Method and system for remote monitoring subscription service

• US 8,276,023 B2
• Filed: 04/05/2010
• Issued: 09/25/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 02/28/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Red Hat, Inc. (International Business Machines Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Red Hat, Inc. (International Business Machines Corporation)
• Inventors: Van Riel, Henri Han, Crenshaw, Scott
• Primary Examiner(s): Le, Dieu-Minh
• Application Number:
  US12/754,204
• Publication Number:
  US 20100192020A1
• Time in Patent Office: 904 Days
• Field of Search: 714/47.1, 714/47.2, 714/47.3, 714/37, 714/46, 714/57
• US Class Current: 714/47.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/0748 in a remote unit communicating with a single-box computer node experiencing an error/fault remote testing G06F11/2294
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/2294 by remote test
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/45533 Hypervisors; Virtual machine monitors

Abstract

Embodiments pertain generally to a method of providing a remote monitoring subscription service. The method includes receiving client activity data from at least one of a client virtual machine and a physical machine supporting the client virtual machine at a site of a customer and comparing the client activity data against a set of performance guidelines. The method also includes determining a recommended action in response to the client activity data not falling within the set of performance guidelines and forwarding the recommended action to the customer.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

instantiating, on a first computing system, a test virtual machine, the test virtual machine being configured according to a configuration of a second computing system on which new software is to operate; and

testing the new software on the test virtual machine to determine if the new software operates properly on the test virtual machine.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the new software is a new software application or an update to an existing software application.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein testing the new software comprises testing the new software using a quality assurance test.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a notification of the new software from a vendor of the new software; and

providing, to the vender, a secure connection to the test virtual machine, wherein the vendor performs the testing using the secure connection.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

transmitting the new software to the second computing system client if the new software operates properly on the test virtual machine.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the second computing system is a virtual machine, a physical machine, or a combination of a virtual machine and a physical machine.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising notifying a client of the second computing system of a result of testing the new software.

8. A system, comprising:

a network interface configured to communicate with a vendor and a client; and

a processor coupled to the network interface and configured to;

receive a notification of new software from the vendor of the new software;

instantiate, on a computing system, a test virtual machine, the test virtual machine being configured according to a configuration of a system of a client;

test the new software on the test virtual machine to determine if the new software operates properly on the test virtual machine; and

notify the client of a result of testing the new software.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the new software is a new software application or an update to an existing software application.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein testing the new software comprises testing the new software using a quality assurance test.

11. The system of claim 8, wherein the processor is further configured to:

provide, to the vender via the network interface, a secure connection to the test virtual machine, wherein, the vendor performs the testing using the secure connection.

12. The system of claim 8, wherein the processor is further configured to:

transmit the new software to the client via the network interface if the new software operates properly on the test virtual machine.

13. The system of claim 8, wherein the system of the client is a virtual machine, a physical machine, or a combination of a virtual machine and a physical machine.

14. A system for providing monitoring services, comprising:

a network interface configured to communicate a customer; and

a processor coupled to the network interface and configured to;

receive client activity data for at least one of a client virtual machine and a physical machine supporting the client virtual machine at a site of the customer, wherein the client activity data was collected by a management virtual machine monitoring the at least one of the client virtual machine and the physical machine supporting the client virtual machine at the site of the customer;

compare the client activity data against a set of performance guidelines;

determine a recommended action in response to the client activity data not falling within the set of performance guidelines; and

forward, via the network interface, the recommended action to the customer.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the recommended action is a hardware upgrade.

16. The system of claim 14, wherein the recommended action is a software upgrade.

17. The system of claim 14, wherein the processor is further configured to:

instantiate a test virtual machine with the recommended action in a secure location; and

execute the test virtual machine with configuration data associated with the at least one client virtual machine.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the processor is further configured to:

determine a performance characterization of the test virtual machine; and

include the performance characterization with the recommended action.

19. The system of claim 14, wherein the processor is further configured to:

determine a failing part within the physical machine based on the client activity data; and

notify the customer of the failing part.