Method, device, computer program and computer program product for controlling a digital information technology IT infrastructure

• US 20060190583A1
• Filed: 12/12/2005
• Published: 08/24/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 12/12/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Kreos Capital III Limited
• Original Assignee: Kreos Capital III Limited
• Inventors: Whalen, Paul Andrew
• Application Number:
  US11/302,310
• Publication Number:
  US 20060190583A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/223
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0823 characterised by the purposes of a change of settings, e.g. optimising configuration for enhancing reliability for optimising operational conditions of wireless networks H04W24/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/085 Retrieval of network configuration; Tracking network configuration history
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0856 by backing up or archiving configuration information
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/40 using virtualisation of network functions or resources, e.g. SDN or NFV entities

Abstract

Method, device, computer program and computer program product for the automated control of a digital information technology IT infrastructure comprised of a multitude of configurable IT components arranged for supporting processes to be executed by the IT infrastructure. The IT components in question are grouped, among other things, on the basis of their functionality in the IT infrastructure, by means of specifications data and activity data, wherein the obtained groups are controlled as IT services within the IT infrastructure.

Claims

1. A method for automated control of the use of IT components for supporting at least one process in a digital information technology IT infrastructure comprised of a multitude of configurable IT components that are operatively interconnected for technically supporting said at least one process to be executed by said IT infrastructure, wherein a specifications data file of a respective IT component is available, which file comprises specifications data representative of technical properties and functions of said IT component, comprising the steps of:

reading specifications data from said specifications data file of a respective IT component;

generating and storing first linkage data from said specifications data of a respective IT component as read, which first linkage data indicates a link between said IT component and at least one logical IT service on the basis of the technical support to be provided to a logical IT service by said IT component;

generating and storing second linkage data which indicates a link between at least one logical IT service and at least one virtual IT service on the basis of technical support to be provided to a virtual IT service by a logical IT service; and

controlling the use of a respective IT component for supporting at least one process on the basis of said first and second linkage data as stored.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein a logical IT service is represented by a data file whose data are grouped by at least one object, called logical object, representing at least one technical function of said logical IT service, and wherein said first linkage data is coupled to a respective logical object in the form of object attribute data.

3. A method according to claim 2, wherein a data file representing a logical IT service can be accessed via at least one interface, called a service interface.

4. A method according to claim 2, wherein data of an object can be accessed via at least one interface, called an object interface.

5. A method according to claim 2, wherein a function to be performed by a logical IT service is activated by activating the function of at least one object of said logical IT service.

6. A method according to claim 1, wherein a virtual IT service is represented by a data file whose data are grouped by at least one object, called virtual object, representing at least one function of a respective virtual IT service, and wherein said second linkage data is coupled to a respective virtual data object in the form of object attribute data.

7. A method according to claim 6, wherein a data file representing a virtual IT service can be accessed by at least one interface, called a service interface.

8. A method according to claim 6, wherein data of an object can be accessed via at least one interface, called an object interface.

9. A method according to claim 6, wherein a function to be formed by a virtual IT service is activated by activating the function of at least one object of said virtual IT service.

10. A method according to claim 1, wherein said logical and virtual IT services are formed on the basis of their importance in the IT infrastructure.

11. A method according to claim 1, wherein said virtual IT services are associated with at least one process to be supported by said infrastructure.

12. A method according to claim 1, wherein an IT component is associated with several logical IT services.

13. A method according to claim 1, wherein said steps as described are carried out automatically for each new IT component that is added to said IT infrastructure.

14. A method according to claim 1, wherein an activity data file of a respective IT component is available, which comprises activity data representative of a current technical operation of said IT component, wherein said steps of reading, generating first and second linkage data and controlling the use of said IT component are also carried out on said activity data of said IT component.

15. A method according to claim 14, wherein said activity data of an IT component is read and processed periodically.

16. A method according to claim 14, wherein said logical IT services are automatically adapted during use on the basis of detected changes in at least one IT component.

17. A method according to claim 14, wherein on the basis of changes in said logical IT services influence thereof on said virtual IT services is determined.

18. A method according to claim 14, wherein virtual IT services are automatically configured and reconfigured on the basis of service objectives for the purpose of optimising the performance of processes supported by said IT infrastructure.

31. A computer program, comprising program code means, which computer program functions to carry out the method according to claim 1, when said computer program is loaded in a working memory of a computer and is executed by said computer.

32. A computer program according to claim 31, which is arranged for being integrated in or added to a computer application for joint execution of said computer program and said computer application by a computer.

33. A computer program product, comprising program code means stored on a medium that can be read by a computer, which computer program operates to carry out the method according to claim 1, when said computer program is loaded in a working memory of a computer and is executed by said computer.

34. A computer program product according to claim 33, which is arranged for integrating said program code means in or adding said program code means to a computer application for the joint execution of said program code means and said computer application by a computer.

19. A device for automated control, in a digital information technology IT infrastructure built up of a multitude of configurable IT components that are operatively interconnected for technically supporting at least one process to be carried out by said IT infrastructure, of the use of IT components for supporting said at least one process, wherein a specifications data file of a respective IT component is available, which data file comprises specifications data representative of the technical properties and functions of said IT component, said device comprising:

reading means for reading specifications data from said specifications data file of a respective IT component;

grouping means for generating and storing first linkage data from said specifications data of said IT component as read, which first linkage data indicates a link between said IT component and at least one logical IT service on the basis of technical support to be provided to a logical IT service by said IT component;

virtualisation means for generating and storing second linkage data that indicates a link between at least one logical IT service and at least one virtual IT service on the basis of technical support to be provided to a virtual IT service by a logical IT service; and

control means for controlling the use of said IT component for supporting said at least one process on the basis of said first and second linkage data as stored.

20. A device according to claim 19, wherein said grouping means are arranged for generating a data file whose data are grouped in by least one object, called logical object, representing at least one technical function of a respective logical IT service and in which said first linkage data is coupled with a respective logical object in the form of object attribute data.

21. A device according to claim 20, wherein said control means are arranged for activating a function to be performed by a logical IT service by activating the function of at least one object of said logical IT service.

22. A device according to claim 19, wherein said virtualisation means are arranged for generating a data file whose data are grouped by at least one object, called virtual object, representing at least one function of a respective virtual IT service, and in which said second linkage data is coupled with a respective virtual data object in the form of object attribute data.

23. A device according to claim 22, wherein said control means are arranged for activating a function to be performed by a virtual IT service by activating at least one object of said virtual IT service.

24. A device according to claim 19, comprising specification means for associating an IT component with a logical IT service.

25. A device according to claim 19, comprising optimisation means for associating a process supported by said IT infrastructure with a virtual IT service.

26. A device according to claim 19, comprising monitoring means arranged for monitoring the operation of at least one IT service and for reading activity data representative of the current technical operation of a respective IT component from an activity data file of said IT component.

27. A device according to claim 26, wherein said grouping means and said virtualisation means are arranged and operatively connected to said monitoring means for generating first and second linkage data from said activity data as read, for forming said logical and virtual IT services, adapted to the current activity data of an IT component.

28. A device according to claim 26, comprising optimisation means that are operatively connected to said monitoring means and said virtualisation means, which optimisation means operate to optimise the operation of said virtual IT services.

29. A device according to claim 28, wherein said optimisation means are operatively connected to said grouping means and said specification means for automatic grouping and regrouping of IT components for the purpose of optimising the performance of processes supported by said IT infrastructure.

30. A device according to claims 19, wherein said means are comprised of at least one computer and software to be executed thereby.