System and methods for quantitatively evaluating complexity of computing system configuration

• US 7,177,774 B1
• Filed: 08/17/2005
• Issued: 02/13/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 08/17/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: GlobalFoundries, Inc.
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Brown, Aaron B., Hellerstein, Joseph L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Bui; Bryan
• Assistant Examiner(s): Washburn; Douglas N
• Application Number:
  US11/205,972
• Publication Number:
  US 20070043524A1
• Time in Patent Office: 545 Days
• Field of Search: 702/81, 702/182
• US Class Current: 702/81
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling

Abstract

Techniques are disclosed for configuring computing systems. Configuration-related data for the system under evaluation is collected. At least a portion of the configuration-related data is quantitatively analyzed to estimate a configuration complexity of the system under evaluation. The configuration complexity of the system under evaluation is reported based on the quantitative analysis. The technique may further assess a quality of the configuration of the system under evaluation. Then, the reporting step/operation may further report the configuration complexity of the system under evaluation based on the quantitative analysis and the quality assessment.

Claims

1. A method for quantitatively evaluating a complexity associated with a configuration of a system under evaluation, comprising the steps of:

collecting configuration-related data for the system under evaluation;

quantitatively analyzing at least a portion of the configuration-related data to estimate a configuration complexity of the system under evaluation; and

reporting the configuration complexity of the system under evaluation based on the quantitative analysis;

wherein the step of quantitatively analyzing at least a portion of the configuration-related data to estimate the configuration complexity of the system under evaluation further comprises computing one or more configuration complexity scores; and

further wherein the one or more configuration complexity scores one or more of a human completion time score, an error rate score, an error severity score for a specified number of human operators with specified skill levels, and a raw complexity score based on statistical summarization of the collected configuration-related data.

2. A method for quantitatively evaluating a complexity associated with a configuration of a system under evaluation, comprising the steps of:

collecting configuration-related data for the system under evaluation;

quantitatively analyzing at least a portion of the configuration-related data to estimate a configuration complexity of the system under evaluation; and

reporting the configuration complexity of the system under evaluation based on the quantitative analysis;

wherein the step of quantitatively analyzing at least a portion of the configuration-related data to estimate the configuration complexity of the system under evaluation further comprises using a model of human configuration cost.

3. A method for quantitatively evaluating a complexity associated with a configuration of a system under evaluation, comprising the steps of:

collecting configuration-related data for the system under evaluation;

quantitatively analyzing at least a portion of the configuration-related data to estimate a configuration complexity of the system under evaluation; and

reporting the configuration complexity of the system under evaluation based on the quantitative analysis;

wherein the step of reporting the configuration complexity of the system under evaluation further comprises producing a report via an algorithm that computes a financial impact of a specified configuration process.

4. A method for quantitatively evaluating a complexity associated with a configuration of a system under evaluation, comprising the steps of:

collecting configuration-related data for the system under evaluation;

quantitatively analyzing at least a portion of the configuration-related data to estimate a configuration complexity of the system under evaluation; and

reporting the configuration complexity of the system under evaluation based on the quantitative analysis;

wherein the method is useable to optimize a financial cost of providing one or more hosting services by selecting one or more system configurations that minimize a configuration cost.

5. Apparatus for quantitatively evaluating a complexity associated with a configuration of a system under evaluation, comprising:

a memory; and

at least one processor coupled to the memory and operative to;

(i) collect configuration-related data for the system under evaluation;

(ii) quantitatively analyze at least a portion of the configuration-related data to estimate a configuration complexity of the system under evaluation; and

(iii) report the configuration complexity of the system under evaluation based on the quantitative analysis;

wherein the operation of collecting configuration-related data for the system under evaluation further comprises capturing one or more configuration processes; and

further wherein the operation of capturing one or more configuration processes further comprises one or more of;

monitoring a behavior of one or more human operators;

analyzing documentation or a script;

allowing direct manual entry of a configuration process; and

loading one or more explicit specifications of a configuration process.

6. Apparatus for quantitatively evaluating a complexity associated with a configuration of a system under evaluation, comprising:

a memory; and

at least one processor coupled to the memory and operative to;

(i) collect configuration-related data for the system under evaluation;

(ii) quantitatively analyze at least a portion of the configuration-related data to estimate a configuration complexity of the system under evaluation; and

(iii) report the configuration complexity of the system under evaluation based on the quantitative analysis;

wherein the operation of quantitatively analyzing at least a portion of the configuration-related data to estimate the configuration complexity of the system under evaluation further comprises computing one or more configuration complexity scores.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the one or more configuration complexity scores comprise one or more of a human completion time score, an error rate score, an error severity score for a specified number of human operators with specified skill levels, and a raw complexity score based on statistical summarization of the collected configuration-related data.

8. Apparatus for quantitatively evaluating a complexity associated with a configuration of a system under evaluation, comprising:

a memory; and

at least one processor coupled to the memory and operative to;

(i) collect configuration-related data for the system under evaluation;

(ii) quantitatively analyze at least a portion of the configuration-related data to estimate a configuration complexity of the system under evaluation; and

(iii) report the configuration complexity of the system under evaluation based on the quantitative analysis;

wherein the operation of quantitatively analyzing at least a portion of the configuration-related data to estimate the configuration complexity of the system under evaluation further comprises using a model of human configuration cost.

9. Apparatus for quantitatively evaluating a complexity associated with a configuration of a system under evaluation, comprising:

a memory; and

at least one processor coupled to the memory and operative to;

(i) collect configuration-related data for the system under evaluation;

(ii) quantitatively analyze at least a portion of the configuration-related data to estimate a configuration complexity of the system under evaluation; and

(iii) report the configuration complexity of the system under evaluation based on the quantitative analysis;

wherein the operation of reporting the configuration complexity of the system under evaluation further comprises producing a report via an algorithm that computes a financial impact of a specified configuration process.

10. Apparatus for quantitatively evaluating a complexity associated with a configuration of a system under evaluation, comprising:

a memory; and

at least one processor coupled to the memory and operative to;

(i) collect configuration-related data for the system under evaluation;

(ii) quantitatively analyze at least a portion of the configuration-related data to estimate a configuration complexity of the system under evaluation; and

(iii) report the configuration complexity of the system under evaluation based on the quantitative analysis;

wherein the operations performed by the apparatus are useable to dynamically adapt one or more configuration interfaces to minimize configuration complexity.

11. Apparatus for quantitatively evaluating a complexity associated with a configuration of a system under evaluation, comprising:

a memory; and

at least one processor coupled to the memory and operative to;

(i) collect configuration-related data for the system under evaluation;

(ii) quantitatively analyze at least a portion of the configuration-related data to estimate a configuration complexity of the system under evaluation; and

(iii) report the configuration complexity of the system under evaluation based on the quantitative analysis;

wherein the operations performed by the apparatus are useable to optimize a financial cost of providing one or more hosting services by selecting one or more system configurations that minimize a configuration cost.