MODELING, MONITORING, AND MANAGING SYSTEM DIMENSIONS FOR A SERVICE ASSURANCE SYSTEM

• US 20100076798A1
• Filed: 09/25/2008
• Published: 03/25/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 09/25/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: French, Paul B.
• Granted Patent: US 9,123,020 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 10/0635 Risk analysis of enterprise or organisation activities
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06375 Prediction of business process outcome or impact based on a proposed change
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06395 Quality analysis or management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/08 Insurance

Abstract

A user interface accepts a model of a proposed system solution for a service assurance system. A Dimensioning Engine receives the solution and determines dimensions for the solution. The dimensions specify any of: a quantity of CPUs, a rating for the quantity of CPUs, an amount of disk storage, a memory requirement, or a CPU processing parameter. A Dimensioning Model Manager stores data from equipment and product vendors to determine the solution by taking into account specific characteristics of an equipment or a product to be used in the service assurance system. A Dimensioning Monitor (DM) monitors the model of the solution against events occurring in the service assurance system. The DM transmits an alert if the service assurance system underperforms or overperforms with reference to the model. The DM determines changes to the model into line with a current set of operational conditions, or updates the dimensions.

Claims

1. A computer-executable method for modeling, monitoring, and managing system dimensions for a service assurance system, the method comprising:

accepting a model of a proposed system solution for the service assurance system;

determining one or more dimensions for the system solution from the accepted model;

monitoring the model of the proposed system solution against one or more events occurring in the service assurance system;

transmitting an alert when the service assurance system underperforms with reference to the model;

transmitting the alert when the service assurance system overperforms with reference to the model; and

,

in response to an occurrence of one or more events in the service assurance system, performing at least one of;

(a) determining one or more changes to the model to bring the model into line with a currently existing set of operational conditions;

or (b) updating the one or more dimensions.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising using a graphical user interface to accept the model of a proposed system solution for the service assurance system.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising accepting the model by importing the model via an XML file.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising storing and accessing data from each of a plurality of equipment and product vendors to thereby determine the system solution by taking into account one or more specific characteristics of an equipment or a product to be used in the service assurance system;

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the one or more dimensions specify one or more of a number or quantity of Central Processing Units (CPUs), a rating for the number or quantity of CPUs, an available amount of disk storage, a memory requirement, or a CPU processing parameter.

6. The method of claim 4 further comprising storing and accessing the data from each of a plurality of equipment and product vendors to provide a ‘

what if’

functionality comprising determining one or more hypothetical dimensions for the system solution in response to accepting one or more proposed hypothetical changes to the model.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein the one or more hypothetical changes encompass at least one of a network expansion or an increased customer base.

8. A computer program product comprising a storage medium readable by a processing circuit and storing instructions for execution by the processing circuit for facilitating a method for modeling, monitoring, and managing system dimensions for a service assurance system, the method comprising:

accepting a model of a proposed system solution for the service assurance system;

determining one or more dimensions for the system solution from the accepted model;

monitoring the model of the proposed system solution against one or more events occurring in the service assurance system;

transmitting an alert when the service assurance system underperforms with reference to the model;

transmitting the alert when the service assurance system overperforms with reference to the model; and

,

in response to an occurrence of one or more events in the service assurance system, performing at least one of;

(a) determining one or more changes to the model to bring the model into line with a currently existing set of operational conditions;

or (b) updating the one or more dimensions.

9. The computer program product of claim 8 further comprising using a graphical user interface to accept the model of a proposed system solution for the service assurance system.

10. The computer program product of claim 8 further comprising accepting the model by importing the model via an XML file.

11. The computer program product of claim 8 further comprising storing and accessing data from each of a plurality of equipment and product vendors to thereby determine the system solution by taking into account one or more specific characteristics of an equipment or a product to be used in the service assurance system;

12. The computer program product of claim 8 wherein the one or more dimensions specify one or more of a number or quantity of Central Processing Units (CPUs), a rating for the number or quantity of CPUs, an available amount of disk storage, a memory requirement, or a CPU processing parameter.

13. The computer program product of claim 11 further comprising storing and accessing the data from each of a plurality of equipment and product vendors to provide a ‘

what if’

functionality comprising determining one or more hypothetical dimensions for the system solution in response to accepting one or more proposed hypothetical changes to the model.

14. The computer program product of claim 13 wherein the one or more hypothetical changes encompass at least one of a network expansion or an increased customer base.

15. An apparatus for modeling, monitoring, and managing system dimensions for a service assurance system, the apparatus comprising:

a graphical user interface for accepting a model of a proposed system solution for the service assurance system;

a Dimensioning Model Manager (DMM) operatively coupled to the graphical user interface, the DMM including a database for storing the accepted model;

a Dimensioning Engine (DE), operatively coupled to the DMM, for receiving the proposed system solution from the database and determining one or more dimensions for the system solution;

a Dimensioning Monitor (DM), operatively couple to the database, for monitoring the model of the proposed system solution against one or more events occurring in the service assurance system, wherein the DM transmits an alert if the service assurance system underperforms with reference to the model, wherein the DM transmits the alert if the service assurance system overperforms with reference to the model and wherein, in response to an occurrence of one or more events in the service assurance system, the DM performs at least one of;

(a) determining one or more changes to the model to bring the model into line with a currently existing set of operational conditions;

or (b) updating the one or more dimensions.

16. The apparatus of claim 15 wherein the one or more dimensions specify one or more of a number or quantity of Central Processing Units (CPUs), a rating for the number or quantity of CPUs, an available amount of disk storage, a memory requirement, or a CPU processing parameter.

17. The apparatus of claim 16 wherein the DMM stores and accesses data from each of a plurality of equipment and product vendors to thereby determine the system solution by taking into account one or more specific characteristics of an equipment or a product to be used in the service assurance system.

18. The apparatus of claim 15 wherein the DMM stores and accesses the data from each of a plurality of equipment and product vendors in order support ‘

what if’

functionality in conjunction with the DE, such that the DE determines one or more hypothetical dimensions for the system solution in response to the graphical user interface accepting one or more proposed hypothetical changes to the model.

19. The apparatus of claim 18 wherein the one or more hypothetical changes encompass one or more of a network expansion or an increased customer base.

20. The apparatus of claim 15 wherein the graphical user interface provides a user option for inputting the model by importing the model via an XML file.