Managing configuration items

• US 8,161,047 B2
• Filed: 12/17/2008
• Issued: 04/17/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 01/21/2008
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: ServiceNow Incorporated
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Akiyama, Kazuhito, Suzuki, Yasuhiro, Tsumura, Tadashi
• Primary Examiner(s): Lie, Angela
• Assistant Examiner(s): MACKES, KRIS E
• Application Number:
  US12/337,597
• Publication Number:
  US 20090187596A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,217 Days
• Field of Search: 707/736
• US Class Current: 707/736
• 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

A computer system is disclosed that includes a repository, a discovery section, a determining section, and a data creating section. The repository holds, for each configuration item, data indicating at least one predetermined attribute of the configuration item and a relationship with another configuration item. The discovery section detects information on configuration items. The determining section determines association of a first configuration item with a second configuration item and association of the first configuration item with a third configuration item. The data creating section creates common data including an attribute common to attributes of the first configuration item associated with the second configuration item and attributes of the first configuration item associated with the third configuration item and plural derived data items, each including an attribute that is not common thereto. The common data and the plural derived data items are stored in the repository.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

memory including a repository that stores, for each particular configuration item of a plurality of configuration items, a set of data indicating at least one predetermined attribute of the particular configuration item and a relationship with another configuration item; and

a processor coupled to the memory;

wherein the processor is configured to detect target information identifying a set of configuration items of the plurality of configuration items, wherein the target information matches a predetermined attribute of each configuration item of the set of configuration items,

wherein the processor is configured to create, based on the target information, a first association between a first configuration item of the set of configuration items with a second configuration item of the set of configuration items and a second association between the first configuration item with a third configuration item of the set of configuration items, wherein the first association and the second association are each an instance of a relationship association that includes a time period attribute that indicates a period of time when the relationship association exists.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to create a common configuration item including information from the first configuration item and including a shared attribute for each attribute common to both the second configuration item and the third configuration item.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the processor is configured to create a first derived configuration item for the first association and to create a second derived configuration item for the second association, wherein the first derived configuration item is based on the second configuration item and includes first derived attributes that define the first association, and wherein the second derived configuration item is based on the third configuration item and includes second derived attributes that define the second association.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the first derived configuration item is associated with the common configuration item by a first link and the second derived configuration item is associated with the common configuration item by a second link.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the first derived configuration item includes a first status attribute and the second derived configuration item includes a second status attribute, wherein the processor is configured to, when the first association terminates:

set the first status attribute to inactive,

remove the first link,

delete the first derived configuration item from the repository, and

remove the first association, and

wherein the processor is configured to, when the second association terminates;

set the second status attribute to inactive,

remove the second link,

delete the second derived configuration item the repository, and

remove the second association.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the processor is configured to delete the common configuration item when the first link and the second link are both removed.

7. The system of claim 3, wherein the common configuration item, the first derived configuration item, and the second derived configuration item are stored in the repository, wherein the first association identifies a first relationship of the second configuration item to the first derived configuration item, and wherein the second association identifies a second relationship of the third configuration item to the second derived configuration.

8. The system according to claim 3, wherein the first derived configuration item and the second derived configuration item each include at least one common derived attribute that identifies the common configuration item.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the target information is detected by analyzing data stored in the repository that identifies the first association and identifies the second association.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the relationship association includes a usage attribute that indicates a usage of the first configuration item that occurs during the period of time indicated in the time period attribute.

11. A method comprising:

storing, at a repository, for each particular configuration item of a plurality of configuration items, data indicating at least one predetermined attribute of the particular configuration item and a relationship with another configuration item;

detecting target information identifying a set of configuration items of the plurality of configuration items, wherein the target information matches a predetermined attribute of each configuration item of the set of configuration items; and

creating, based on the target information, a first association between a first configuration item of the set of configuration items with a second configuration item of the set of configuration items and a second association between the first configuration item with a third configuration item of the set of configuration items, wherein the first association and the second association are each an instance of a relationship association that includes a time period attribute that indicates a period of time when the relationship association exists.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the target information is defined by an administrator.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the target information includes a time interval that is defined according to one of a number of days, a number of weeks, and a number of months, and wherein the target information is detected according to the time interval.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the target information further comprises a target scope indicating a set of targeted configuration items of the plurality of configuration items, wherein detection of the target information is performed on the set of target configuration items.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein the set of targeted configuration items is chosen according to one or more predetermined attributes, wherein the one or more predetermined attributes are associated with location information identifying each configuration item of the set of targeted configuration items.

16. The method of claim 11, further comprising creating a common configuration item including information from the first configuration item and including a shared attribute for each attribute common to both the second configuration item and the third configuration item.

17. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

creating a first derived configuration item for the first association, wherein the first derived configuration item is based on the second configuration item and includes first derived attributes that define the first association; and

creating a second derived configuration item for the second association, wherein the second derived configuration item is based on the third configuration item and includes second derived attributes that define the second association.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the first derived configuration item is associated with the common configuration item by a first link and the second derived configuration is associated with the common configuration item by a second link.

19. A computer-readable storage device comprising operational instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to:

store, at a repository, for each particular configuration item of a plurality of configuration items, data indicating at least one predetermined attribute of the particular configuration item and a relationship with another configuration item;

detect target information identifying a set of configuration items of the plurality of configuration items, wherein the target information matches a predetermined attribute of each configuration item of the set of configuration items; and

create, based on the target information, a first association between a first configuration item of the set of configuration items with a second configuration item of the set of configuration items and a second association between the first configuration item with a third configuration item of the set of configuration items, wherein the first association and the second association are each an instance of a relationship association that includes a time period attribute that indicates a period of time when the relationship association exists.

20. The computer-readable storage device of claim 19, further comprising operational instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to create a common configuration item including information from the first configuration item and including a shared attribute for each attribute common to both the second configuration item and the third configuration item.