Rapidly Assembling and Deploying Selected Software Solutions

• US 20090037875A1
• Filed: 08/03/2007
• Published: 02/05/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 08/03/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Jones, Andrew R., Tan, Ray Z., Olivas, Michael R.
• Granted Patent: US 8,015,546 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 717/109
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/34 Graphical or visual programming
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/36 Software reuse
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling

Abstract

Methods and Systems are provided for assembling a software information technology (IT) solution using a graphical user interface (GUI) based development environment. Software solution building blocks (e.g., plug-ins) are selected and stored in a catalog of solutions within the development environment. Meta data is generated for each of the selected building blocks describing the building block'"'"'s compatibility with other building blocks. The building blocks displayed in the catalog of solutions may be selected for the IT software solution by a software developer based on input from the customer for the requirements of the IT software solution. A set of logical relationships between the building blocks is based on the meta data, allowing the IT software solution to be created and modified by adding building blocks without incurring extensive system integration services for building block installation and configuration.

Claims

1. A method of assembling a software solution, comprising:

storing a plurality of software building blocks each having a functional software component and a meta data component, the meta data component describing one or more attributes of the software solution;

generating logical relationships between said plurality of software building blocks based on said meta data components;

receiving inputs for selecting a subset of building blocks from among said plurality of software building blocks for use in the software solution; and

generating a description file describing the subset of building blocks and the logical relationships between the software building blocks in said subset of building blocks.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

displaying a graphic representation of said plurality of software building blocks on a user accessible display;

wherein said inputs for selecting the subset of building blocks include the selection of a graphical user interface (GUI) objects respectively representing each of the subset of building blocks.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

invoking a rules engine to analyze said meta data components and generate the logical relationships between said plurality of software building blocks.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

applying the generated logical relationships to determine whether additional building blocks are needed for said software solution.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

generating a software solution installation image based on said description file; and

exporting the software solution installation image to a machine readable computer storage media.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

generating an installation and configuration wrapper for each of said plurality of software building blocks.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the generation of said software solution installation image is based upon the description file and uses said installation and configuration wrappers.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of software building blocks comprises a first software building block that includes a first meta data component wherein the one or more attributes of the first meta data component specify the plurality of software building blocks compatible with the first software building block.

9. A software product comprising a machine readable medium including a program of instructions, wherein the program of instructions upon being executed on a device causes the device to:

store a plurality of software building blocks each having a functional software component and a meta data component, the meta data component describing one or more attributes of the software solution;

generate logical relationships between said plurality of software building blocks based on said meta data components;

receive inputs for selecting a subset of building blocks from among said plurality of software building blocks for use in the software solution; and

generate a description file describing the subset of building blocks and the logical relationships between the software building blocks in said subset of building blocks.

10. The software product according to claim 9, further causing the device to:

display a graphic representation of said plurality of software building blocks on a user accessible display;

wherein said inputs for selecting the subset of building blocks include the selection of a graphical user interface (GUT) objects respectively representing each of the subset of building blocks.

11. The software product according to claim 9, further causing the device to:

invoke a rules engine to analyze said meta data components and generate the logical relationships between said plurality of software building blocks.

12. The software product according to claim 11, further causing the device to:

apply the generated logical relationships to determine whether additional building blocks are needed for said software solution.

13. The software product according to claim 9, further causing the device to:

generate a software solution installation image based on said description file; and

exporte the software solution installation image to a machine readable computer storage media.

14. The software product according to claim 9, further causing the device to:

generate an installation and configuration wrapper for each of said plurality of software building blocks.

15. The software product according to claim 14, wherein the generation of said software solution installation image is based upon the description file and uses said installation and configuration wrappers.

16. The software product according to claim 9, wherein the plurality of software building blocks comprises a first software building block that includes a first meta data component, wherein the one or more attributes of the first meta data component specify the plurality of software building blocks compatible with the first software building block.

17. A system configured to assemble a software solution, the system comprising:

an electronically readable storage medium configured to store a plurality of software solution building blocks each having a functional software component and a meta data component, the meta data component describing one or more attributes of the software solution;

processor configure to execute instructions to generate logical relationships between said plurality of software building blocks based on said meta data components;

a display device configured to display a graphic representation of said plurality of software building blocks on a user accessible display; and

a user input device configured to receive inputs for selecting a subset of building blocks from among said plurality of software building blocks for use in the software solution;

wherein the processor further generates a description file describing the subset of building blocks and the logical relationships between the software building blocks in said subset of building blocks.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein said display device is further configured to display a graphic representation of said plurality of software building blocks on a user accessible display;

wherein said inputs for selecting the subset of building blocks include the selection of a graphical user interface (GUI) objects respectively representing each of the subset of building blocks.

19. The system of claim 17, wherein the processor further generates an installation and configuration wrapper for each of said plurality of software building blocks.

20. The system of claim 17, wherein the plurality of software building blocks comprises a first software building block that includes a first meta data component, wherein the one or more attributes of the first meta data component specify the plurality of software building blocks compatible with the first software building block.