Business systems management solution for end-to-end event management using business system operational constraints

• US 8,276,161 B2
• Filed: 06/26/2008
• Issued: 09/25/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 05/22/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Cole, David W., Nawratil, Robert, Northway, Tedrick N., Peterson, Paul D., Terry, Chris E., Kitchens, Otto V.
• Primary Examiner(s): Wu, Qing
• Application Number:
  US12/147,185
• Publication Number:
  US 20080255905A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,552 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 719/318
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0635 Risk analysis of enterprise or organisation activities
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0639 Performance analysis of employees; Performance analysis of enterprise or organisation operations
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/103 Workflow collaboration or project management

Abstract

The present invention provides a method, apparatus, and computer program product for implementing a business systems management solution for end-to-end event management. The present invention realizes a number of business systems management functionalities, including defining event databases and means for event monitoring and correlating a customer'"'"'s business functions by using an enterprise view focused on a system of applications, operating systems, connections, and physical components. Together these components make up a business system as defined by the customer. As such, a business system can cross technology platforms, physical space, and comprise multiple applications, or a business system could be limited to a single platform, location, and application. Components that comprise the business system and enterprise-level event management structure are defined, created, and modified to align the Information Technology with the business system'"'"'s processes and to aid in the management of the information technology with respect to the business system.

Claims

1. A distributed data processing system in a business system, the business system having a plurality of components, the distributed data processing system comprising a set of individual data processing systems containing at least one individual data processing system, wherein the at least one individual data processing system includes:

a bus system;

a memory connected to the bus system, wherein the memory includes at least a portion of a set of instructions; and

a processing unit connected to the bus system, wherein the processing unit includes at least one processor and the set of individual data processing systems collectively execute the set of instructions to receive a set of business system operational constraints;

determine relationships among the plurality of components;

identify at least one potential impact of at least one of the plurality of components on an ability of the business system to fulfill at least one constraint from the set of business system operational constraints;

define an enterprise-level business system event management structure that includes a plurality of event management substructures, wherein the plurality of event management substructures are selected and organized into the enterprise-level business system event management structure in a manner anticipated to fulfill the set of business system operational constraints, and wherein the plurality of event management substructures include a plurality of monitors that monitor for events and include a plurality of tools, constraints, and approaches used to perform event management;

detect an event using at least one of the plurality of monitors, wherein the event includes event data;

assess a potential impact of the event at an enterprise level based upon the at least one potential impact of the at least one of the plurality of components on the ability of the business system to fulfill the at least one constraint from the set of business system operational constraints and based upon the relationships among the plurality of components using the plurality of event management substructures;

store the event data in a storage device; and

identify business metrics for the business system corresponding to the set of business system operational constraints, wherein requirements for monitoring the business system are updated, wherein the business metrics measure performance of business processes, wherein the business processes are reviewed to determine a plurality of processes and applications that are installed and executed in the business system and to select at least a portion of the plurality of processes and applications to monitor for event management, and wherein at least a portion of the plurality of event management substructures is modified.

2. A data processing system for managing events in a business system, the business system having a plurality of components, the data processing system comprising:

receiving means for receiving a set of business system operational constraints;

determining means for determining relationships among the plurality of components;

identifying means for identifying at least one potential impact of at least one of the plurality of components on an ability of the business system to fulfill at least one constraint from the set of business system operational constraints;

defining means for defining an enterprise-level business system event management structure that includes a plurality of event management substructures, wherein the plurality of event management substructures are selected and organized into the enterprise-level business system event management structure in a manner anticipated to fulfill the set of business system operational constraints, and wherein the plurality of event management substructures include a plurality of monitors that monitor for events and include a plurality of tools, constraints, and approaches used to perform event management;

detecting means for detecting an event using at least one of the plurality of monitors, wherein the event includes event data;

assessing means for assessing a potential impact of the event at an enterprise level based upon the at least one potential impact of the at least one of the plurality of components on the ability of the business system to fulfill the at least one constraint from the set of business system operational constraints and based upon the relationships among the plurality of components using the plurality of event management substructures;

storing means for storing the event data on a storage device; and

identifying means for identifying business metrics for the business system corresponding to the set of business system operational constraints, wherein requirements for monitoring the business system are updated, wherein the business metrics measure performance of business processes, wherein the business processes are reviewed to determine a plurality of processes and applications that are installed and executed in the business system and to select at least a portion of the plurality of processes and applications to monitor for event management, and wherein at least a portion of the plurality of event management substructures is modified.

3. The data processing system of claim 2 further comprising:

defining means for defining data warehouse and configuration databases; and

creating means for creating the data warehouse and configuration databases; and

storing means for storing event data and component data in the data warehouse and configuration databases.

4. The data processing system of claim 2 further comprising:

organizing means for organizing data acquired from the plurality of event management substructures for presentation to a customer.

5. The data processing system of claim 2, wherein the assessing means includes:

determining means for determining at least one of an availability, a state, a performance level, a capacity, a trend, and a model for the at least one of the plurality of components.

6. The data processing system of claim 2 further comprising:

determining means for determining costing for the enterprise-level business system event management structure.

7. A computer program product in a recordable type medium for managing events in a business system, the business system having a plurality of components, the computer program product comprising:

first instructions for receiving a set of business system operational constraints;

second instructions for determining relationships among the plurality of components;

third instructions for identifying at least one potential impact of at least one of the plurality of components on an ability of the business system to fulfill at least one constraint from the set of business system operational constraints;

fourth instructions for defining an enterprise-level business system event management structure that includes a plurality of event management substructures, wherein the plurality of event management substructures are selected and organized into the enterprise-level business system event management structure in a manner anticipated to fulfill the set of business system operational constraints, and wherein the plurality of event management substructures include a plurality of monitors that monitor for events and include a plurality of tools, constraints, and approaches used to perform event management;

fifth instructions for detecting an event using at least one of the plurality of monitors, wherein the event includes event data;

sixth instructions for assessing a potential impact of the event at an enterprise level based upon the at least one potential impact of the at least one of the plurality of components on the ability of the business system to fulfill the at least one constraint from the set of business system operational constraints and based upon the relationships among the plurality of components using the plurality of event management substructures;

seventh instructions for storing the event data in a storage device; and

eighth instructions for identifying business metrics for the business system corresponding to the set of business system operational constraints, wherein requirements for monitoring the business system are updated, wherein the business processes are reviewed to determine a plurality of processes and applications that are installed and executed in the business system and to select at least a portion of the plurality of processes and applications to monitor for event management, and wherein at least a portion of the plurality of event management substructures is modified.