SYSTEM, AND COMPUTER PROGRAM PRODUCT FOR ON DEMAND ENABLEMENT OF DORMANT COMPUTING RESOURCES

• US 20080077536A1
• Filed: 11/15/2007
• Published: 03/27/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 04/28/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Lambert, Manna, Gregor, Michael, Swick, Bradley, Godwin, Lisa, Janey, Richard, Seidell, Jeffrey, Boonie, E.
• Granted Patent: US 8,056,074 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/80
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/5011 the resources being hardware resources other than CPUs, Servers and Terminals
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/04 Billing or invoicing
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0607 Regulated
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0633 Lists, e.g. purchase orders, compilation or processing
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0641 Shopping interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0643 Graphical representation of items or shoppers
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/188 Electronic negotiation

Abstract

A system and program product for enabling dormant computer hardware resources in a computer system having a set of dormant computer hardware resources. The method includes accepting a customer request to enable a set of dormant hardware resources, and providing computer readable instructions to a customer accessible console in communication with the computer system. The instructions are installable by the customer, and are capable of enabling dormant computer hardware resources upon installation. An order process establishes prerequisites, facilitates customer order placement, and provides rapid order fulfillment. Prerequisites include contract terms, information describing the computer system configuration, access to provider systems, and customer system setup. Ordering is facilitated through information management, configuration rules, and an interactive interface, presenting valid configuration options to the customer. Fulfillment is facilitated through parallel processing, providing computer readable upgrade instructions nearly concurrently with provider'"'"'s internal order approval. An alternative embodiment provides upgrade instructions before provider'"'"'s internal order approval.

Claims

1. A computer program product for enabling dormant resources on a computer system, the computer program product comprising:

a tangible storage medium readable by a processing circuit and storing instructions for execution by the processing circuit for performing a method comprising;

an application program accepting an electronic customer request to enable a dormant computer resource of a computer system;

the application program initiating a plurality of parallel computer program tasks to be performed simultaneously, the application program comprising one or more application program process gates, said application program process gates for synchronizing the progress of initiated parallel computer program tasks, wherein said parallel computer program tasks comprise computer program tasks to be performed for enabling dormant computer resources;

a first application program process gate of said one or more application program process gates, having first application program process gate rules for preventing initiation of a third parallel computer program task if the first application program process gate detects that a first initiated parallel computer program task and a second initiated parallel computer program task of said plurality of parallel computer program tasks are not yet synchronized according to said first application program process gate rules;

the first application program process gate permitting initiation of the third parallel computer program task if the first application program process gate detects that both the first initiated parallel computer program task and the second initiated parallel computer program task are synchronized according to said first application program process gate rules;

the application program initiating a billing function computer program task for charging a customer for enabling said dormant computer resource;

the application program initiating a downloading computer program task for downloading to said computer system, computer enabling program code for enabling the dormant computer resource; and

the downloaded computer enabling program code enabling the dormant computer resource of said computer system when all enabling dormant computer resource computer program tasks have been completed according to said application program process gates.

2. The computer program product according to claim 1, wherein the initialized billing function computer program task for charging a customer for enabling said dormant computer resource further comprises:

a negotiating computer program task, negotiating billing information with said customer for the purchase of said ordered customer selected product, said negotiating billing information for billing said customer for the purchase of said enabled dormant computer resource;

if the customer takes delivery of said enabled dormant computer resource within a predetermined time period, the computer application program billing said customer for said delivered enabled dormant computer resource;

if the customer does not take delivery of said enabled dormant computer resource within said predetermined time period, the computer application program cancelling said order and cancelling said billing according to said billing information based on the expiration of said predetermined time period.

3. The computer program according to claim 1, further comprising:

a second application program process gate of said one or more application program process gates, having second application program process gate rules for preventing initiation of a fourth computer program task if the second application program process gate detects that a fourth computer program task and said third initiated parallel computer program task of said plurality of parallel computer program tasks are not yet synchronized according to said second application program process gate rules.

4. The computer program product according to claim 1, wherein one or more of said initiated parallel computer program tasks comprises a task consisting of any one of a customer credit check, approving said customer request, a notification to an Initiator, a manufacturing order or customizing program information for said download.

5. The computer program product according to claim 1, wherein said electronic customer request is received from a customer accessible console of the computer system.

6. The computer program product according to claim 1, wherein the customer taking delivery comprises the customer downloading program code for enabling said dormant resource.

7. The computer program product according to claim 1, wherein the downloading further comprises instructions for enabling said dormant resource, said instructions reflecting dormant resources available for enabling.

8. The computer program product according to claim 7, further comprising an invoice generating computer program task, said generating computer program task generating an invoice upon any one of customer download of said program code for enabling said dormant resource or enablement of dormant resources.

9. A system for enabling dormant resources on a computer system, the system comprising:

a download computer in communication with a network;

a computer system in communication with the download computer system by way of said network;

wherein the computer system includes instructions to execute a method comprising;

an application program accepting an electronic customer request to enable a dormant computer resource of a computer system;

the application program initiating a plurality of parallel computer program tasks to be performed simultaneously, the application program comprising one or more application program process gates, said application program process gates for synchronizing the progress of initiated parallel computer program tasks, wherein said parallel computer program tasks comprise computer program tasks to be performed for enabling dormant computer resources;

a first application program process gate of said one or more application program process gates, having first application program process gate rules for preventing initiation of a third parallel computer program task if the first application program process gate detects that a first initiated parallel computer program task and a second initiated parallel computer program task of said plurality of parallel computer program tasks are not yet synchronized according to said first application program process gate rules;

the first application program process gate permitting initiation of the third parallel computer program task if the first application program process gate detects that both the first initiated parallel computer program task and the second initiated parallel computer program task are synchronized according to said first application program process gate rules;

the application program initiating a billing function computer program task for charging a customer for enabling said dormant computer resource;

the application program initiating a downloading computer program task for downloading to said computer system, computer enabling program code for enabling the dormant computer resources; and

the downloaded computer enabling program code enabling the dormant computer resource of said computer system when all enabling dormant computer resource computer program tasks have been completed according to said application program process gates.

10. The system according to claim 9, wherein the initialized billing function computer program task for charging a customer for enabling said dormant computer resource further comprises:

a negotiating computer program task, negotiating billing information with said customer for the purchase of said ordered customer selected product, said negotiated billing information for billing said customer for the purchase of said enabled dormant computer resource;

if the customer takes delivery of said enabled dormant computer resource within a predetermined time period, the computer application program billing said customer for said delivered enabled dormant computer resource;

if the customer does not take delivery of said enabled dormant computer resource within said predetermined time period, the computer application program cancelling said order and cancelling said billing according to said billing information based on the expiration of said predetermined time period.

11. The system according to claim 9, further comprising:

a second application program process gate of said one or more application program process gates, having second application program process gate rules for preventing initiation of a fourth computer program task if the second application program process gate detects that a fourth computer program task and said third initiated parallel computer program task of said plurality of parallel computer program tasks are not yet synchronized according to said second application program process gate rules.

12. The system according to claim 9, wherein one or more of said initiated parallel computer program tasks comprises a task consisting of any one of a customer credit check, approving said customer request, a notification to an Initiator, a manufacturing order or customizing program information for said download.

13. The system according to claim 9, wherein the downloading further comprises instructions for enabling said dormant resource, said instructions reflecting dormant resources available for enabling, further comprising an invoice generating computer program task, said generating computer program task generating an invoice upon any one of customer download of said program code for enabling said dormant resource or enablement of dormant resource.