Method and apparatus upgrade assistance using critical historical product information

• US 8,195,525 B2
• Filed: 09/12/2007
• Issued: 06/05/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 05/25/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Emerick, Earl Walter, Olson-Williams, Lonny R., Sammons, Van Dee, Thompson, Kurt Clifford, Wertzler, Paul William, Young, Ronald Dean
• Primary Examiner(s): Pond, Robert M.
• Application Number:
  US11/854,238
• Publication Number:
  US 20070299741A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,728 Days
• Field of Search: 705/26, 705/27
• US Class Current: 705/26.41
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2209/5019 Workload prediction
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/5011 the resources being hardware resources other than CPUs, Servers and Terminals
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06393 Score-carding, benchmarking or key performance indicator [KPI] analysis
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0613 Third-party assisted
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0621 Item configuration or customization
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0631 Item recommendations
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0633 Lists, e.g. purchase orders, compilation or processing
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0641 Shopping interfaces

Abstract

Embodiments of the present invention provide an integrated methodology that simplifies upgrade choices for complex computer products through the use of automation and integration of product monitoring and business applications with, for example, web based capabilities. Historical information for computer systems is collected and transmitted to a remote support system. Over time, sufficient historical data provides a historical view of the systems indicative of usage and facilitating the choice of product enhancements, upgrades and customization. Further, this historical view may be integrated with the advances in the product that are kept by the remote support system as well as with the performance requirements of third party application providers.

Claims

1. A method of operating a computerized system to provide computer recommendation information, comprising:

generating an operation profile for a computer using machine performance information specific to the computer and obtained from the computer, wherein the machine performance information is generated by the computer and comprises a plurality of performance metrics related to the operation of the computer, wherein the operation profile indicates at least a usage trend for the computer comprising a growth rate of at least one of the plurality of performance metrics during a first time interval;

determining projected computer system requirements based on the usage trend for the computer, wherein the projected computer system requirements indicate an amount of system resources sufficient to support a workload specified by the usage trend; and

generating a recommendation of system resources, which satisfies at least the projected requirements.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein generating the recommendation comprises processing system requirements specifications reflecting a desired future use of the computer.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein generating the recommendation comprises returning web based content to a web client.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving a purchase order for the at least one computer system solution.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein generating the recommendation comprises processing system requirements specifications selected by a user from a plurality of system options available at a network address.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the plurality of system options are provided by a plurality of third party solution providers.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising configuring the at least one computer system solution to indicate system specifications and a price.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

providing product options and associated prices to a user for selection;

receiving a product option selection from the user for at least one of the product options; and

outputting a starting configuration for the at least one computer system solution.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

receiving a configuration selection from the user to modify the starting configuration;

determining whether the configuration selection is valid; and

if so, producing a configured system viewable by the user.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising receiving a purchase order for the configured system.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

allowing a user to modify the recommendation to produce a modified computer system solution;

configuring the modified computer system solution to indicate system specifications and a price; and

receiving a purchase order for the configured modified computer system solution.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the recommendation of system resources comprises a computer system specification.

13. A system for generating recommendation information for computer devices, comprising:

a machine information collection system configured to receive machine performance information for a plurality of computers and obtained from a plurality of computers, wherein the machine performance information is generated by the plurality of computers and comprises a plurality of performance metrics related to the operation of the plurality of computers;

a history database containing statistical information generated using the machine performance information, wherein the statistical information indicates usage trends for system resources of the plurality of computers, each usage trend comprising a growth rate of at least one of the plurality of performance metrics during a first time interval; and

a system sizer configured to determine projected computer system requirements based on the statistical information, wherein the projected computer system requirements indicate an amount of system resources sufficient to support a workload specified by the usage trends, and to produce system recommendations of system resources, comprising at least one computer system solution, which satisfy the projected requirements.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the system sizer is further configured to produce system recommendations using user input.

15. The system of claim 13, further comprising an order tool configured to process orders for the users for a suggested system satisfying the recommendations.

16. The system of claim 13, further comprising storage space containing third party solutions for display to the users and accessible to the system sizer, wherein the third party solutions are utilized to produce the system recommendations.

17. The system of claim 13, further comprising a web server having a network connection to the plurality of computers and configured to provide the statistical information and the system recommendations to requestors.

18. The system of claim 13, further comprising a tool configured to determine a price and a valid configuration for a system satisfying the system recommendations.

19. The system of claim 13, further comprising:

a comparison tool configured to allow users to compare product line options capable of satisfying the system recommendations;

a configuration tool configured to receive feature selections from the users and determine a valid configuration for a system satisfying the system recommendations; and

an order tool configured to process orders from the users for the system.

20. A system for generating recommendation information for computer devices, comprising:

a network connection to a network of computers; and

a system sizer configured to determine projected computer system requirements based on statistical information of machine performance information of the computers and obtained from the computers and at least one of user input information and third-party solutions and to produce system recommendations of system resources, comprising at least one computer system solution, which satisfy the projected requirements, wherein the machine performance information is generated by the computers and comprises a plurality of performance metrics related to the operation of the computers, wherein the statistical information indicates usage trends for system resources of the plurality of computers, wherein each usage trend comprise a growth rate of at least one of the plurality of performance metrics during a first time interval, and wherein the projected computer system requirements indicate an amount of system resources sufficient to support a workload specified by the usage trends.

21. The system of claim 20, further comprising a tool configured to determine a price and a valid configuration for a system satisfying the system recommendations.

22. The system of claim 20, further comprising an order tool configured to process orders for a suggested system satisfying the system recommendations.

23. The system of claim 20, further comprising:

a machine information collection system configured to receive machine information for a plurality of computers; and

a history database containing statistical information generated using the machine information, wherein the machine information collection system, the history database and the system sizer are operated by a supplier of computer devices and the plurality of computers are operated by customers of the supplier.

24. The system of claim 20, further comprising:

a comparison tool configured to allow users to compare product line options capable of satisfying the system recommendations;

a configuration tool configured to receive feature selections from the users and determine a valid configuration for a system satisfying the system recommendations; and

an order tool configured to process orders from the users for the system.

25. A method for providing computer purchasing recommendations for a plurality of computers, comprising:

receiving, from the Internet, a plurality of summaries of machine performance data for each of the plurality of computers and obtained from the plurality of computers, wherein the machine performance data is generated by the plurality of computers and comprises a plurality of performance metrics related to the operation of each the plurality of computers;

recording the plurality of summaries of machine performance in a machine performance history;

deriving a usage trend for system resources for each of the plurality of computers based on their respective summary of machine performance data stored in the machine performance history, wherein each usage trend characterizes a future operation of the respective computer of the plurality of computers and indicates a rate of change for at least one of the plurality of performance metrics over a timed interval, the rate of change and timed interval being user-determinable;

determining projected resource requirements for each computer of the plurality of computers based on the respective usage trend, wherein the projected computer system requirements indicate an amount of system resources sufficient to support a workload specified by the respective usage trend;

based on the projected resource requirements, providing computer purchasing recommendations of system resources, comprising computer systems, that satisfy the projected resource requirements; and

receiving purchase orders for the computer systems by requests sent across the Internet.