Method and Management System for Configuring an Information System

• US 20080195895A1
• Filed: 04/22/2008
• Published: 08/14/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 03/23/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
• Original Assignee: Fujitsu Siemens Computers GmbH (Fujitsu Limited)
• Inventors: Kaefer, Gerald, Schmid, Reiner
• Granted Patent: US 7,975,185 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 714/37
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/008 Reliability or availability analysis
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1096 Parity calculation or recalculation after configuration or reconfiguration of the system

Abstract

According to the method for configuring an information system (1), components (2) are provided for the information system (1) and component-specific error susceptibility data (3) on the individual components (2). For a given system configuration (5), error susceptibility information (7) is determined for the information system (1) in this given system configuration (5) as a function of the component-specific error susceptibility data (3). The error susceptibility information (7) is evaluated with reference to given evaluation criteria (8). In a subsequent step, the information system (1) is configured in the given system configuration (5) if the error susceptibility information (7) satisfies the given evaluation criteria (8). By means of the method, it is achieved that only system configurations are accepted that satisfy requirements specified by the evaluation criteria (8) with respect to the reliability of the information system (1).

Claims

1. A method for configuring an information system, the method comprising:

providing components for the information system;

providing component-specific error susceptibility data on the individual components;

providing a given system configuration for the information system, the system configuration determining the components to be used;

determining error susceptibility information for the information system in the given system configuration as a function of the component-specific error susceptibility data;

evaluating the error susceptibility information with reference to given evaluation criteria; and

configuring the information system in the given system configuration if the error susceptibility information satisfies the given evaluation criteria.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the component-specific error susceptibility data is provided by a central database.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the component-specific error susceptibility data is provided by the components themselves.

4. The method according to claim 3, wherein the component-specific error susceptibility data is stored in a central database and is provided mirrored by the components.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the component-specific error susceptibility data includes error likelihood and/or failure likelihood of the components.

6. The method according to claim 5, wherein the error likelihood and/or the failure likelihood of the components is specified as a function of an operating period of the components.

7. The method according to claim 5, wherein the component-specific error susceptibility data includes error likelihood of the components.

8. The method according to claim 5, wherein the component-specific error susceptibility data includes failure likelihood of the components.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein the component-specific error susceptibility data includes statistics on previous failures of the components.

10. The method according to claim 9, wherein the component-specific error susceptibility data further includes information on expected downtimes for replacing the components.

11. The method according to claim 1, wherein the component-specific error susceptibility data includes information on expected downtimes for replacing the components

12. The method according to claim 1, wherein the component-specific error susceptibility data is specified completely or partially as a function of the use of the components.

13. The method according to claim 12, wherein use information is provided by the information system and wherein the error susceptibility information for the information system is determined as a function of the use information and use-dependent, component-specific error susceptibility data.

14. A management system for configuring an information system, the management system comprising:

an estimation unit designed for determining error susceptibility information for the information system as a function of the component-specific error susceptibility data and a given system configuration for the information system; and

an evaluation unit designed for evaluating the error susceptibility information with reference to given evaluation criteria, wherein the information system can be configured in the given system configuration if the error susceptibility information satisfies the given evaluation criteria.

15. The management system according to claim 14, wherein the evaluation unit is designed to provide the system configuration to the estimation unit for determining error susceptibility information.

16. The management system according to claim 14, further comprising a central database for storing component-specific error susceptibility data.

17. A computer program product with program code for executing a method when run on a computer, the method comprising:

receiving component-specific error susceptibility data on individual components of an information system;

receiving a given system configuration for the information system, the system configuration determining the components to be used;

determining error susceptibility information for the information system in the given system configuration as a function of the component-specific error susceptibility data;

evaluating the error susceptibility information with reference to given evaluation criteria; and

providing configuration information so that the information system can be configured in the given system configuration if the error susceptibility information satisfies the given evaluation criteria.

18. The computer program product of claim 17, wherein the component-specific error susceptibility data includes error likelihood and/or failure likelihood of the components.

19. The computer program product of claim 17, wherein the component-specific error susceptibility data includes statistics on previous failures of the components and/or information on expected downtimes for replacing the components.

20. The computer program product of claim 17, wherein use information is provided by the information system and wherein the error susceptibility information for the information system is determined as a function of the use information and use-dependent, component-specific error susceptibility data.