COMPUTER SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR WORKFLOW AUTOMATION

• US 20090012828A1
• Filed: 03/07/2008
• Published: 01/08/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 03/09/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: CommVault Systems Incorporated
• Original Assignee: CommVault Systems Incorporated
• Inventors: Messore, Peter, Brower, Robert Keith JR.
• Granted Patent: US 8,290,808 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/7
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06313 Resource planning in a project environment

Abstract

Computer systems and methods are disclosed for improving professional services delivery, such as services in a data management environment. In certain examples, computer systems comprise portals for transmitting and receiving information from parties involved in the performance and receipt of professional services. For instance, a first portal can receive data (e.g., from sales personnel) descriptive of a customer'"'"'s product environment. A manager module populates a record with the data, and a second portal provides the customer with access to the record for review, correction and/or validation prior to the generation of a Statement of Work or other like project description. The second portal can also request additional information from the customer regarding the product environment. The manager module compares the data received through the first portal with the customer-entered information to identify and/or address discrepancies between the sets of data and customize the generation of the Statement of Work.

Claims

1. A computer system for automatically identifying service recommendations for data management environments, the computer system comprising:

a plurality of records corresponding to a plurality of data storage system environments of a plurality of customers;

a first portal module configured to receive first data regarding a first data storage system of the plurality of data storage system environments, the first data storage system corresponding to a customer of the plurality of customers;

a manager module in communication with the first portal module to receive the first data, the manager module being configured populate a first record of the plurality of records with the first data; and

a second portal module in communication with the manager module and configured to transmit the first record for review by the customer, the second portal module being further configured to receive validation input from the customer with respect to the first record,

and wherein, after receiving said validation input, the manager module is further configured to automatically generate a proposed project description of services to be performed with respect to the first data storage system based at least on the first data from the first record.

2. The computer system of claim 1, wherein the second portal module is further configured to receive second data from the customer pertaining to the first data storage system.

3. The computer system of claim 2, wherein the manager module is further configured to compare the first data received by the first portal module and the second data received by the second portal module, the manager module being further configured to transmit an alert identifying discrepancies between the first data and the second data.

4. The computer system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first and second portal modules comprises a web-based interface.

5. The computer system of claim 1, further comprising a third portal module configured to receive second input regarding completion of the services performed with respect to the first data storage system.

6. The computer system of claim 5, wherein the first, second and third portal modules operate on a single server.

7. The computer system of claim 1, wherein the manager module is further configured to identify one or more aspects of the first data storage system needing additional description from the customer.

8. The computer system of claim 1, wherein the project description comprises a Statement of Work.

9. The computer system of claim 1, wherein the first data is indicative of a storage architecture of the first data storage system.

10. A computer system for automating workflow for services in a data management environment, the computer system comprising:

means for storing records corresponding to a plurality of data storage system environments;

means for receiving first data regarding a first data storage system of the plurality of data storage system environments, the first data storage system corresponding to a customer;

means for populating a first record of the plurality of records with the first data;

means for providing the customer with access to the first record, said means for providing being further configured to receive validation input from the customer with respect to the first record,

and wherein, after receiving said validation input, said means for populating is further configured to generate a proposed project description of services to be performed with respect to the first data storage system based at least on the first data of the first record.

11. The computer system of claim 10, wherein said means for transmitting is further configured to receive additional input from the customer prior to said generation of the proposed project description.

12. The computer system of claim 11, wherein the additional input comprises corrections to the first data in the first record.

13. The computer system of claim 11, wherein said means for populating is further configured to identify discrepancies between the first data and the additional input.

14. A method for automating workflow in the performance of professional services, the method comprising:

receiving first data indicative of a product environment of a customer;

storing the first data in one or more records;

providing the customer with access to the one or more records through a network accessible interface;

receiving validation input from the customer regarding the first data of the one or more records; and

following said receiving the validation input, automatically generating a description of one or more recommended services to be performed with respect to the product environment based at least in part on the validated first data.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the product environment comprises a data management environment.

16. The method of claim 14, additionally receiving completion data regarding the performance of the one or more recommended services.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein said receiving first data further comprises receiving the first data from a remote location over a network.

18. The method of claim 14, additionally comprising receiving from the customer second data indicative of the product environment following said providing the customer with access to the one or more records.

19. The method of claim 18, additionally comprising comparing said first and second data.

20. The method of claim 19, additionally comprising issuing an alert when one or more discrepancies exist between the first and second data.