Apparatus and method for automatically defining, deploying and managing hardware and software resources in a logically-partitioned computer system

• US 20060259730A1
• Filed: 05/12/2005
• Published: 11/16/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 05/12/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: LeDel Hofer, Kent, Rath, Cale T., Gimpl, David Joseph, Van Hove, Tammy Lynn, Henderson, Kyle Lane, Romano, George James
• Granted Patent: US 7,386,698 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 711/173
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/5077 Logical partitioning of resources; Management or configuration of virtualized resources specific details on emulation or internal functioning of virtual machines G06F9/455

Abstract

A partition wizard allows automatically defining from a set of system requirements a solution profile that defines a combination of hardware and software in multiple logical partitions to satisfy the performance objectives. The solution profile may be used by an order processing system to automatically generate an order for a target computer system. The solution profile may also be used by a hardware management console to automatically create logical partitions on the target computer system, then may be used by an operating system install engine to automatically install a desired operating system in each of the logical partitions on the target computer system and to automatically install desired software into each of the logical partitions in the target computer system. The solution profile may also be used to manage the target computer system.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

at least one processor;

a memory coupled to the at least one processor; and

a partition wizard residing in the memory and executed by the at least one processor, the partition wizard receiving a set of system requirements and automatically generating therefrom a solution profile that defines a combination of hardware and software in a plurality of logical partitions that satisfies the set of system requirements.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the set of system requirements is at least partially defined by a workload estimator tool.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising an order processing system that receives the solution profile from the partition wizard and generates therefrom an order for a target computer system that includes all hardware and software specified in the solution profile.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a hardware management console that receives the solution profile from the partition wizard and automatically creates the plurality of logical partitions on a target computer system.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising an operating system install engine that automatically installs an operating system in each of the plurality of logical partitions as specified in the solution profile.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a software install engine that automatically installs software in the plurality of logical partitions as specified in the solution profile.

7. A method for defining configuration of a target computer system, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving a set of system requirements; and

processing the set of system requirements, and automatically generating therefrom a solution profile that defines a combination of hardware and software in a plurality of logical partitions that satisfies the set of system requirements.

9. The method of claim 7 further comprising the steps of:

receiving the solution profile; and

generating from the solution profile an order for the target computer system that includes all hardware and software specified in the solution profile.

10. The method of claim 7 further comprising the steps of:

receiving the solution profile; and

automatically creating the plurality of logical partitions on the target computer system.

11. The method of claim 7 further comprising the step of automatically installing an operating system in each of the plurality of logical partitions as specified in the solution profile.

12. The method of claim 7 further comprising the step of automatically installing software in the plurality of logical partitions as specified in the solution profile.

13. The method of claim 7 further comprising the step of using the solution profile to manage the target computer system.

8. (canceled)

14. A method for deploying a target computer system, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving a solution profile that defines a combination of hardware and software in a plurality of logical partitions that satisfies a set of system requirements; and

automatically creating the plurality of logical partitions on the target computer system.

15. The method of claim 14 further comprising the step of automatically installing an operating system in each of the plurality of logical partitions as specified in the solution profile.

16. The method of claim 14 further comprising the step of automatically installing software in the plurality of logical partitions as specified in the solution profile.

17. The method of claim 14 further comprising the step of using the solution profile to manage the target computer system.

18. A program product comprising:

(A) a partition wizard that receives a set of system requirements and automatically generates therefrom a solution profile that defines a combination of hardware and software in a plurality of logical partitions that satisfies the set of system requirements; and

(B) tangible computer-readable signal bearing media bearing the partition wizard.

22. The program product of claim 18 further comprising an order processing system that receives the solution profile from the partition wizard and generates therefrom an order for a target computer system that includes all hardware and software specified in the solution profile.

23. The program product of claim 18 further comprising a hardware management console that receives the solution profile from the partition wizard and automatically creates the plurality of logical partitions on a target computer system.

24. The program product of claim 18 further comprising an operating system install engine that automatically installs an operating system in each of the plurality of logical partitions as specified in the solution profile.

25. The program product of claim 18 further comprising a software install engine that automatically installs software in the plurality of logical partitions as specified in the solution profile.

19. (canceled)

20. (canceled)

21. (canceled)