APPARATUS, SYSTEM, AND METHOD FOR ASSESSING INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY ENVIRONMENT NEEDS

• US 20080172276A1
• Filed: 01/12/2007
• Published: 07/17/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 01/12/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Burton, Mary C., Johnson, Sandra K.
• Application Number:
  US11/622,953
• Publication Number:
  US 20080172276A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/8
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0637 Strategic management or analysis, e.g. setting a goal or target of an organisation; Planning actions based on goals; Analysis or evaluation of effectiveness of goals
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0203 Market surveys; Market polls

Abstract

An apparatus, system, and method are disclosed for assessing information technology environment needs. A survey module surveys an IT environment. A current profile module creates a current profile of the IT environment. A business need module identifies a business need for the IT environment. A model profile module creates a model profile for the business need. A recommendation module recommends a needed building block for the current profile from a comparison between the current profile and the model profile if the needed building block is available. A request module requests the development of the needed building block if the needed building block is not available.

Claims

1. An apparatus to assess information technology (it) environment needs, the apparatus comprising:

a survey module configured to survey an IT environment;

a current profile module configured to create a current profile of the IT environment, the current profile comprising at least one building block;

a business need module configured to identify a business need for the IT environment;

a model profile module configured to create a model profile for the business need, the model profile comprising at least one building block;

a recommendation module configured to recommend at least one needed building block for the current profile from a comparison with the model profile if the at least one needed building block is available; and

a request module configured to request the development of the at least one needed building block if the at least one needed building block is not available.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the survey module is further configured to survey the IT environment using an agent that polls devices and software in the IT environment.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the survey module is further configured to survey the IT environment by parsing sales data and service data for the IT environment.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the model profile module is further configured to aggregate sales data for a plurality of IT environments that are designed for the business need to create the model profile.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the model profile module is further configured to incorporate market intelligence for products designed for the business need into the model profile.

6. A computer program product comprising a computer useable medium having a computer readable program, wherein the computer readable program when executed on a computer causes the computer to:

survey an IT environment;

create a current profile of the IT environment, the current profile comprising at least one building block;

identify a business need for the IT environment;

create a model profile for the business need, the model profile comprising at least one building block;

recommend at least one needed building block for the current profile from a comparison with the model profile if the at least one needed building block is available; and

request the development of the at least one needed building block if the at least one needed building block is not available.

7. The computer program product of claim 6, wherein the computer readable code is further configured to cause the computer to represent each building block as a metadata keyword.

8. The computer program product of claim 7, wherein the computer readable code is further configured to cause the computer to survey the IT environment by receiving metadata keywords representing the IT environment.

9. The computer program product of claim 6, wherein the computer readable code is further configured to cause the computer to survey the IT environment by polling devices and software in the IT environment.

10. The computer program product of claim 9, wherein an agent polls the IT environment.

11. The computer program product of claim 6, wherein the computer readable code is further configured to cause the computer to survey the IT environment by parsing sales data and service data for the IT environment.

12. The computer program product of claim 6, wherein the computer readable code is further configured to cause the computer to aggregate sales data for a plurality of IT environments that are designed for the business need to create the model profile.

13. The computer program product of claim 12, wherein the computer readable code is further configured to cause the computer to incorporate market intelligence for products designed for the business need into the model profile.

14. The computer program product of claim 12, wherein the computer readable code is further configured to cause the computer to incorporate feedback on the plurality of IT environments into the model profile.

15. The computer program product of claim 6, wherein the current profile and the model profile are configured as Extensible Markup Language files.

16. A system to assess IT environment needs, the system comprising:

an IT system;

a computer in communication with the IT system and comprising

a survey module configured to survey an IT environment for the IT system;

a current profile module configured to create a current profile of the IT environment, the current profile comprising at least one building block;

a business need module configured to identify a business need for the IT environment;

a model profile module configured to create a model profile for the business need, the model profile comprising at least one building block;

a recommendation module configured to recommend at least one needed building block for the current profile from a comparison with the model profile if the at least one needed building block is available; and

a request module configured to request the development of the at least one needed building block if the at least one needed building block is not available.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the survey module is further configured to survey the IT environment using an agent that polls devices and software in the IT environment.

18. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the survey module is further configured to survey the IT environment by parsing sales data and service data for the IT environment.

19. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the model profile module is further configured to aggregate sales data for a plurality of IT environments that are designed for the business need to create the model profile.

20. A method for deploying computer infrastructure, comprising integrating computer-readable code into a computing system, wherein the code in combination with the computing system is capable of performing the following:

surveying an IT environment;

creating a current profile of the IT environment polling devices and software in the IT environment, the current profile comprising at least one building block, wherein each building block is represented as a metadata keyword;

identifying a business need for the IT environment;

creating a model profile for the business need by aggregating sales data for a plurality of IT environments that are designed for the business need, the model profile comprising at least one building block;

incorporating market intelligence for products designed for the business need into the model profile;

recommending at least one needed building block for the current profile from a comparison with the model profile if the at least one needed building block is available; and

requesting the development of the at least one needed building block if the at least one needed building block is not available.