Systems and methods for managing enterprise IT support planning

• US 20070106642A1
• Filed: 11/09/2005
• Published: 05/10/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 11/09/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Alphabet AG, Software AG
• Original Assignee: alfabet AG (Software AG)
• Inventors: Masing, Erik, Kovrigin, Oleg
• Granted Patent: US 7,814,030 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/067 Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/101 Collaborative creation, e.g. joint development of products or services

Abstract

An integrated enterprise IT architecture planning system and method of planning the IT support of the enterprise business architecture that is based on a central database of record. Within this database of record, the current status of the IT support is documented, the desired target status of the IT support is defined and maintained, and operational plans for future IT support are created, reviewed, and consolidated. Based on the information captured in the database of record, full transparency is achieved, mutual consistency across the current, planned, and target status of the IT support can be analyzed, and target plans can be effectively enforced. Business support maps are directly generated from the central database of record, and are the central mechanism for presentation and input of information throughout the method. Any changes performed on such maps feed directly back into the database of record, updating the underlying information.

Claims

1. A system to manage enterprise Information Technology (IT) support planning, comprising;

a central database of record; and

an IT support planning system in communication with the central database of record and including at least one software module configured to execute computer-executable instructions for;

receiving business information items on an enterprise business architecture, and documenting the business information items in the central database of record, and mutually relating the received business information items;

receiving IT application information items on IT applications and documenting the IT application information items in the central database of record;

receiving IT support information items on an IT support provided by the IT applications to the enterprise business architecture, documenting the IT support information items in the central database of record, and relating the IT applications to the enterprise business architecture according to the received IT support information items; and

receiving a request for a business IT support map and providing the business IT support map according to the request.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the enterprise business architecture includes at least one of business units and business processes, and wherein the IT planning support system further is configured to relate the IT applications to at least one of the business units and business processes according to the received IT support information items.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the IT planning support system is further configured to execute computer executable instructions for:

receiving change information items and changing the relation of the IT applications to the enterprise business architecture in the central database of record according to the change information items.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the IT planning support system is further configured to execute computer executable instructions for:

receiving as-is IT support information items on an as-is status of the IT support provided by the IT applications to the enterprise business architecture, documenting the as-is IT support information items in the central database of record, and relating the IT applications to the enterprise business architecture according to the received as-is IT support information items.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the IT planning support system is further configured to execute computer executable instructions for:

receiving target IT support information items on a long-term target status of the IT support provided by the IT applications to the enterprise business architecture, documenting the target IT support information items in the central database of record, and relating the IT applications to the enterprise business architecture according to the received target IT support information items.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the IT planning support system is further configured to execute computer executable instructions for:

receiving to-be IT support information items on a to-be status of the IT support provided by the IT applications to the enterprise business architecture, documenting the to-be IT support information items in the central database of record, and relating the IT applications to the enterprise business architecture according to the received to-be IT support information items.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the IT planning support system is further configured to execute computer executable instructions for:

receiving IT information items on planned new IT support, and verifying compliance of the planned new IT support with at least one of the as-is status of the IT support, the long-term target status of the IT support, and the to-be status of the IT support.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the IT planning support system is further configured to execute computer executable instructions for:

providing the business IT support map as a matrix representation of graphic cells and the IT applications, wherein said graphic cells schematically show the enterprise business architecture.

9. A method for managing enterprise IT support planning, comprising:

receiving business information items on an enterprise business architecture, documenting the business information items in the central database of record, and mutually relating the received business information items;

receiving IT application information items on IT applications and documenting the IT application information items in the central database of record;

receiving IT support information items on an IT support provided by the IT applications to the enterprise business architecture, documenting the IT support information items in the central database of record, and relating the IT applications to the enterprise business architecture according to the received IT support information items; and

receiving a request for a business IT support map and providing the business IT support map according to the request.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the enterprise business architecture of the receiving business information items step includes at least one of the business units and business processes, and further comprising, relating the IT applications to at least one of the business units and business processes according to the received IT support information items.

11. The method of claim 9, further comprising receiving change information items and changing the relation of the IT applications to the enterprise business architecture in the central database of record according to the change information items.

12. The method of claim 9, further comprising receiving as-is IT support information items on an as-is status of the IT support provided by the IT applications to the enterprise business architecture, documenting the as-is IT support information items in the central database of record, and relating the IT applications to the enterprise business architecture according to the received as-is IT support information items.

13. The method of claim 9, further comprising receiving target IT support information items on a long-term target status of the IT support provided by the IT applications to the enterprise business architecture, documenting the target IT support information items in the central database of record, and relating the IT applications to the enterprise business architecture according to the received target IT support information items.

14. The method of claim 9, further comprising receiving to-be IT support information items on a to-be status of the IT support provided by the IT applications to the enterprise business architecture, documenting the to-be IT support information items in the central database of record, and relating the IT applications to the enterprise business architecture according to the received to-be IT support information items.

15. The method of claim 9, further comprising receiving IT information items on planned new IT support and verifying compliance of the planned new IT support with at least one of the as-is status of the IT support, the long-term target status of the IT support, and the to-be status of the IT support.

16. The method of claim 9, further comprising providing the business IT support map as a matrix representation of graphic cells and the IT applications, wherein said graphic cells schematically showing the enterprise business architecture.

17. A method for managing enterprise IT support planning, comprising:

receiving business information items on an enterprise business architecture, documenting the business information items in the central database of record and mutually relating the received business information items;

receiving IT application information items on IT applications and documenting the IT application information items in the central database of record;

receiving IT support information items on an IT support provided by the IT applications to the enterprise business architecture, documenting the IT support information items in the central database of record, and relating the IT applications to the enterprise business architecture according to the received IT support information items; and

receiving a request for a business IT support map and providing the business IT support map according to the request.