Method and System For Determining Compatibility of Computer Systems

• US 20070250615A1
• Filed: 09/26/2006
• Published: 10/25/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 04/21/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cirba, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Cirba, Inc.
• Inventors: HILLIER, Andrew D.
• Granted Patent: US 7,809,817 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/223
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0869 Validating the configuration within one network element
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0873 Checking configuration conflicts between network elements
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/22 comprising specially adapted graphical user interfaces [GUI]

Abstract

Systems and method for performing a consolidation analysis and visually representing the analysis are provided. The analysis is conducted by performing an audit, performing system compatibility and workload compatibility analyses using the audit data and rule sets. The results of the individual analyses are combined to create an overall compatibility co-habitation analysis and visual consolidation roadmap including scorecard information. The system and workload analyses may be performed to contribute to the overall co-habitation analyses, but also performed on their own.

Claims

1. A method for determining compatibilities for a plurality of computer systems comprising:

generating a configuration compatibility score for each pair of said plurality of systems based on configuration data obtained for each of said plurality of systems;

generating a workload compatibility score for each pair of said plurality of systems based on workload data obtained for each of said plurality of systems; and

generating a co-habitation score for each pair of said plurality of systems using the respective configuration compatibility score and workload compatibility score, said co-habitation score indicating an overall compatibility for each system with respect to the others of said plurality of systems.

2. A method according to claim 1 further comprising generating a graphical interface for displaying said compatibility scores, said graphical interface comprising a matrix of cells, each said cell corresponding to a pair of said plurality of computer systems, each row of said matrix indicating one of said plurality of computer systems and each column of said matrix indicating one of said plurality of computer systems, each cell displaying a compatibility score indicating the compatibility of the respective pair of said plurality of systems indicated in the corresponding row and column, and computed according to predefined criteria.

3. A method according to claim 2 wherein upon selecting said cells, information related to the respective score is provided.

4. A method according to claim 1 further comprising generating a report indicative of said compatibilities according to said compatibility scores.

5. A method according to claim 1 wherein said configuration compatibility score is computed by applying at least one rule set comprising one or more parameters in said configuration data.

6. A method according to claim 5 further comprising assigning a weight to each said parameter indicative of the importance of said parameter to the compatibility of said plurality of systems, said configuration compatibility score being computed for each pair of said plurality of computer systems according to said weights.

7. A method according to claim 5 wherein said configuration compatibility scores are computed by iteratively decrementing an initial value to produce a final value and applying one of said weights at each iteration.

8. A method according to claim 1 wherein said workload compatibility score is computed by computing a stacked workload value for each pair of said plurality of systems at one or more time instance according to said workload data.

9. A method according to claim 8 wherein said stacked workload value is computed according to maximum sustained workloads and maximum peak workloads for each said pair.

10. A method according to claim 9 wherein said stacked workload value considers said maximum sustained workloads at like times and worst times, and considers said maximum peak workloads at like times and worst times.

11. A method according to claim 1 further comprising performing an audit of each of said plurality of systems to obtain said configuration data and said workload data.

12. A method according to claim 1 further comprising stacking said workload data for a plurality of source systems on a target system to virtualize a multi-stacked system, and generating a workload compatibility score for said multi-stacked system based on said stacked workload data.

13. A computer program for determining compatibilities for a plurality of computer systems comprising an audit engine for obtaining information pertaining to the compatibility of said plurality of computer systems;

an analysis engine for generating a compatibility score for each pair of said plurality of systems based on said information that is specific to respective pairs; and

a client for displaying said compatibility score on an interface.

14. A computer program according to claim 13 further comprising a report generator for generating a report comprising said compatibility scores according to a report template.

15. A computer program according to claim 14, said client comprising a report generation program for indicating the type of analysis to be performed by said analysis engine and compiled by said report generator.

16. A computer program according to claim 13 wherein said information comprises configuration data.

17. A computer program according to claim 13 wherein said information comprises workload data.

18. A computer program according to claim 13 wherein said information comprises configuration and workload data and said compatibility score is computed by combining a configuration compatibility score based on said configuration data and a workload compatibility score based on said workload data.

19. A method for determining configuration compatibilities for a plurality of computer systems comprising

obtaining configuration data for each of said plurality of computer systems;

assigning a weight to one or more parameter in said configuration data indicating the importance of said parameter to the compatibility of said plurality of systems;

generating a rule set comprising one or more of said parameters; and

computing a configuration score for each pair of said plurality of systems according to the weights in said rule set.

20. A method according to claim 19 wherein said configuration scores are computed by iteratively decrementing an initial value to produce a final value and applying one of said weights at each iteration.

21. A method for determining workload compatibilities for a plurality of computer systems comprising;

obtaining workload data for each of said plurality of systems;

computing a stacked workload value for each pair of said plurality of systems at one or more time instance according to said workload data; and

computing a workload score for each pair of said plurality of systems using said stacked workload values.

22. A method according to claim 21 wherein said stacked workload value is computed according to maximum sustained workloads and maximum peak workloads for each said pair.

23. A method according to claim 22 wherein said stacked workload value considers said maximum sustained workloads at like times and worst times, and considers said maximum peak work-loads at like times and worst times.

24. A method according to claim 21 further comprising stacking said workload data for a plurality of source systems on a target system to virtualize a multi-stacked system, and generating said workload score for said multi-stacked system based on said stacked workload data.

25. A graphical interface for displaying compatibility scores for a plurality of computer systems comprising a matrix of cells, each said cell corresponding to a pair of said plurality of computer systems, each row of said matrix indicating one of said plurality of computer systems and each column of said matrix indicating one of said plurality of computer systems, each cell displaying a compatibility score indicating the compatibility of the respective pair of said plurality of systems indicated in the corresponding row and column, and computed according to predefined criteria.

26. A graphical interface according to claim 25 wherein upon selecting said cells, information related to the respective score is provided.

27. A graphical interface according to claim 25 wherein each said cell comprises a background pattern chosen from a plurality of background patterns based on said compatibility score.

28. A Graphical interface according to claim 27 wherein said background patterns are different colours, said colours each representing a range of score values.

29. A graphical interface according to claim 28 further comprising a tool for selectively changing said range.

30. A graphical interface according to claim 25 wherein said compatibility score is based on one of configuration data, workload data and a combination of configuration and workload data.