METHOD OF FACILITATING MANAGEMENT OF SERVICE ELEMENTS

• US 20080154631A1
• Filed: 03/04/2008
• Published: 06/26/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 04/12/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: GRUNIN, Galina, NGUYEN, Luu Q., GREENSTEIN, Paul G.
• Granted Patent: US 7,904,304 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising

Abstract

A service element is defined and represented by a data structure. It includes one or more components and/or one or more other service elements. A service element providing a complete function is a service offering. Management of service elements and/or service offerings is facilitated by a Service Development Tool. In different aspects, the management includes various tasks associated with creating, modifying and deleting service elements, establishing relationships, error checking and optimization. In a further aspect, service elements are packaged and distributed to enable customers to deliver the service elements. Additionally, the hosting of software packages is facilitated.

Claims

1. A method of facilitating management of service elements, said method comprising:

obtaining a service element, said service element being a non-executable entity and providing at least part of a design specification usable in constructing a service by a service provider, said service element comprising multiple properties, said multiple properties comprising one or more composition items and a cost case, said cost case including an indication of quantity of the one or more composition items of the service element and cost to the service provider of the one or more composition items, and wherein said multiple properties further comprise one or more functional dependencies for the service element identifying other service elements required for the service element to function, each service element comprising a development plan and a deployment plan, the development plan including a design of the service element, and the deployment plan including a specification of service element deployment, which directs customization or integration of entities within the service element pursuant to the development plan;

performing an action associated with the service element;

automatically responding to the action, said automatically responding comprising performing a further action associated with the service element; and

wherein said performing an action comprises performing one or more design changes of the service element, and wherein said automatically responding comprises automatically adjusting one or more development or deployment plans associated with the service element or the other service elements in response to the one or more design changes.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the automatically responding further comprises automatically adjusting the cost case of the service element.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said performing an action comprises performing one or more cost case changes of the service element, and wherein the automatically responding comprises automatically adjusting a design of the service element.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said automatically responding comprises automatically notifying one or more users of the action.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one composition item of the one or more composition items includes an amount of labor used to manage an entity of the service element.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the automatically responding comprises ensuring the cost case associated with the service element is in synchronization with the design of the service element.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the performing an action comprises visually representing one or more aspects of the service element, and wherein the automatically responding comprises storing data of the visual representation in a data structure of said service element.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the visually representing comprises abstracting one or more aspects of the service element.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the abstracting comprises hiding one or more design elements of the service element.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the abstracting comprises excluding from the visual representation one or more design elements of the service element.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein the abstracting comprises restricting one or more representation levels associated with the service element.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the performing an action comprises creating a new version of the service element, and wherein the automatically responding comprises automatically propagating the versioning to one or more other service elements.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the automatically responding comprises checking for one or more errors.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the performing an action comprises visually representing the action on a display, and wherein the automatically responding comprises initiating performance of the action.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the service element comprises an abstract service element providing a placeholder for a service element to be instantiated, said abstract service element being functionally equivalent to a component specifying at least one of labor and materials, but not being provided by a source.

16. A method of facilitating management of service elements, said method comprises:

obtaining a service element providing at least a part of a design specification usable in constructing a service by a service provider, the service element being a non-executable entity comprising multiple properties, the multiple properties including an amount of labor and materials to be used to construct or operate at least part of a service to be billed to a customer, said multiple properties comprising;

one or more composition items, at least one composition item of the one or more composition items quantifying labor and materials not billed to the customer separately;

a cost case, said cost case specifically enumerating the one or more composition items of the service element, including the at least one composition item quantifying labor and materials not billed to the customer separately, providing a quantity for each of the one or more composition items, and providing the cost of the one or more composition items to the service provider; and

an identification of one or more functional dependencies of the service element identifying other service elements required for the service element to function;

wherein each service element comprises a development plan and a deployment plan, the development plan including a design of the service element, and the deployment plan including a specification of service element deployment, which directs customization or integration of entities within the service element pursuant to the development plan;

automatically performing an action associated with the service element;

automatically responding to the action, said automatically responding comprising performing a further action associated with the service element; and

wherein said performing an action comprises performing one or more design changes of the service element, and wherein said automatically responding comprises automatically adjusting one or more development or deployment plans associated with the service element or the other service elements in response to the one or more design changes.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein said automatically performing comprises generating an updated cost case for the service element, in response to an action associated with the service element.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein said automatically performing comprises notifying one or more users of an event associated with the service element.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein said automatically performing comprises adjusting the cost case of the service element, in response to one or more design changes of the service element.

20. The method of claim 16, wherein said automatically performing comprises adjusting a design of the service element, in response to one or more cost case changes of the service element.