Monitoring client information in a shared environment

• US 9,203,700 B2
• Filed: 05/21/2013
• Issued: 12/01/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 05/21/2013
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Basoglu, Toni U., Hinton, Heather M., Readshaw, Neil I.
• Primary Examiner(s): DOAN, DUYEN MY
• Application Number:
  US13/898,555
• Publication Number:
  US 20140351409A1
• Time in Patent Office: 924 Days
• Field of Search: 709/203, 709/224
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0618 based on the physical or logical position
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0869 Validating the configuration within one network element

Abstract

A method for monitoring client information within a shared environment. The method includes identifying a first physical location of a server computer, the server computer providing computing resources to a client within a shared environment, and collecting information associated with the client, the information including computing resources of the server computer provided to the client. The method includes creating a map showing the first physical location of the server computer and the collected information associated with the client. The method includes identifying a current physical location of the server computer and determining whether the current location is different than the first location. The method then, in response to determining the current location is different than the first location, includes updating the map with the identified current physical location of the server computer.

Claims

1. A method for monitoring client information within a shared environment, the method comprising:

identifying, by one or more computer processors, a first physical location of a server computer, the server computer providing computing resources to a client within a shared environment;

collecting, by the one or more computer processors, information associated with the client, wherein collected information includes computing resources of the server computer provided to the client;

creating, by the one or more computer processors, a logical map showing the identified first physical location of the server computer and the collected information associated with the client, wherein the logical map provides the client with a real time view of a shared data environment of the client with respect to a shared infrastructure environment;

identifying, by the one or more computer processors, a current physical location of the server computer;

determining, by the one or more computer processors, whether the current physical location of the server computer is different than the first physical location of the server computer identified on the created logical map;

in response to determining the current physical location of the server computer is different than the first physical location of the server computer identified on the created logical map,

determining, by the one or more computer processors, whether the current physical location is a verified physical location for the server computer, wherein the verified physical location includes at least an authorized movement of the server computer; and

responsive to determining the current physical location is not a verified physical location, generating, by the one or more computer processors, an alert indicating the current physical location is different than the first physical location of the server computer identified on the created logical map.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein identifying the first physical location of the server computer and identifying the current physical location of the server computer further comprise receiving, from a tag connected to the server computer, physical location information, wherein the physical location information includes one or more of a building, a floor, a room, and a rack location.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving, by the one or more computer processors, software data for the server computer;

determining, by the one or more computer processors, whether the software data is in compliance with predefined requirements;

in response to determining the software data is not in compliance with predefined requirements, updating, by the one or more computer processors, the created map with the software data; and

generating an alert indicating the software data is not in compliance with predefined requirements.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein requirements for compliance are predefined by the client or by a provider of the server computer.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the computing resources of the server computer provided to the client include virtual computing resources and physical computer resources of the server computer.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein determining whether the current physical location is a verified physical location for the server computer further comprises receiving, by the one or more computer processors, a verification for the current physical location, wherein a verification includes one or more of:

a service ticket, an alert, a report and a notification.

7. A computer program product for monitoring client information within a shared environment, the computer program product comprising:

one or more computer-readable tangible storage devices and program instructions stored on the one or more computer-readable tangible storage devices, the program instructions comprising;

program instructions to identify a first physical location of a server computer, the server computer providing computing resources to a client within a shared environment;

program instructions to collect information associated with the client, wherein collected information includes computing resources of the server computer provided to the client;

program instructions to create a logical map showing the identified first physical location of the server computer and the collected information associated with the client, wherein the logical map provides the client with a real time view of a shared data environment of the client with respect to a shared infrastructure environment;

program instructions to identify a current physical location of the server computer;

program instructions to determine whether the current physical location of the server computer is different than the first physical location of the server computer identified on the created logical map;

in response to determining the current physical location of the server computer is different than the first physical location of the server computer identified on the created logical map,

program instructions to determine whether the current physical location is a verified physical location for the server computer, wherein the verified physical location includes at least an authorized movement of the server computer; and

responsive to determining the current physical location is not a verified physical location, program instructions to generate an alert indicating the current physical location is different than the first physical location of the server computer identified on the created logical map.

8. The computer program product of claim 7, wherein the program instructions to identify the first physical location of the server computer and the program instructions to identify the current physical location of the server computer further comprise program instructions to receive, from a tag attached to the server computer, physical location information, wherein the physical location information includes one or more of a building, a floor, a room, and a rack location.

9. The computer program product of claim 7, further comprising:

program instructions to receive software data for the server computer;

program instructions to determine whether the software data is in compliance with predefined requirements;

in response to determining the software data is not in compliance with predefined requirements, program instructions to update the created map with the software data; and

program instructions to generate an alert indicating the software data is not in compliance with predefined requirements.

10. The computer program product of claim 7, wherein the computing resources of the server computer provided to the client include virtual computing resources and physical computer resources of the server computer.

11. The computer program product of claim 7, wherein the program instructions to determining whether the current physical location is a verified physical location for the server computer further comprise program instructions to receive a verification for the current physical location, wherein a verification includes one or more of:

a service ticket, an alert, a report and a notification.

12. A computer system for monitoring client information within a shared environment, the computer system comprising:

one or more computer processors;

one or more computer-readable tangible storage media;

program instructions stored on the one or more computer-readable tangible storage media for execution by at least one of the one or more computer processors, the program instructions comprising;

program instructions to identify a first physical location of a server computer, the server computer providing computing resources to a client within a shared environment;

program instructions to collect information associated with the client, wherein collected information includes computing resources of the server computer provided to the client;

program instructions to create a logical map showing the identified first physical location of the server computer and the collected information associated with the client, wherein the logical map provides the client with a real time view of a shared data environment of the client with respect to a shared infrastructure environment;

program instructions to identify a current physical location of the server computer;

program instructions to determine whether the current physical location of the server computer is different than the first physical location of the server computer identified on the created logical map;

in response to determining the current physical location of the server computer is different than the first physical location of the server computer identified on the created logical map,

program instructions to determine whether the current physical location is a verified physical location for the server computer, wherein the verified physical location includes at least an authorized movement of the server computer; and

responsive to determining the current physical location is not a verified physical location, program instructions to generate an alert indicating the current physical location is different than the first physical location of the server computer identified on the created logical map.

13. The computer system of claim 12, wherein the program instructions to identify the first physical location of the server computer and the program instructions to identify the current physical location of the server computer further comprise program instructions to receive, from a tag attached to the server computer, physical location information, wherein the physical location information includes one or more of a building, a floor, a room, and a rack location.

14. The computer system of claim 12, further comprising:

program instructions to receive software data for the server computer;

program instructions to determine whether the software data is in compliance with predefined requirements;

in response to determining the software data is not in compliance with predefined requirements, program instructions to update the created map with the software data; and

program instructions to generate an alert indicating the software data is not in compliance with predefined requirements.

15. The computer system of claim 14, wherein requirements for compliance are predefined by the client or by a provider of the server computer.

16. The computer system of claim 12, wherein the computing resources of the server computer provided to the client include virtual computing resources and physical computer resources of the server computer.

17. The computer system of claim 12, wherein the program instructions to determining whether the current physical location is a verified physical location for the server computer further comprise program instructions to receive a verification for the current physical location, wherein a verification includes one or more of:

a service ticket, an alert, a report and a notification.