System and Method for Delivering an Integrated Server Administration Platform

• US 20070282942A1
• Filed: 06/02/2006
• Published: 12/06/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 06/02/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Bailey, John H., Christiance, Kenneth David, Hellerstein, Joseph L., Heywood, Patrick B., Lenchner, Jonathan, Spisak, Michael John, Canis, Walter, Guo, Shang Qing, Ravirajan, Rajan
• Granted Patent: US 9,110,934 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/203
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/21 Design, administration or maintenance of databases

Abstract

The invention enables server administrators (SAs) to improve their productivity and performance. With the methods and systems described herein, the prior art needed to search for appropriate tools for appropriate tasks is minimized and/or eliminated. Easier scripting and automation that does not require implementation across tools is provided. A consistent logical place is provided for all resources to be used. Standardization of tools enables improvements in service quality. Tools may be provided using one unambiguous authoritative data model, which eliminates data inconsistencies between sources. With the invention, updates to service delivery clients may be delivered more quickly. The invention also reduces costs for developing, deploying, and maintaining a tightly integrated service delivery client. Integration may be provided from the bottom up rather than after the fact. With the invention, common base objects are provided for events, problem and change records, and other system administration artifacts

Claims

1. A computer implemented integrated administration environment (IAE), wherein the IAE comprises one underlying resource model to enable server administrator interaction with a plurality of services.

2. The IAE of claim 1, wherein the interaction is enabled via a common data model that comprises common base objects.

3. The IAE of claim 1, wherein the one underlying resource model enables access to the functionality of a plurality of tools via one tool.

4. The IAE of claim 3, wherein interaction with the one or more services is enabled to occur in a perspective via the one tool.

5. The IAE of claim 4, wherein the perspective comprises a resource management view, including one or more of a hierarchical view of physical or logical resources associated with servers, logical partitions (LPARs), and business processes.

6. The IAE of claim 4, wherein the perspective comprises an information management view, including one or more of the following:

problem management, change management, system vitals, systems based policy and profile, advisory, and/or server history views.

7. The IAE of claim 4, wherein the perspective comprises a collaboration view to assist with one or more of the following:

formal workflow, scheduling, teaming, and/or prioritizing.

8. The IAE of claim 3, wherein the services and tools are capable of:

sharing a common data and object models, acting upon the common data, and presenting information based on a common set of interaction paradigms.

9. The IAE of claim 5, wherein the resource management view incorporates hierarchical views across multiple customer or in-house accounts.

10. The IAE of claim 6, wherein the information management view delivers cross-server or cross-LPAR views for trouble-shooting, correlation, analysis, and visualization.

11. The IAE of claim 5, wherein the resource management view provides a consistent logical place for access to all resources.

12. The IAE of claim 1, where the common base objects comprise one or more of the following:

events, problem, and change events.

13. A computer program product, comprising:

a computer usable medium having computer usable program code that implements one underlying resource model to enable server administrator interaction with a plurality of services.

14. The product of claim 13, wherein the interaction is enabled via a common data model that comprises common base objects.

15. The product of claim 14, wherein the one underlying resource model enables server administrator interaction with the functionality of a plurality of tools via one tool.

16. A service delivery system, comprising a plurality of services residing on one or more computer, and an integrated administration environment (IAE) residing on another computer, wherein the IAE uses one underlying resource model to enable a server administrator to interact with the plurality of services.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the interaction is enabled via a common data model that comprises common base objects.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the one underlying resource model enables server administrator interaction with the functionality of a plurality of tools via one tool.

19. A method of administering one or more server, comprising the steps of:

providing an integrated administration environment (IAE);

providing a plurality of services; and

interacting with all the plurality of services via the IAE using one tool.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the interaction is enabled via a common data model that comprises common base objects.