Method, system, and article of manufacture for product configuration

• US 6,813,531 B2
• Filed: 09/20/2002
• Issued: 11/02/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 09/20/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Rich, Nicki Jo, Coale, Jerry Lee
• Primary Examiner(s): Paladini, Albert W.
• Assistant Examiner(s): ORTIZ RODRIGUEZ, CARLOS R
• Application Number:
  US10/251,219
• Publication Number:
  US 20040059447A1
• Time in Patent Office: 774 Days
• Field of Search: 700/9, 700/95, 700/97, 700/219, 705/26, 705/203, 709/219
• US Class Current: 700/97
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions

Abstract

Provided are a method, system, and article of manufacture for product configuration. Order information is received for a product. Based on the received order information, configuration information for the product is generated via a simulator to simulate the product. The configuration information is sent, wherein the configuration information is used to configure the product.

Claims

1. A method for product configuration, comprising:

receiving, at a second computational device, order information from a first computational device, wherein the order information is for an enterprise storage server;

based on the received order information, generating configuration information for the enterprise storage server via a simulator to simulate the enterprise storage server, wherein the simulator is in the second computational device; and

sending the configuration information to a third computational device, wherein the enterprise storage server is configured by the third computational device based on the configuration information, and wherein configuration of the enterprise storage server includes storage partitioning.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

subsequent to generating the configuration information and prior to configuring the enterprise storage server, sending the configuration information to a sender of the order information; and

receiving an approval of the configuration information from the sender of the order information.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein a generator of the configuration information interacts with a sender of the order information to modify the order information based on potential valid configurations of the enterprise storage server generated by the simulator.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the enterprise storage server comprises a server and one or more storage devices, wherein the receiving, generating and sending is preformed by a configuration application, and wherein the configuration application enables interaction with a sender of the purchase order via a graphical user interface.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving the order information occurs in a batch mode.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the order information is received in an interactive mode.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the simulator can simulate instances of a plurality of enterprise storage servers and can check for valid configurations for each instance.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the configuration information is processed to manufacture the enterprise storage server prior to configuring the enterprise storage server, and wherein the configured enterprise storage server is sent to the sender of the order information.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the configuration information includes logical configuration information for the enterprise storage server.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the logical configuration information includes storage partitioning information for the enterprise storage server.

32. The method of claim 1, wherein the enterprise storage server is an enterprise storage server unit, wherein the simulator is capable of simulating physical elements, operations, and connectivity of the enterprise storage server unit, and wherein the simulator is capable of simulating various logical configurations of storage disks coupled to the enterprise storage server unit.

33. The method of claim 1, wherein the enterprise storage server is an enterprise storage server unit, and wherein the simulator comprises of:

a plurality of simulated instances of the enterprise storage server unit that is under simulation in the simulator; and

a valid configuration checker, wherein the valid configuration checker determines validity of various configurations of the enterprise storage server unit based on the simulated instances of the enterprise storage server unit.

34. The method of claim 1, wherein the generated configuration information is sent from the second computational device that includes the simulator to the third computational device, wherein the third computational device includes information for manufacture and logical configuration of the enterprise storage server, the method further comprising:

manufacturing the enterprise storage server based on the configuration information sent to the third computational device;

configuring system attachments of the enterprise storage server based on the configuration information sent to the third computational device; and

configuring logical settings of the enterprise storage server based on the configuration information sent to the third computational device.

35. The method of claim 34, wherein the enterprise storage server is an enterprise storage server unit, wherein the simulator is capable of simulating physical elements, operations, and connectivity of the enterprise storage server unit, wherein the simulator is capable of simulating various logical configurations of storage disks coupled to the enterprise storage server unit, and wherein the simulator comprises of:

a plurality of simulated instances of the enterprise storage server unit that is under simulation in the simulator; and

a valid configuration checker, wherein the valid configuration checker determines validity of various configurations of the enterprise storage server unit based on the simulated instances of the enterprise storage server unit.

11. A system for product configuration, wherein the system is in communication with a first computational device and a second computational device, the system comprising:

(i) a processor;

(ii) a computer readable medium accessible to the processor;

(iii) a simulator, wherein the simulator can simulate an enterprise storage server, and wherein the simulator is stored in the computer readable medium; and

(iv) program logic including code capable of causing the processor to perform;

(a) receiving, order information from the first computational device, wherein the order information is for the enterprise storage server;

(b) generating configuration information for the enterprise storage server via the simulator based on the received order information and a simulation of the enterprise storage server by the simulator; and

(c) sending the configuration information to the second computations device, wherein the configuration information is used by the second computational device to configure the enterprise storage server, and wherein configuration of the enterprise storage server includes storage partitioning.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the processor further performs:

sending the configuration information to a sender of the order information; and

receiving an approval of the configuration information from the sender of the order information.

13. The system of claim 11, further comprising:

a generator of the configuration information, wherein the generator interacts with a sender of the order information to modify the order information based on potential valid configurations of the enterprise storage server generated by the simulator.

14. The system of claim 11, wherein the enterprise storage server comprises a server and one or more storage devices, and further comprising:

a configuration application, wherein the receiving, the generating and the sending is performed by the configuration application, and wherein the configuration application enables interaction with a sender of the purchase order via a graphical user interface.

15. The system of claim 11, wherein the order information is received in a batch mode.

16. The system of claim 11, wherein the order information is received in an interactive mode.

17. The system of claim 11, wherein the simulator can simulate instances of a plurality of enterprise storage servers and can check for valid configurations for each instance.

18. The system of claim 11, wherein the configuration information is processed to manufacture the enterprise storage server prior to configuring the enterprise storage server, and wherein the configured enterprise storage server is sent to the sender of the order information.

19. The system of claim 11, wherein the configuration information includes logical configuration information for the enterprise storage server.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the logical configuration information includes storage partitioning information for the enterprise storage server.

36. The system of claim 11, wherein the enterprise storage server is an enterprise storage server unit, wherein the simulator is capable of simulating physical elements, operations, and connectivity of the enterprise storage server unit, and wherein the simulator is capable of simulating various logical configurations of storage disks coupled to the enterprise storage server unit.

37. The system of claim 11, wherein the enterprise storage server is an enterprise storage server unit, and wherein the simulator comprises of:

a plurality of simulated instances of the enterprise storage server unit that is under simulation in the simulator; and

a valid configuration checker, wherein the valid configuration checker determines validity of various configurations of the enterprise storage server unit based on the simulated instances of the enterprise storage server unit.

38. The system of claim 11, wherein the generated configuration information is sent from the system to the second computational device, wherein the second computational device includes information for manufacture and logical configuration of the enterprise storage server, the system further comprising:

manufacturing the enterprise storage server based on the configuration information sent to the second computational device;

configuring system attachments of the enterprise storage server based on the configuration information sent to the second computational device; and

configuring logical settings of the enterprise storage server based on the configuration information sent to the second computational device.

39. The system of claim 38, wherein the enterprise storage server is an enterprise storage server unit, wherein the simulator is capable of simulating physical elements, operations, and connectivity of the enterprise storage server unit, wherein the simulator is capable of simulating various logical configurations of storage disks coupled to the enterprise storage server unit, and wherein the simulator comprises of:

a plurality of simulated instances of the enterprise storage server unit that is under simulation in the simulator; and

a valid configuration checker, wherein the valid configuration checker determines validity of various configurations of the enterprise storage server unit based on the simulated instances of the enterprise storage server unit.

21. An article of manufacture for product configuration, wherein article of manufacture is in communication with a first computational device and a second computational device, wherein the article of manufacture is capable of causing operations, the operations comprising:

receiving, order information from the first computational device, wherein the order information is for an enterprise storage server;

based on the received order information, generating configuration information for the enterprise storage server via a simulator to simulate the enterprise storage server, wherein the simulator is in the second computational device; and

sending the configuration information to the second computational device, wherein the enterprise storage server is configured by the second computational device bused on the configuration information, and wherein configuration of the enterprise storage server includes storage partitioning.

22. The article of manufacture of claim 21, the operations further comprising:

subsequent to generating the configuration information and prior to configuring the enterprise storage server, sending the configuration information to a sender of the order information; and

receiving an approval of the configuration information from the sender of the order information.

23. The article of manufacture of claim 21, wherein a generator of the configuration information interacts with a sender of the order information to modify the order information based on potential valid configurations of the enterprise storage server generated by the simulator.

24. The article of manufacture of claim 21, wherein the enterprise storage server comprises a server and one or more storage devices, wherein the receiving, generating and sending is preformed by a configuration application, and wherein the configuration application enables interaction with a sender of the purchase order via a graphical user interface.

25. The article of manufacture of claim 21, wherein the order information is received in a batch mode.

26. The article of manufacture of claim 21, wherein the order information is received in an interactive mode.

27. The article of manufacture of claim 21, wherein the simulator can simulate instances of a plurality of enterprise storage servers and can check for valid configurations for each instance.

28. The article of manufacture of claim 21, wherein the configuration information is processed to manufacture the enterprise storage server prior to configuring the enterprise storage server, and wherein the configured enterprise storage server is sent to the sender of the order information.

29. The article of manufacture of claim 21, wherein the configuration information includes logical configuration information for the enterprise storage server.

30. The article of manufacture of claim 29, wherein the logical configuration information includes storage partitioning information for the enterprise storage server.

40. The article of manufacture of claim 21, wherein the enterprise storage server is an enterprise storage server unit, wherein the simulator is capable of simulating physical elements, operations, and connectivity of the enterprise storage server unit, and wherein the simulator is capable of simulating various logical configurations of storage disks coupled to the enterprise storage server unit.

41. The article of manufacture of claim 21, wherein the enterprise storage server is an enterprise storage server unit, and wherein the simulator comprises of:

a plurality of simulated instances of the enterprise storage server unit that is under simulation in the simulator; and

a valid configuration checker, wherein the valid configuration checker determines validity of various configurations of the enterprise storage server unit based on the simulated instances of the enterprise storage server unit.

42. The article of manufacture of claim 21, wherein the generated configuration information is sent the second computational device, wherein the second computational device includes information for manufacture and logical configuration of the enterprise storage server, the operations further comprising:

manufacturing the enterprise storage server based on the configuration information sent to the second computational device;

configuring system attachments of the enterprise storage server based on the configuration information sent to the second computational device; and

configuring logical settings of the enterprise storage server based on the configuration information sent to the second computational device.

43. The article of manufacture of claim 42, wherein the enterprise storage server is an enterprise storage server unit, wherein the simulator is capable of simulating physical elements, operations, and connectivity of the enterprise storage server unit, wherein the simulator is capable of simulating various logical configurations of storage disks coupled to the enterprise storage server unit, and wherein the simulator comprises of:

a plurality of simulated instances of the enterprise storage server unit that is under simulation in the simulator; and

a valid configuration checker, wherein the valid configuration checker determines validity of various configurations of the enterprise storage server unit based on the simulated instances of the enterprise storage server unit.

31. A system for product configuration, wherein the system is in communication with a first computational device and a second computational device, the system comprising:

a simulator, wherein the simulator can simulate an enterprise storage server;

means for receiving, order information from the first computational device, wherein the order information is for an enterprise storage server;

means for generating configuration information for the enterprise storage server via the simulator based on the received order information and a simulation of the enterprise storage server by the simulator; and

means for sending the configuration information to a second computational device, wherein the configuration information is used by the second computational device to configure the enterprise storage server, and wherein configuration of the enterprise storage server includes storage partitioning.

44. The system of claim 31, wherein the enterprise storage server is an enterprise storage server unit, wherein the simulator is capable of simulating physical elements, operations, and connectivity of the enterprise storage server unit, and wherein the simulator is capable of simulating various logical configurations of storage disks coupled to the enterprise storage server unit.

45. The system of claim 31, wherein the enterprise storage server is an enterprise storage server unit, and wherein the simulator comprises of:

a plurality of simulated instances of the enterprise storage server unit that is under simulation in the simulator; and

a valid configuration checker, wherein the valid configuration checker determines validity of various configurations of the enterprise storage server unit based on the simulated instances of the enterprise storage server unit.

46. The system of claim 31, wherein the generated configuration information is sent from the system to the second computational device, wherein the second computational device includes information for manufacture and logical configuration of the enterprise storage server, the system further comprising:

means for manufacturing the enterprise storage server based on the configuration information sent to the second computational device;

means for configuring system attachments of the enterprise storage server based on the configuration information sent to the second computational device; and

means for configuring logical settings of the enterprise storage server based on the configuration information sent to the second computational device.

47. The system of claim 46, wherein the enterprise storage server is an enterprise storage server unit, wherein the simulator is capable of simulating physical elements, operations, and connectivity of the enterprise storage server unit, wherein the simulator is capable of simulating various logical configurations of storage disks coupled to the enterprise storage server unit, and wherein the simulator comprises of:

a plurality of simulated instances of the enterprise storage server unit that is under simulation in the simulator; and

a valid configuration checker, wherein the valid configuration checker determines validity of various configurations of the enterprise storage server unit based on the simulated instances of the enterprise storage server unit.