exists and if said requesting customer has selected a charge account payment method.

44. The storage medium of claim 24, further comprising instructions for causing the host system to implement deploying, accessing, and executing process software for implementing intelligent team management services, said deploying, accessing, and executing process software implemented through a virtual private network, the method further comprising:

determining if a virtual private network is required;

checking for remote access to said virtual private network when it is required;

if said remote access does not exist, identifying a third party provider to provide secure, encrypted connections between a private network and remote users;

identifying said remote users; and

setting up a network access server operable for downloading and installing client software on desktop computers for remote access of said virtual private network;

accessing said process software;

transporting said process software to at least one remote user'"'"'s desktop computer; and

executing said process software on said at least one remote user'"'"'s desktop computer.

45. The storage medium of claim 44, further comprising instructions for causing the host system to implement:

determining if said virtual private network has a site-to-site configuration for providing site-to-site access, and if said virtual private network is not so available, installing equipment required to establish a site-to-site configuration for said virtual private network;

installing large scale encryption into said site-to-site virtual private network; and

accessing said process software through said site-to-site configuration with large scale encryption.

46. The storage medium of claim 45, wherein said accessing said process software further comprises at least one of:

dialing into said network access server, and

attaching directly via a modem into said network access server, said modem being selected from the group of modems consisting of telephone dial-up modems, cable modems, DSL modems, and wireless modems.

47. A system for implementing intelligent team management services, comprising:

a host system in communication with at least one client system and storage device over a network;

a messaging application executing on the host system;

an intelligent team management application executing on at least one of the host system and the client system, the intelligent team management application performing;

associating selected individuals with a datastore in the storage device, the datastore housing content designated as key information and the selected individuals designated as an entity;

creating a distribution list in the messaging application, the distribution list including the selected individuals; and

providing the selected individuals with access to the datastore via the client system.

48. The system of claim 47, wherein the intelligent team management application further performs:

associating a content item with the datastore; and

storing the content item in at least one of;

the datastore; and

a designated storage space, wherein a link to the designated storage space is associated with the content item.

49. The system of claim 47, wherein the intelligent team management application further performs:

assigning access control levels to the entity.

50. The system of claim 49, wherein the intelligent team management application further performs:

creating a sub-entity; and

assigning access control levels to the sub-entity.

51. The system of claim 47, wherein the intelligent team management application further performs:

generating a content item; and

classifying the content item as a key content item.

52. The system of claim 48, further comprising at least one of a web server and a word processing application executing on the host system, wherein the content item is derived from the at least one of a web server and a word processing application, the content item including at least one of a:

document;

calendar event;

email; and

report.

53. The system of claim 48, wherein the messaging application performs:

transmitting a notification to the selected individuals via the distribution list, the notification generated in response to creating the content item.

54. The system of claim 47, wherein the content item is associated with an index of content items.