COMPUTER SYSTEM FOR MANAGING CONFIGURATION ITEM, AND METHOD AND COMPUTER PROGRAM THEREFOR

• US 20110131300A9
• Filed: 12/17/2008
• Published: 06/02/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 01/18/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ServiceNow Incorporated
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Suzuki, Yasuhiro, Tsumura, Tadashi, Akiyama, Kazuhito
• Granted Patent: US 8,612,574 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/220
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/288 Entity relationship models
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/44505 Configuring for program initiating, e.g. using registry, configuration files

Abstract

There is provided a method for managing a plurality of configuration items. The method includes holding, at a repository, for each configuration item, one set of data indicating at least one predetermined attribute of the configuration item and a relationship with another configuration item. The method also includes detecting, at a discovery section, information on configuration items. The discovery section performs subsequent detection based on at least one of a predetermined attribute and a predetermined relationship in a new set of data created from the information detected by the discovery section.

Claims

1. A method of managing a plurality of configuration items, the method comprising:

holding, at a repository, for each configuration item, one set of data indicating at least one predetermined attribute of the configuration item and a relationship with another configuration item;

detecting information on the configuration items at a discovery section; and

allowing the discovery section to perform subsequent detection based on at least one of a predetermined attribute and a relationship in a new set of data created from the information detected by the discovery section.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the discovery section detects information on a first configuration item and information on at least one second configuration item having a predetermined relationship with the first configuration item, and wherein the method further comprises determining whether the information on the first configuration item and the information on the second configuration item fulfill a predetermined condition.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the new set of data indicates at least one predetermined attribute of a combination of the first configuration item and the second configuration item and a relationship of the combination with another configuration item.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein in response to the determination that the predetermined condition is fulfilled, the combination is managed as a virtual configuration item, and wherein the new set of data includes virtual configuration item data of the virtual configuration item.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising:

in response to the creation of the virtual configuration item data, setting the discovery section inactive; and

setting a virtual configuration item discovery section for detecting information on a virtual configuration item active.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein the computer system further comprises a virtual data model table for storing a virtual data model defining a condition for establishing a virtual configuration item, and wherein information on the virtual configuration item includes information on an attribute and a relationship selected from at least one of an attribute and a relationship that are defined in the virtual data model, an attribute and a relationship that are unique to the virtual data model, and an attribute and a relationship that are needed to determine the establishing condition for the virtual data model.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising determining whether one set of data of the configuration items stored in the repository fulfills the establishing condition based on at least one of the attribute and relationship defined in the virtual data model.

8. The method of claim 6, further comprising determining whether the virtual configuration item fulfills the predetermined condition based on information collected by the virtual configuration item discovery section, wherein:

when the predetermined condition is fulfilled, collection of information on virtual configuration items is kept by using the virtual configuration item discovery section, and

when the predetermined condition is not fulfilled, virtual configuration item data that does not fulfill the predetermined condition is deleted.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising setting a status of one set of data of configuration items forming the virtual configuration item to an active state when the predetermined condition is not fulfilled.

10. The method of claim 4, further comprising setting a status of the virtual configuration item data active and setting a status of one set of data configuration items forming the virtual configuration item data inactive in response to the creation of the virtual configuration item data.

11. The method of claim 5, further comprising updating an attribute value or a relationship value of the virtual configuration item data based on information on virtual configuration items collected by the virtual configuration item discovery section.

12. A computer system for managing a plurality of configuration items, the computer system comprising:

a repository that holds, for each configuration item, data indicating at least one predetermined attribute of the configuration item and a relationship with another configuration item; and

a discovery section to detect information on the configuration items, wherein the discovery section performs subsequent detection based on at least one of a predetermined attribute and a relationship in a new set of data created from the information detected by the discovery section.

13. A method for managing a plurality of configuration items, the method comprising:

holding, at a repository, for each configuration item, one set of data indicating at least one predetermined attribute of the configuration item and a relationship with another configuration item; and

detecting, at a discovery section, information on the configuration items, wherein the discovery section performs subsequent detection based on at least one of a predetermined attribute and a relationship in a new set of data created from the information detected by the discovery section.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the discovery section detects information on a first configuration item and information on at least one second configuration item having a predetermined relationship with the first configuration item, and

further comprising determining whether the information on the first configuration item and the information on the second configuration item fulfill a predetermined condition.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the new set of data indicates at least one predetermined attribute of a combination of the first configuration item and the second configuration item and indicates a relationship of the combination with another configuration item.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein in response to the determination that the predetermined condition is fulfilled, managing the combination as a virtual configuration item and wherein the new set of data includes virtual configuration item data of the virtual configuration item.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein in response to the creation of the virtual configuration item data the discovery section is set inactive.

18. The method of claim 16, further comprising storing a virtual data model at a virtual data model table, the virtual data model defining a condition for establishing a virtual configuration item.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising determining whether one set of data of the configuration items stored in the repository fulfills the establishing condition based on at least one of an attribute and a relationship defined in the virtual data model.

20. The method of claim 18, further comprising determining whether the virtual configuration item fulfills the predetermined condition based on information collected by the virtual configuration item discovery section, wherein:

when the predetermined condition is fulfilled, the virtual configuration item discovery section keeps collecting information on virtual configuration items, and

when the predetermined condition is not fulfilled, the virtual configuration item data that does not fulfill the predetermined condition is deleted.