INFORMATION GATHERING TOOL FOR SYSTEMS ADMINISTRATION

• US 20080275976A1
• Filed: 10/24/2007
• Published: 11/06/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 07/31/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Kline, Christopher Norman
• Granted Patent: US 7,856,496 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/223
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3495 for systems
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99934 Query formulation, input preparation, or translation

Abstract

A method and program product for gathering information about a system. A user logs on to the system, and in response, computer programming automatically identifies application instances executing in the system, determines whether the system is configured for high availability, determines whether each of the identified application instances is configured for high availability, determines if the system is a node of a cluster of systems, and compiles and displays a unified report of the resulting information. The foregoing type of information is automatically compiled and displayed for other systems as well, in different respective sessions.

Claims

1. A method for gathering information about a system, said method comprising the steps of:

a user logging on to said system, and in response, computer programming automatically performing the following steps;

identifying application instances executing in said system;

determining whether said system is configured for high availability;

determining whether each of the identified application instances is configured for high availability;

determining if said system is a node of a cluster of systems; and

compiling and displaying a unified report of information resulting from the foregoing steps.

2. A method as set forth in claim 1 wherein said programming automatically performs said steps within ten seconds of said user logging on.

3. A method as set forth in claim 1 wherein said computer program automatically performing the following additional step in response to the step of logging on:

identifying message brokers in said system; and

wherein said report includes information resulting from the message broker identifying step.

4. A method as set forth in claim 1 wherein when said system and an application instance are both configured for high availability, said report includes advice that related systems need similar updates.

5. A method as set forth in claim 4 wherein when said system and an application instance are both configured for high availability, said report includes advice that related systems need similar scheduler utilities or exits.

6. A method as set forth in claim 1 wherein the step of determining if said system is a node of cluster of systems comprises the steps of:

determining if an operating system in said system is a type which supports said system being a node in a cluster of systems, and if so, searching for a configuration file, associated with said operating system, indicating whether said system is a node of a cluster of systems; and

if said configuration file is found, determining different names of said system in said cluster of systems indicated by said configuration file, and

if said configuration file is not found, determining a single name of said system.

7. A method as set forth in claim 1 wherein said computer programming executes in said system, and is automatically invoked by an operating system within said system after said user logs on to said system.

8. A computer program product for gathering information about a system, said computer program product comprising:

a computer readable medium;

first program instructions to identify application instances executing in said system;

second program instructions to determine whether said system is configured for high availability;

third program instructions to determine whether each of the identified application instances is configured for high availability;

fourth program instructions to determine if said system is a node of a cluster of systems; and

fifth program instructions to compile and display a unified report of information resulting from the foregoing steps; and

wherein

said first, second, third, fourth and fifth program instructions are automatically invoked in response to a user logging on to said system and are recorded on said medium.

9. A computer program product as set forth in claim 8 wherein said first, second, third, fourth and fifth program instructions are automatically executed within ten seconds of said user logging on.

10. A method for gathering information about first and second systems operated from a common management console, said method comprising the steps of:

a user logging on to said first system in a first session, and in response, first computer programming automatically performing the following steps;

identifying application instances executing in said first system;

determining whether said first system is configured for high availability;

determining whether each of the identified application instances in said first system is configured for high availability;

determining if said first system is a node of a cluster of systems;

compiling and displaying a first, unified report of information resulting from the foregoing steps performed for said first system; and

said user logging on to said second system in a second session, and in response, second computer programming automatically performing the following steps;

identifying application instances executing in said second system;

determining whether said second system is configured for high availability;

determining whether each of the identified application instances in said second system is configured for high availability;

determining if said second system is a node of a cluster of systems; and

compiling and displaying a second, unified report of information resulting from the foregoing steps performed for said second system.

11. A method as set forth in claim 10 wherein:

said first computer programming executes in said first system, and is automatically invoked by a first operating system within said first system after said user logs on to said first system; and

said second computer programming executes in said second system, and is automatically invoked by a second operating system within said second system after said user logs on to said second system.