Method, system, and product for defining and managing provisioning states for resources in provisioning data processing systems

• US 7,610,584 B2
• Filed: 01/02/2004
• Issued: 10/27/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 01/02/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Hyman, Stewart Jason, Grom, Walter Joseph Jr., Weinberger, Steve M., Childress, Rhonda L., Kalantar, Michael Husayn, Fong, Liana Liyow, Brooks, Patrick Joseph
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen; Van H
• Assistant Examiner(s): Tang; Kenneth
• Application Number:
  US10/751,317
• Publication Number:
  US 20050149610A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,125 Days
• Field of Search: 718/100, 718/101, 718/102, 718/104, 718/105
• US Class Current: 718/100
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0806 for initial configuration or provisioning, e.g. plug-and-play

Abstract

A method, system, and computer program product are described for managing the provisioning of resources in a data processing system. There are different types of resources. Each resource is one of these types. Multiple provisioning states are defined for each type of resource. Relationships are defined among the provisioning states. The relationships describe valid transitions from one state to another. Workflows of one or more tasks are defined, varying to the resource implementation specifications, that are associated with each one of the valid transitions between states. When a resource is to transition from a current state, the relationships among states are used to determine a valid next state. The workflow specific to the resource specification and associated with this transition from the current state to the determined next state is then executed in order to transition to the next state.

Claims

1. A method for managing the provisioning of a plurality of different types of resources in a data processing system, said method comprising:

defining a plurality of provisioning states for each one of said plurality of different types of resources, wherein each one of said plurality of different types of resources is associated with at least one of a capability specification and an implementation specification, and wherein said plurality of different types of resources are grouped according to the specification;

defining relationships among said plurality of provisioning states, said relationships describing valid transitions from ones of said plurality of provisioning states to other ones of said plurality of provisioning states;

generating a state diagram for each one of said plurality of different types of resources, each one of said plurality of different types of resources being associated with one of said state diagrams, wherein each one of said state diagrams describing valid transitions for said plurality of provisioning states defined for each one of said plurality of different types of resources; and

defining at least one task that is associated with each one of said valid transitions, wherein defining at least one task that is associated with each one of said valid transitions comprises;

specifying a plurality of tasks for each one of said valid transitions;

specifying a sequence for completion for said plurality of tasks for each one of

said valid transitions, said plurality of tasks being required to be completed in said sequence in order to complete each one of said valid transitions; and

providing said plurality of tasks in said sequence as a module that will complete one of said valid transitions when said module is executed; and

utilizing said module to complete said one of said valid transitions for each one of said plurality of different types of resources, wherein the same module is used regardless of which resource type is being transitioned.

2. A data processing system for managing the provisioning of a plurality of different types of resources in a data processing system, comprising:

a set of instructions; and

a processor, wherein the processor executes the set of instructions to define a plurality of provisioning states for each one of said plurality of different types of resources, wherein each one of said plurality of different types of resources is associated with at least one of a capability specification and an implementation specification, and wherein said plurality of different types of resources are grouped according to the specification;

wherein the processor executes the set of instructions to define relationships among said plurality of provisioning states, said relationships describing valid transitions from ones of said plurality of provisioning states to other ones of said plurality of provisioning states;

wherein the processor executes the set of instructions to generate a state diagram for each one of said plurality of different types of resources, each one of said plurality of different types of resources being associated with one of said state diagrams,

wherein each one of said state diagrams describing valid transitions for said plurality of provisioning states defined for each one of said plurality of different types of resources;

wherein the processor executes the set of instructions to define at least one task that is associated with each one of said valid transitions, wherein the processor executing the set of instructions to define at least one task that is associated with each one of said valid transitions further comprises the processor executing the set of instructions to specify a plurality of tasks for each one of said valid transitions, to specify a sequence for completion for said plurality of tasks for each one of said valid transitions, said plurality of tasks being required to be completed in said sequence in order to complete each one of said valid transitions, and to provide said plurality of tasks in said sequence as a module that will complete one of said valid transitions when said module is executed; and

wherein the processor executes the set of instructions to utilize said module to complete said one of said valid transitions for each one of said plurality of different types of resources, wherein the same module is used regardless of which resource type is being transitioned.

3. A computer program product stored on a computer usable storage medium for managing the provisioning of a plurality of different types of resources in a data processing system, said product comprising:

instructions for defining a plurality of provisioning states for each one of said plurality of different types of resources, wherein each one of said plurality of different types of resources is associated with at least one of a capability specification and an implementation specification, and wherein said plurality of different types of resources are grouped according to the specification;

instructions for defining relationships among said plurality of provisioning states, said relationships describing valid transitions from ones of said plurality of provisioning states to other ones of said plurality of provisioning states;

instructions for generating a state diagram for each one of said plurality of different types of resources, each one of said plurality of different types of resources being associated with one of said state diagrams, wherein each one of said state diagrams describing valid transitions for said plurality of provisioning states defined for each one of said plurality of different types of resources; and

instructions for defining at least one task that is associated with each one of said valid transitions, wherein said instruction means for defining at least one task that is associated with each one of said valid transitions, comprises;

instructions for specifying a plurality of tasks for each one of said valid transitions;

instructions for specifying a sequence for completion for said plurality of tasks for each one of said valid transitions, said plurality of tasks being required to be completed in said sequence in order to complete each one of said valid transitions; and

instructions for providing said plurality of tasks in said sequence as a module that will complete one of said valid transitions when said module is executed; and

instructions for utilizing said module to complete said one of said valid transitions for each one of said plurality of different types of resources, wherein the same module is used regardless of which resource type is being transitioned.