Application portfolio and architecture research tool

• US 20070033276A1
• Filed: 08/08/2005
• Published: 02/08/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 08/08/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Southern Company Services, Inc. (Southern Company)
• Original Assignee: Southern Company Services, Inc. (Southern Company)
• Inventors: Westwood, Brenton, Brockhoff, Paula
• Application Number:
  US11/199,000
• Publication Number:
  US 20070033276A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/224
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling

Abstract

A method and computer program product are provided for automatically managing and coordinating information and changes relating to an information technology infrastructure. The information and changes are stored in an application portfolio database. Information for a plurality of applications and a plurality of servers is determined and stored in the application portfolio database. The application information includes application version identification and status for each application; the server information includes server identification, status and a call group for each server. Information for call groups associated with the servers and applications is determined and stored. Information regarding the components for each version of an application is determined and stored. Application dependencies for each application are determined and stored. A plurality of applications associated with each server is identified. An impact analysis in the event of server failure is determined for each application running on each server. An impact analysis display provides a link to application dependencies and the call group associated with the failed server.

Claims

1. A method for automatically managing and coordinating information and changes relating to an information technology infrastructure, wherein the information and changes are stored in an application portfolio database, comprising the steps of:

determining and storing information for a plurality of applications and a plurality of servers, the application information including application version identification and status for each application, the server information including server identification, status and a call group for each server;

determining and storing information for a plurality of call groups, with each call group defining a call list of contacts;

determining and storing information for a plurality of components for each version of an application;

determining and storing a plurality of application dependencies for each application;

identifying a plurality of applications associated with each server; and

determining an impact analysis in the event of server failure for each application running on each server, wherein an impact analysis display provides a link to application dependencies and the call group associated with the server.

2. The method for automatically managing and coordinating information and changes of claim 1 wherein the application information further includes an application description, a business impact, a recovery priority and a support organization responsible for maintaining the application.

3. The method for automatically managing and coordinating information and changes of claim 1 wherein the application version information further includes a version number, a version description, a tracking number, a change management ticket number, a production status and a server run location.

4. The method for automatically managing and coordinating information and changes of claim 1 wherein the server information further includes a server name, a server group, a server use and a server role.

5. The method for automatically managing and coordinating information and changes of claim 1 wherein the call group for each server includes a contact list of individuals to call in the event of the server'"'"'s failure.

6. The method for automatically managing and coordinating information and changes of claim 1 wherein the plurality of components for each application includes each executable file associated with the application.

7. The method for automatically managing and coordinating information and changes of claim 6 wherein the plurality of components for each application further includes a plurality of objects owned by the application.

8. The method for automatically managing and coordinating information and changes of claim 1 wherein the step of determining a plurality of application dependencies for each application includes determining a relationship between each application and each of the application dependencies.

9. The method for automatically managing and coordinating information and changes of claim 4 wherein the server information further includes a server group type and a group purpose for each server.

10. The method for automatically managing and coordinating information and changes of claim 1 wherein the step of determining the impact analysis in the event of server failure includes identifying a recovery criticality factor for each application running on the server.

11. The method for automatically managing and coordinating information and changes of claim 1 wherein the step of determining the impact analysis in the event of server failure further includes displaying a plurality of applications that are dependent on a recovery critical application.

12. The method for automatically managing and coordinating information and changes of claim 1 wherein the step of determining the impact analysis in the event of server failure further includes displaying a call group including a contact list of individuals to call in the event of the server'"'"'s failure.

13. The method for automatically managing and coordinating information and changes of claim 1 wherein the step of determining server information comprises interfacing to an auto-discovery system to import server information, network information, and component information into the application portfolio database automatically.

14. The method for automatically managing and coordinating information and changes of claim 1 further comprising the step of determining a client base for each application, wherein each client represents a business unit within an organization.

15. The method for automatically managing and coordinating information and changes of claim 1 further comprising the step of adding an application note for each application, wherein the application note includes a location for the application'"'"'s documentation.

16. A computer program product for automatically managing and coordinating information and changes relating to an information technology infrastructure, wherein the information and changes are stored in an application portfolio database, the computer program product comprising computer readable medium having computer readable code embedded therein, the computer readable medium comprising:

program instructions that determine and store information for a plurality of applications and a plurality of servers, the application information including application version identification and status for each application, the server information including server identification, status and a call group for each server;

program instructions that determine and store information for a plurality of call groups, with each call group defining a call list of contacts;

program instructions that determine and store information for a plurality of components for each version of an application;

program instructions that determine and store a plurality of application dependencies for each application;

program instructions that identify a plurality of applications associated with each server; and

program instructions that determine an impact analysis in the event of server failure for each application running on each server, wherein an impact analysis display provides a link to application dependencies and the call group associated with the server.

17. The computer program product for automatically managing and coordinating information and changes of claim 16 wherein the application information further includes an application description, a business impact, a recovery priority and a support organization responsible for maintaining the application.

18. The computer program product for automatically managing and coordinating information and changes of claim 16 wherein the application version information further includes a version number, a version description, a tracking number, a change management ticket number, a production status and a server run location.

19. The computer program product for automatically managing and coordinating information and changes of claim 16 wherein the server information further includes a server name, a server group, a server use and a server role.

20. The computer program product for automatically managing and coordinating information and changes of claim 16 wherein the call group for each server includes a contact list of individuals to call in the event of the server'"'"'s failure.

21. The computer program product for automatically managing and coordinating information and changes of claim 16 wherein the plurality of components for each application includes each executable file associated with the application.

22. The computer program product for automatically managing and coordinating information and changes of claim 21 wherein the plurality of components for each application further includes a plurality of objects owned by the application.

23. The computer program product for automatically managing and coordinating information and changes of claim 16 wherein the program instructions that determine a plurality of application dependencies for each application include program instructions that determine a relationship between each application and each of the application dependencies.

24. The computer program product for automatically managing and coordinating information and changes of claim 19 wherein the server information further includes a server group type and a group purpose for each server.

25. The computer program product for automatically managing and coordinating information and changes of claim 16 wherein the program instructions that determine the impact analysis in the event of server failure includes program instructions that identify a recovery criticality factor for each application running on the server.

26. The computer program product for automatically managing and coordinating information and changes of claim 16 wherein the program instructions that determine the impact analysis in the event of server failure further include program instructions that display a plurality of applications that are dependent on a recovery critical application.

27. The computer program product for automatically managing and coordinating information and changes of claim 16 wherein the program instructions that determine the impact analysis in the event of server failure further include program instructions that display a call group including a contact list of individuals to call in the event of the server'"'"'s failure.

28. The computer program product for automatically managing and coordinating information and changes of claim 16 wherein the program instructions that determine server information comprises program instructions that interface to an auto-discovery system to import server information, network information, and component information into the application portfolio database automatically.