SIMPLIFIED DEPLOYMENT MODELING

• US 20100031247A1
• Filed: 07/29/2008
• Published: 02/04/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 07/29/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Holliday, Chad, Swanke, John E., Blancett, Brad L., Konstantinou, Alexander V., Elder, Michael D., Berg, Daniel C., Pouyer, Timothy A., Snible, Edward C., Makin, Narinder, Arnold, William C., Sluiman, Harm, Eilam, Tamar, Kalantar, Michael H., Trossman, Andrew N., Totok, Alexander A.
• Granted Patent: US 8,291,378 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 717/174
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/61 Installation

Abstract

A deployment modeling platform enables a user to model application characteristics of target software and to associate application modeling parameters to the modeled application characteristics. A user may also model environment characteristics of a target deployment environment and to associate environment modeling parameters to the modeled deployment environment characteristics. Still further, a user may create a deployment model that associates and maps selected parameters of the modeled application characteristics of the target software to associated parameters of the modeled environment characteristics of the deployment environment, and to verify that each parameter that relates to a requirement is mapped to and is fulfilled by an associated parameter that relates to a corresponding capability to determine whether validation problems exist in order to deploy the target software in the associated deployment environment.

Claims

1. A computer program product for implementing a deployment modeling platform, comprising:

a computer usable medium having computer usable program code embodied therewith, the computer usable program code comprising;

computer usable program code configured to enable a user to model application characteristics of target software and to associate application modeling parameters to the modeled application characteristics;

computer usable program code configured to enable a user to model environment characteristics of a target deployment environment and to associate environment modeling parameters to the modeled deployment environment characteristics;

computer usable program code configured to enable a user to create a deployment model that associates and maps selected parameters of the modeled application characteristics of the target software to associated parameters of the modeled environment characteristics of the deployment environment;

computer usable program code configured to verify that each parameter of the deployment model specified for an associated one of the modeled environment characteristics and modeled application characteristics that relates to a requirement is mapped to and is fulfilled by an associated parameter specified for one of the modeled environment characteristics and modeled application characteristics that relates to a corresponding capability to determine whether validation problems exist in order to deploy the target software in the associated deployment environment; and

computer usable program code configured to convey any determined validation problems to a user, wherein the modeled target application characteristics are checked against a corresponding modeled deployment environment.

2. The computer program product according to claim 1, wherein the computer usable program code configured to enable a user to model application characteristics of target software and to associate application modeling parameters to the modeled application characteristics comprises:

computer usable program code configured to associate application modeling parameters including at least one of checks, constraints, requirements and capabilities.

3. The computer program product according to claim 1, wherein the computer usable program code configured to enable a user to model environment characteristics of a target deployment environment and to associate environment modeling parameters to the modeled deployment environment comprises:

computer usable program code configured to associate environment modeling parameters including at least one of an environment capability and an environment requirement.

4. The computer program product according to claim 3, wherein the comprises computer usable program code configured to associate environment modeling parameters comprising at least one of an environment capability and an environment requirement further comprises:

computer usable program code configured to constrain deployment of the target software so as to;

capture at least one of functional requirements and nonfunctional properties of the deployment environment, and to

associate at least one of restrictions and requirements to the modeled deployment environment.

5. The computer program product according to claim 1, wherein:

the computer usable program code configured to enable a user to model application characteristics of target software and to associate application modeling parameters to the modeled application characteristics comprises;

computer usable program code configured to model application characteristics including business requirements and workflows implemented by the software; and

the computer usable program code configured to enable a user to model environment characteristics of a target deployment environment and to associate environment modeling parameters to the modeled deployment environment comprises;

computer usable program code configured to model environment characteristics including at least one of;

hardware availability, hardware capability, hardware requirements, software availability, software capability, software requirements, and hardware and software interoperability requirements.

6. The computer program product according to claim 1, wherein the computer usable program code configured to enable a user to create a deployment model that associates and maps selected parameters of the modeled application characteristics of the target software to associated parameters of the modeled environment characteristics of the deployment environment comprises:

computer usable program code to bind the modeled application characteristics to associated resource requirements and capabilities of modeled environment characteristics and to resolve interoperability issues that would prevent deployment of the target software on the deployment environment.

7. The computer program product according to claim 1, further comprising:

computer usable program code configured to define models based upon a common unit model framework that can be utilized to model specific instances of domain representations; and

computer usable program code configured to implement a declarative extension mechanism that allows software contributions to be linked to an associated unit model following defined patterns of behavior such that third party contributors may act on the associated unit model.

8. The computer program product according to claim 1, further comprising:

computer usable program code configured to enable a user to define “

yet to be created”

models.

9. The computer program product according to claim 1, wherein computer usable program code configured to enable a user to create a deployment model that associates and maps selected parameters of the modeled application characteristics of the target software to associated parameters of the modeled environment characteristics of the deployment environment further comprises:

computer usable program code configured to verify that requirements specified for an associated model are fulfilled by matching requirements against one or more capabilities of other models using various links including at least one of a dependency link, a hosting link, a constraint link a realization link and a member link.

10. The computer program product according to claim 1, wherein the computer usable program code configured to verify that each parameter specified for an associated one of the modeled environment characteristics and modeled application characteristics that relates to a requirement is mapped to and is fulfilled by an associated parameter further comprises:

computer usable program code configured to perform automatically, at least one of locating and resolving requirement matches.

11. The computer program product according to claim 1, further comprising computer usable program code to drive automated deployment and configuration of target software in a target deployment environment where the corresponding modeled application characteristics and associated modeled resource requirements and capabilities have been validated.

12. The computer program product according to claim 1, further comprising:

computer usable program code to define the modeled application characteristics and associated modeled environment characteristics by topologies implemented as a hierarchy/tree view that comprises;

a top layer that places a logical analysis at the top of the hierarchy, which utilizes a repeated process of elaboration to define an analysis topology that deals with component placement;

an intermediate layer in the hierarchy that corresponds to a physical analysis; and

a bottom layer of deployment instances.

13. The computer program product according to claim 1, further comprising computer usable program code configured to implement templates as models that are stripped of details of an associated instance, but retain requirements and capabilities.

14. The computer program product according to claim 1, wherein:

the computer usable program code configured to enable a user to model environment characteristics of a target deployment environment and to associate environment modeling parameters to the modeled deployment environment characteristics further comprises;

computer usable program code configured to create reusable, cross-domain template models that constrain deployment to the current state of computing capabilities and requirements of the deployment environment; and

computer usable program code configured to extract deployment patterns from the template models to create information technology templates which are representative of the target environment that serves as an input into a solution design;

the computer usable program code configured to enable a user to model application characteristics of target software and to associate application modeling parameters to the modeled application characteristics further comprises;

computer usable program code configured to capture the deployment requirements of the target software and to associate the captured deployment requirements with associated information technology templates so that the information technology templates serve as the hosting target of application components that are intended to be deployed; and

computer usable program code configured to create applications templates that capture the capabilities and requirements of components of the target software application;

and wherein the computer usable program code configured to enable a user to create a deployment model that associates and maps selected parameters of the modeled application characteristics of the target software to associated parameters of the modeled environment characteristics of the deployment environment further comprises;

computer usable program code configured to fulfill requirements and constraints of the information technology templates and applications templates to produce a fully resolved to-be model that represents the desired state of the deployment environment after publication of the target software, wherein the to-be model may be utilized to bind and configure the associated deployment environment for deployment of the developed target software application.

15. A method for implementing a deployment modeling platform, comprising:

using a graphic user interface of a processing device to model application characteristics of target software by associating application modeling parameters to the modeled application characteristics;

using a graphic user interface of a processing device to model environment characteristics of a target deployment environment by associating environment modeling parameters to the modeled deployment environment characteristics;

using a graphic user interface of a processing device to create a deployment model that associates and maps selected parameters of the modeled application characteristics of the target software to associated parameters of the modeled environment characteristics of the deployment environment;

verifying that each parameter of the deployment model specified for an associated one of the modeled environment characteristics and modeled application characteristics that relates to a requirement is mapped to and is fulfilled by an associated parameter of the deployment model specified for one of the modeled environment characteristics and modeled application characteristics that relates to a corresponding capability to determine whether validation problems exist in order to deploy the target software in the associated deployment environment; and

conveying any determined validation problems to a user, wherein the modeled target application characteristics are checked against a corresponding modeled deployment environment.

16. The method according to claim 15, wherein using a graphic user interface of a processing device to model application characteristics of target software by associating application modeling parameters to the modeled application characteristics comprises:

associating application modeling parameters including at least one of checks, constraints, requirements and capabilities.

17. The method according to claim 15, wherein using a graphic user interface of a processing device to model environment characteristics of a target deployment environment by associating environment modeling parameters to the modeled deployment environment characteristics comprises:

associating environment modeling parameters including at least one of an environment capability and an environment requirement.

18. The method according to claim 17, wherein associating environment modeling parameters comprising at least one of an environment capability and an environment requirement further comprises:

constraining deployment of the target software so as to;

capture at least one of functional requirements and nonfunctional properties of the deployment environment, and to

associate at least one of restrictions and requirements to the modeled deployment environment.

19. The method according to claim 15, wherein:

using a graphic user interface of a processing device to model application characteristics of target software by associating application modeling parameters to the modeled application characteristics comprises;

modeling application characteristics including business requirements and workflows implemented by the software; and

using a graphic user interface of a processing device to model environment characteristics of a target deployment environment by associating environment modeling parameters to the modeled deployment environment characteristics comprises;

modeling environment characteristics including at least one of;

hardware availability, hardware capability, hardware requirements, software availability, software capability, software requirements, and hardware and software interoperability requirements.

20. The method according to claim 15, wherein using a graphic user interface of a processing device to create a deployment model that associates and maps selected parameters of the modeled application characteristics of the target software to associated parameters of the modeled environment characteristics of the deployment environment comprises:

binding the modeled application characteristics to associated resource requirements and capabilities of modeled environment characteristics and to resolve interoperability issues that would prevent deployment of the target software on the deployment environment.

21. The method according to claim 15, further comprising:

defining models based upon a common unit model framework that can be utilized to model specific instances of domain representations; and

implementing a declarative extension mechanism that allows software contributions to be linked to an associated unit model following defined patterns of behavior such that third party contributors may act on the associated unit model.

22. The method according to claim 15, further comprising:

using a graphic user interface of a processing device to define “

yet to be created”

models.

23. The method according to claim 15, wherein using a graphic user interface of a processing device to create a deployment model that associates and maps selected parameters of the modeled application characteristics of the target software to associated parameters of the modeled environment characteristics of the deployment environment further comprises:

verifying that requirements specified for an associated model are fulfilled by matching requirements against one or more capabilities of other models using various links including at least one of a dependency link, a hosting link, a constraint link a realization link and a member link.

24. The method according to claim 15, wherein verifying that each parameter specified for an associated one of the modeled environment characteristics and modeled application characteristics that relates to a requirement is mapped to and is fulfilled by an associated parameter specified for one of the modeled environment characteristics and modeled application characteristics that relates to a corresponding capability to determine whether validation problems exist in order to deploy the target software in the associated deployment environment further comprises:

performing automatically, at least one of locating and resolving requirement matches.

25. The method according to claim 15, further comprising driving automated deployment and configuration of target software in a target deployment environment where the corresponding modeled application characteristics and associated modeled resource requirements and capabilities have been validated.

26. The method according to claim 15, further comprising defining the modeled application characteristics and associated modeled environment characteristics by topologies implemented as a hierarchy/tree view that comprises:

a top layer that places a logical analysis at the top of the hierarchy, which utilizes a repeated process of elaboration to define an analysis topology that deals with component placement;

an intermediate layer in the hierarchy that corresponds to a physical analysis; and

a bottom layer of deployment instances.

27. The method according to claim 15, further comprising implementing templates as models that are stripped of details of an associated instance, but retain requirements and capabilities.

28. The method according to claim 15, wherein:

using a graphic user interface of a processing device to model environment characteristics of a target deployment environment by associating environment modeling parameters to the modeled deployment environment characteristics further comprises;

creating reusable, cross-domain template models that constrain deployment to the current state of computing capabilities and requirements of the deployment environment; and

extracting deployment patterns from the template models to create information technology templates which are representative of the target environment that serves as an input into a solution design;

using a graphic user interface of a processing device to model application characteristics of target software by associating application modeling parameters to the modeled application characteristics further comprises;

capturing the deployment requirements of the target software and associating the captured deployment requirements with associated information technology templates so that the information technology templates serve as the hosting target of application components that are intended to be deployed; and

creating applications templates that capture the capabilities and requirements of components of the target software application;

and wherein using a graphic user interface of a processing device to create a deployment model that associates and maps selected parameters of the modeled application characteristics of the target software to associated parameters of the modeled environment characteristics of the deployment environment further comprises;

fulfilling requirements and constraints of the information technology templates and applications templates to produce a fully resolved to-be model that represents the desired state of the deployment environment after publication of the target software, wherein the to-be model may be utilized to bind and configure the associated deployment environment for deployment of the developed target software application.