Template for optimizing IT infrastructure configuration

• US 9,037,720 B2
• Filed: 11/19/2010
• Issued: 05/19/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 11/19/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Friedlander, Robert R., Kraemer, James R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Singh, Gurkanwaljit
• Application Number:
  US12/949,956
• Publication Number:
  US 20120131468A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,642 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 709/226
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0836 to enhance reliability, e.g. reduce downtime

Abstract

A computer implemented method, system, and/or computer program product provides hierarchical templates to optimize a configuration of an information technology (IT) infrastructure. A technology rule set, which defines technology weights of an IT infrastructure by mapping capabilities of IT infrastructure components to IT infrastructure attributes needed to execute a specific workload, is established. Hierarchical templates, which are tied to configuration logic for creating IT infrastructures, are sent to a user. Based on user-selected templates, a candidate IT infrastructure for executing the specific workload is configured. In response to determining that the candidate IT infrastructure fails to meet the customer'"'"'s expectations, the candidate IT infrastructure is reconfigured until the customer'"'"'s expectations are met.

Claims

1. A computer implemented method of optimizing a configuration of an information technology (IT) infrastructure, the computer implemented method comprising:

establishing a technology rule set, wherein the technology rule set defines technology weights of an IT infrastructure by mapping capabilities of IT infrastructure components to IT infrastructure attributes needed to execute a specific workload;

providing hierarchical templates for a candidate IT infrastructure to a user, wherein the hierarchical templates comprise a master template and a subordinate template used to deploy an IT infrastructure, wherein the subordinate template provides additional capability, structure, and constraints to an IT configuration that is defined by the master template;

a processor, in response to receiving user-selected templates from the master template and the subordinate template, configuring a candidate IT infrastructure for executing the specific workload;

in response to determining that the candidate IT infrastructure fails to meet expectations of the user, reconfiguring the candidate IT infrastructure to meet the expectations of the user in executing the specific workload;

presenting a candidate subordinate template to a user on a user interface;

receiving an electronic query signal from the user, wherein the electronic query signal indicates that the user is unsure whether the candidate subordinate template should be incorporated into the master template;

providing a questionnaire to the user on the user interface, wherein the questionnaire includes a set of predetermined questions that are designed to automatically determine whether the candidate subordinate template executes the specific workload;

receiving responses to the questionnaire from the user; and

in response to receiving responses that have been predetermined to be appropriate responses for incorporating the candidate subordinate template into the master template, incorporating the candidate subordinate template into the master template.

2. The computer implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

in response to the processor determining that the candidate IT infrastructure meets the customer'"'"'s expectations, deploying the candidate IT infrastructure.

3. The computer implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

optimizing the candidate IT infrastructure to minimize power consumption and to comply with external regulations during execution of the specific workload.

4. The computer implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

configuring the candidate IT infrastructure by modifying an existing IT infrastructure, wherein modifying the existing IT infrastructure is performed by;

issuing a request for needed IT components, wherein the needed IT components are part of the candidate IT infrastructure but are absent from the existing IT infrastructure; and

issuing an order to remove unnecessary IT components, wherein the unnecessary IT components are part of the existing IT infrastructure but are not part of the candidate IT infrastructure.

5. The computer implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

configuring the candidate IT infrastructure by;

fixing the specific workload to a set definition; and

adjusting a configuration of the candidate IT infrastructure until the candidate IT infrastructure is capable of executing the specific workload.

6. The computer implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

configuring the candidate IT infrastructure by;

fixing an initial IT infrastructure configuration to a set definition; and

adjusting the specific workload until the initial IT infrastructure configuration is capable of executing the adjusted workload.

7. The computer implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

configuring the candidate IT infrastructure by;

subdividing the candidate IT infrastructure across multiple IT providers until the candidate IT infrastructure is capable of executing the specific workload.

8. The computer implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

configuring the candidate IT infrastructure by discarding existing IT resources, from an existing IT infrastructure, that do not meet the IT infrastructure attributes needed to execute the specific workload.

9. The computer implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

configuring the subordinate template to deploy an IT infrastructure that complies with a predetermined legal requirement.

10. A computer program product for optimizing a configuration of an information technology (IT) infrastructure, the computer program product comprising:

a non-transitory computer readable storage media;

first program instructions to establish a technology rule set, wherein the technology rule set defines technology weights of an IT infrastructure by mapping capabilities of IT infrastructure components to IT infrastructure attributes needed to execute a specific workload;

second program instructions to provide hierarchical templates for a candidate IT infrastructure to a user, wherein the hierarchical templates comprise a master template and a subordinate template used to deploy an IT infrastructure, wherein the subordinate template provides additional capability, structure, and constraints to an IT configuration that is defined by the master template;

third program instructions to, in response to receiving user-selected templates from the master template and the subordinate template, configure a candidate IT infrastructure for executing the specific workload; and

fourth program instructions to, in response to determining that the candidate IT infrastructure fails to meet expectations of the user, reconfigure the candidate IT infrastructure to meet the expectations of the user in executing the specific workload;

fifth program instructions to present a candidate subordinate template to a user on a user interface;

sixth program instructions to receive an electronic query signal from the user, wherein the electronic query signal indicates that the user is unsure whether the candidate subordinate template should be incorporated into the master template;

seventh program instructions to provide a questionnaire to the user on the user interface, wherein the questionnaire includes a set of predetermined questions that are designed to automatically determine whether the candidate subordinate template executes the specific workload;

eighth program instructions to receive responses to the questionnaire from the user; and

ninth program instructions to, in response to receiving responses that have been predetermined to be appropriate responses for incorporating the candidate subordinate template into the master template, incorporate the candidate subordinate template into the master template; and

wherein

the first, second, third, fourth, fifth, sixth, seven, eighth, and ninth program instructions are stored on the non-transitory computer readable storage media.

11. The computer program product of claim 10, further comprising:

tenth program instructions to, in response to determining that the candidate IT infrastructure meets the customer'"'"'s expectations, deploy the candidate IT infrastructure, and wherein the tenth program instructions are stored on the non-transitory computer readable storage media.

12. The computer program product of claim 10, further comprising:

tenth program instructions to provide a questionnaire to the user, wherein the questionnaire includes a set of predetermined questions that are designed to automatically determine what additional configuration requirements are needed to execute the specific workload, and wherein the tenth program instructions are stored on the non-transitory computer readable storage media.

13. The computer program product of claim 10, further comprising:

tenth program instructions to optimize the candidate IT infrastructure to minimize power consumption and to comply with external regulations during execution of the specific workload, and wherein the tenth program instructions are stored on the non-transitory computer readable storage media.

14. The computer program product of claim 10, further comprising:

tenth program instructions to configure the subordinate template to deploy an IT infrastructure that complies with a predetermined legal requirement, and wherein the tenth program instructions are stored on the non-transitory computer readable storage media.

15. A computer system comprising:

a processor, a computer readable memory, and a non-transitory computer readable storage media;

first program instructions to establish a technology rule set, wherein the technology rule set defines technology weights of an IT infrastructure by mapping capabilities of IT infrastructure components to IT infrastructure attributes needed to execute a specific workload, wherein said mapping supports;

assessing hardware components of the infrastructure,

assessing provisioning of hardware components of a unified resource manager that manages the infrastructure, and

assessing performance of the unified resource manager;

second program instructions to provide hierarchical templates for a candidate IT infrastructure to a user, wherein the hierarchical templates comprise a master template and a subordinate template used to deploy an IT infrastructure, wherein the subordinate template provides additional capability, structure, and constraints to an IT configuration that is defined by the master template;

third program instructions to, in response to receiving user-selected templates from the master template and the subordinate template, configure a candidate IT infrastructure for executing the specific workload; and

fourth program instructions to, in response to determining that the candidate IT infrastructure fails to meet expectations of the user, reconfigure the candidate IT infrastructure to meet the expectations of the user in executing the specific workload;

fifth program instructions to present a candidate subordinate template to a user on a user interface;

sixth program instructions to receive an electronic query signal from the user, wherein the electronic query signal indicates that the user is unsure whether the candidate subordinate template should be incorporated into the master template;

seventh program instructions to provide a questionnaire to the user on the user interface, wherein the questionnaire includes a set of predetermined questions that are designed to automatically determine whether the candidate subordinate template executes the specific workload;

eighth program instructions to receive responses to the questionnaire from the user; and

ninth program instructions to, in response to receiving responses that have been predetermined to be appropriate responses for incorporating the candidate subordinate template into the master template, incorporate the candidate subordinate template into the master template;

and wherein the first, second, third, fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh, eighth, and ninth program instructions are stored on the computer readable storage media for execution by the processor via the non-transitory computer readable memory.

16. The computer system of claim 15, further comprising:

tenth program instructions to, in response to determining that the candidate IT infrastructure meets the customer'"'"'s expectations, deploy the candidate IT infrastructure, and wherein the tenth program instructions are stored on the non-transitory computer readable storage media for execution by the processor via the computer readable memory.

17. The computer system of claim 15, further comprising:

tenth program instructions to provide a questionnaire to the user, wherein the questionnaire includes a set of predetermined questions that are designed to automatically determine what additional configuration requirements are needed to execute the specific workload, and wherein the tenth program instructions are stored on the non-transitory computer readable storage media for execution by the processor via the computer readable memory.

18. The computer system of claim 15, further comprising:

tenth program instructions to optimize the candidate IT infrastructure to minimize power consumption and to comply with external regulations during execution of the specific workload, and wherein the tenth program instructions are stored on the non-transitory computer readable storage media for execution by the processor via the computer readable memory.

19. The computer system of claim 15, further comprising:

tenth program instructions to configure the subordinate template to deploy an IT infrastructure that complies with a predetermined legal requirement, and wherein the tenth program instructions are stored on the non-transitory computer readable storage media for execution by the processor via the computer readable memory.