Sharing performance data between different information technology product/ solution deployments

• US 8,055,739 B2
• Filed: 09/09/2008
• Issued: 11/08/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 09/09/2008
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Cavazza, Paolo, Branca, Salvatore, MacLellan, Scot
• Primary Examiner(s): Dalencourt; Yves
• Assistant Examiner(s): Lai; Michael C
• Application Number:
  US12/207,318
• Publication Number:
  US 20100064035A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,155 Days
• Field of Search: 709/220, 709/221
• US Class Current: 709/221
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/61 Installation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/44505 Configuring for program initiating, e.g. using registry, configuration files

Abstract

Mechanisms for dynamically sharing performance information among multiple computing nodes are provided. One implementation involves dynamically obtaining performance information from deployments of an information technology (IT) product/solution at the computing nodes, and transmitting the obtained performance information to a server over a communication network for storing the obtained performance information in a knowledge database. The server operates to dynamically determine new configuration information based on the information in the database, store the new configuration in the database, and provide the new configuration information to the deployments by transmitting the new configuration information over the network.

Claims

1. A method for dynamically sharing performance information among multiple computing nodes, comprising:

dynamically obtaining first performance information and first configuration information from deployments of an information technology (IT) product/solution at the computing nodes;

transmitting the obtained first performance information and first configuration information to a server over a communication network for storing the obtained first performance information and first configuration information in a knowledge database; and

at the server, dynamically determining, for a first deployment of the IT product/solution in a first deployment computing environment, new configuration information based on second performance information and corresponding second configuration information, selected from the first performance information and first configuration information stored in the knowledge database, for one or more second deployments of the IT product/solution in one or more second deployment computing environments, the one or more second deployment computing environments being determined to be similar to the first deployment computing environment, storing the new configuration information in the knowledge database, and dynamically providing the new configuration information to the first deployment by transmitting the new configuration information over the network, wherein determining the new configuration information for the first deployment further comprises;

based on the information obtained from the first deployment;

assigning a deployment type to the first deployment based on the obtained first configuration information from the first deployment, wherein the deployment type is a function of characteristics of the first computing environment of the first deployment as identified in the first configuration information;

if an optimal configuration exists in the knowledge database for the deployment type, then providing the existing optimal configuration for the deployment type.

2. The method of claim 1, further including:

if an optimal configuration does not exist in the knowledge database for the deployment type, then;

determining an optimal configuration for the first deployment based on the second configuration information in the knowledge database for the deployment type,

storing the optimal configuration for the first deployment in the knowledge database, and

providing the optimal configuration for the first deployment.

3. The method of claim 1 further including applying the new configuration information at the first deployment based on configuration policies at the first deployment.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the method is performed in response to the first deployment requesting new configuration information.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein dynamically determining the new configuration information based on second performance information and corresponding second configuration information, selected from the first performance information and first configuration information stored in the knowledge database, for one or more second deployments of the IT product/solution in one or more second deployment computing environments, further comprises filtering the first performance information and first configuration information according to optimization policies associated with the deployments from which the first performance information and first configuration information is obtained, and an optimization policy of the first deployment.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the one or more second deployments are deployments having a same type and same optimization policy as the first deployment.

7. A system for dynamically sharing performance information among multiple computing nodes, comprising:

a plurality of client modules, and a server module;

each client module, in the plurality of client modules, being configured for operating at a deployment of an information technology (IT) product/solution at a computing node, each client module further configured for dynamically obtaining first performance information and first configuration information from the corresponding deployment and transmitting the obtained first performance information and first configuration information to a server over a communication network;

the server module being configured for storing the obtained first performance information and first configuration information in a knowledge database, dynamically determining, for a first deployment of the IT product/solution in a first deployment computing environment, new configuration information based on second performance information and corresponding second configuration information, selected from the first performance information and first configuration information store in the knowledge database, for one or more second deployments of the IT product/solution in one or more second deployment computing environments, the one or more second deployment computing environments being determined to be similar to the first deployment computing environment, and storing the new configuration information in the knowledge database, and providing the new configuration information to the first deployment client module by transmitting the new configuration information over the network, wherein the server module is further configured for determining the new configuration information for the first deployment based on the information obtained from the first deployment. comprises;

assigning a deployment type to the first deployment based on the obtained first configuration information from the first deployment wherein the deployment t e is a function of characteristics of the first computing environment of the first deployment as identified in the first configuration information; and

if an optimal configuration exists in the knowledge database for the deployment type, then providing the existing optimal configuration for the deployment type.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the server module is further configured for determining optimal configuration information for a deployment based on the information obtained from the deployment, including:

if an optimal configuration does not exist in the knowledge database for the deployment type, then;

determining an optimal configuration for the first deployment based on the second configuration information in the knowledge database for the deployment type,

storing the optimal configuration for the first deployment in the knowledge database, and

providing the optimal configuration for the first deployment.

9. The system of claim 7 wherein each client is further configured for applying the new configuration information at the first deployment based on configuration policies at the first deployment.

10. The system of claim 7 wherein each client is further configured for requesting new configuration information, and the server module is further configured for providing the new configuration information to the requesting deployment client.

11. The system of claim 7, wherein dynamically determining the new configuration information based on second performance information and corresponding second configuration information, selected from the first performance information and first configuration information stored in the knowledge database, for one or more second deployments of the IT product/solution in one or more second deployment computing environments, further comprises filtering the first performance information and first configuration information according to optimization policies associated with the deployments from which the first performance information and first configuration information is obtained, and an optimization policy of the first deployment.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the one or more second deployments are deployments having a same type and same optimization policy as the first deployment.

13. A computer program product for dynamically sharing performance information among multiple computing nodes, comprising a non-transitory computer usable storage device including a computer readable program, wherein the computer readable program when executed on a computer causes the computer to:

dynamically obtain first performance information and first configuration information from deployments of an information technology (IT) product/solution at the computing nodes;

transmit the obtained first performance information and first configuration information to a server over a communication network for storing the obtained first performance information and first configuration information in a knowledge database; and

dynamically determine, for a first deployment of the IT product/solution in a first deployment computing environment, new configuration information at the server based on second performance information and corresponding second configuration information, selected from the first performance information and first configuration information stored in the knowledge database, for one or more second deployments of the IT product/solution in one or more second deployment computing environments, the one or more second deployment computing environments being determined to be similar to the first deployment computing environment, store the new configuration information in the knowledge database, and dynamically provide the new configuration information to the first deployment by transmitting the new configuration information over the network, wherein the instructions for determining the new configuration information for the first deployment further comprises instructions for;

based on the information obtained from the first deployment;

assigning a deployment type to the first deployment based on the obtained first configuration information from the first deployment, wherein the deployment type is a function of characteristics of the first computing environment of the first deployment as identified in the first configuration information,

if an optimal configuration exists in the knowledge database for the deployment type, then providing the existing optimal configuration for the deployment type.

14. The computer program product of claim 13, wherein the instructions for determining the new configuration information for the first deployment further include instructions for:

based on the first performance information and first configuration information obtained from the first deployment;

if an optimal configuration does not exist in the knowledge database for the deployment type, then;

determining an optimal configuration for the first deployment based on the second performance information and second configuration information in the database for the deployment type,

storing the optimal configuration for the first deployment in the knowledge database, and

providing the optimal configuration for the first deployment.

15. The computer program product of claim 14 further including instructions for the computer to apply the new configuration information at the first deployment based on configuration policies at the first deployment.

16. The computer program product of claim 13, wherein dynamically determining the new configuration information based on second performance information and corresponding second configuration information, selected from the first performance information and first configuration information stored in the knowledge database, for one or more second deployments of the IT product/solution in one or more second deployment computing environments, further comprises filtering the first performance information and first configuration information according to optimization policies associated with the deployments from which the first performance information and first configuration information is obtained, and an optimization policy of the first deployment.

17. The computer program product of claim 16, wherein the one or more second deployments are deployments having a same type and same optimization policy as the first deployment.