Tag management of information technology services improvement

• US 9,231,895 B2
• Filed: 10/23/2012
• Issued: 01/05/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 10/23/2012
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Echeverria, Pedro Ivo Martins
• Primary Examiner(s): Bates, Kevin
• Assistant Examiner(s): Scott, Mark A
• Application Number:
  US13/658,329
• Publication Number:
  US 20140115071A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,169 Days
• Field of Search: 709/206
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/107 Computer-aided management of electronic mailing [e-mailing]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1895 for short real-time information, e.g. alarms, notifications, alerts, updates
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/046 Interoperability with other network applications or services

Abstract

Alert messages are generated containing a text description of an interruption of service of a component in a networked computer system infrastructure; a service provider identity tag that identifies a type of service provider personnel required to engage the computer system infrastructure and abate or diagnose the service interruption; and one or more component tags that identify a component associated with the service interruption. A message board system posts the generated alert message on a support message board that is accessible by support team service provider professionals, each identified by the service provider identity tag and the component tags. Support team members post different reply messages that each comprise different service provider identity tags, and the message board system broadcasts different simple syndication outputs to different recipients based on their associations with the different respective service provider identity tags.

Claims

1. A method for differentiated communications in an application support domain, the method comprising:

a message board system automatically generating an alert message comprising a text description of an interruption of service of a component in a networked computer system infrastructure, a service provider identity tag that identifies a type of service provider personnel required to engage the computer system infrastructure and abate or diagnose the service interruption, and at least one component tag that identifies a component associated with the service interruption;

the message board system posting the generated alert message on a support message board that is accessible by support team service provider professionals that are each identified by the service provider identity tag and the at least one component tag in the automated alert message;

in response to one of the support team service provider processionals posting a first text message reply to the alert message on the support message board that comprises the service provider identity tag and the at least one component tag, the message board system broadcasting a first really simple syndication message only to each of the support team service provider professionals that are identified by association with the service provider identity tag and the at least one component tag, wherein the first really simple syndication message comprises the text message of the first reply in association with the text description of the interruption of service from the alert message, the service provider identity tag and the at least one component tag; and

in response to one of the support team service provider professionals posting a second reply text message on the message board associated with the alert message that comprises the service provider tag, the at least one component tag and another identity tag that is different from the service provider identity tag, the message board system broadcasting a second really simple syndication message only to each of the support team service provider professionals that are identified by association with the service provider identity tag, the other different identity tag, and the at least one component tag, wherein the second really simple syndication message comprises the text message of the second reply in association with the text description of the interruption of service from the alert message, the service provider identity tag, the other different identity tag, and the at least one component tag;

maintaining a plurality of subsequent text messages received from the support team service provider professionals that comprise each of the service provider identity tag and the at least one component tag in association with each other and the alert message or the first reply message in a first alert thread; and

maintaining a plurality of subsequent text messages received from the support team service provider professionals that comprise each of the service provider identity tag, the other different identity tag and the at least one component tag in association with each other and the alert message or the second reply message in a second alert thread that is separate and distinct from the first alert thread;

wherein the message board system does not broadcast the first really simple syndication message to the support team service provider professionals recipients of the second really simple syndication message that are identified by association with the service provider identity tag, the other different identity tag, and the at least one component tag; and

wherein each of the support team service provider professionals recipients receives in real time really simple syndication messages that are filtered according to associations with respective ones of the service provider identity tag, the other different identity tag, and the at least one component tag.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one component tag that identifies the infrastructure associated with the service interruption is a plurality of tags that comprises an application tag that identifies a software component associated with the service interruption, and a hardware tag that identifies a hardware component associated with the service interruption.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

sending the text description of the interruption of service in the posted alert message to the support team service provider professionals via an instant message, a cellular text message, a chat text message or an email text message.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

transferring the service provider identity tag, the application tag and the hardware tag from a current support team member of the service provider professionals to a new stakeholder of the support team service provider professionals; and

the message board system broadcasting the subsequent text messages received from the support team service provider professionals and maintained in the first alert thread to the new stakeholder but not to the current support team member as a function of the transfer of the service provider identity tag, the application tag and the hardware tag from the current support team member to the new stakeholder.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising:

transferring the service provider identity tag, the application tag and the hardware tag from the new stakeholder back to the current support team member at the end of a leave period of the current support team member; and

the message board system broadcasting the subsequent text messages received from the support members and maintained in the first alert thread to the current support team member but not to the new stakeholder as a function of the transfer of the service provider identity tag, the application tag and the hardware tag back from the new stakeholder to the current support team member.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

integrating computer-readable program code into a computer system comprising a processing unit, a computer readable memory and a computer readable tangible storage medium, wherein the computer readable program code is embodied on the computer readable tangible storage medium and comprises instructions that, when executed by the processing unit via the computer readable memory, cause the processing unit to function as the message board system that automatically generates and posts the alert message on the support message board, and broadcast the first really simple syndication messages to each of the support team members identified by the service provider identity tag and the at least one component tag, and broadcasts the second really simple syndication message to each of the recipients that are each associated with the service provider identity tag, the other different identity tag, and the at least one component tag, without broadcasting the first really simple syndication message to the recipients of the second really simple syndication message.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the processing unit, when executing the program instructions stored on the tangible computer-readable storage medium via the computer readable memory, further:

maintains the plurality of subsequent text messages received from the support team service provider professionals that comprise each of the service provider identity tag and the at least one component tag in association with each other and the alert message or the first reply message in the first alert thread; and

maintains the plurality of subsequent text messages received from the support team service provider professionals that comprise each of the service provider identity tag, the other different identity tag and the at least one component tag in association with each other and the alert message or the second reply message in the second alert thread that is separate and distinct from the first alert thread.

8. A system, comprising:

a processing unit;

a computer readable memory in communication with the processing unit; and

a computer-readable hardware storage device in communication with the processing unit;

wherein the processing unit executes program instructions stored on the computer-readable hardware storage device via the computer readable memory and thereby;

automatically generates an alert message comprising a text description of an interruption of service of a component in a networked computer system infrastructure, a service provider identity tag that identifies a type of service provider personnel required to engage the computer system infrastructure and abate or diagnose the service interruption, and at least one component tag that identifies a component associated with the service interruption;

posts the generated alert message on a support message board that is accessible by support team service provider professionals comprising a plurality of service provider professionals that are each identified by the service provider identity tag and the at least one component tag in the automated alert message;

in response to one of the support team service provider professionals posting a first text message reply to the alert message on the support message board that comprises the service provider identity tag and the at least one component tag, broadcasts a first really simple syndication message only to each of the support team service provider professionals that are identified by association with the service provider identity tag and the at least one component tag, wherein the first really simple syndication message comprises the text message of the first reply in association with the text description of the interruption of service from the alert message, the service provider identity tag and the at least one component tag; and

in response to one of the support team service provider professionals posting a second reply text message on the message board associated with the alert message that comprises the service provider tag, the at least one component tag and another identity tag that is different from the service provider identity tag, broadcasts a second really simple syndication message only to each of the support team service provider professionals that are identified by association with the service provider identity tag, the other different identity tag, and the at least one component tag, wherein the second really simple syndication message comprises the text message of the second reply in association with the text description of the interruption of service from the alert message, the service provider identity tag, the other different identity tag, and the at least one component tag, and does not broadcast the first really simple syndication message to the recipients of the second really simple syndication message;

maintains a plurality of subsequent text messages received from the support team service provider professionals that comprise each of the service provider identity tag and the at least one component tag in association with each other and the alert message or the first reply message in a first alert thread; and

maintains a plurality of subsequent text messages received from the support team service provider professionals that comprise each of the service provider identity tag, and the other different identity tag and the at least one component tag in association with each other and the alert message or the second reply message in a second alert thread that is separate and distinct from the first alert thread;

wherein the message board system does not broadcast the first really simple syndication message to the support team service provider professionals recipients of the second really simple syndication message that are identified by association with the service provider identity tag, the other different identity tag, and the at least one component tag; and

wherein each of the support team service provider professionals recipients receives in real time really simple syndication messages that are filtered according to associations with respective ones of the service provider identity tag, the other different identity tag, and the at least one component tag.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the at least one component tag that identifies the infrastructure associated with the service interruption is a plurality of tags that comprises an application tag that identifies a software component associated with the service interruption, and a hardware tag that identifies a hardware component associated with the service interruption.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the processing unit executes the program instructions stored on the computer-readable hardware storage device via the computer readable memory, and thereby further sends the text description of the interruption of service in the posted alert message to the support team service provider professionals via an instant message, a cellular text message, a chat text message or an email text message.

11. The system of claim 10 the processing unit executes the program instructions stored on the computer-readable hardware storage device via the computer readable memory, and thereby further, in response to a transfer of the service provider identity tag, the application tag and the hardware tag from a current support team member of the team service provider professionals to a new stakeholder of the team service provider professionals:

broadcasts the subsequent text messages received from the support team service provider professionals and maintained in the first alert thread to the new stakeholder but not to the current support team member as a function of the transfer of the service provider identity tag, the application tag and the hardware tag from the current support team member to the new stakeholder.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the processing unit executes the program instructions stored on the computer-readable hardware storage device via the computer readable memory, and thereby further, in response to a transfer of the service provider identity tag, the application tag and the hardware tag from the new stakeholder back to the current support team member at the end of a leave period of the current support team member:

broadcasts the subsequent text messages received from the support members and maintained in the first alert thread to the current support team member but not to the new stakeholder as a function of the transfer of the service provider identity tag, the application tag and the hardware tag back from the new stakeholder to the current support team member.

13. A computer program product for differentiated communications in an application support domain, the computer program product comprising a computer readable hardware storage device having program code embodied therewith, the program code for execution by a computer processing unit to cause the computer processing unit to:

automatically generate an alert message comprising a text description of an interruption of service of a component in a networked computer system infrastructure, a service provider identity tag that identifies a type of service provider personnel required to engage the computer system infrastructure and abate or diagnose the service interruption, and at least one component tag that identifies a component associated with the service interruption;

post the generated alert message on a support message board that is accessible by support team service provider professionals comprising a plurality of service provider professionals that are each identified by the service provider identity tag and the at least one component tag in the automated alert message;

in response to one of the support team service provider professionals service posting a first text message reply to the alert message on the support message board that comprises the service provider identity tag and the at least one component tag, broadcast a first really simple syndication message only to each of the support team service provider professionals that are identified by association with the service provider identity tag and the at least one component tag, wherein the first really simple syndication message comprises the text message of the first reply in association with the text description of the interruption of service from the alert message, the service provider identity tag and the at least one component tag; and

in response to one of the support team service provider professionals posting a second reply text message on the message board associated with the alert message that comprises the service provider tag, the at least one component tag and another identity tag that is different from the service provider identity tag, broadcast a second really simple syndication message only to each of the support team service provider professionals that are identified by association with the service provider identity tag, the other different identity tag, and the at least one component tag, wherein the second really simple syndication message comprises the text message of the second reply in association with the text description of the interruption of service from the alert message, the service provider identity tag, the other different identity tag, and the at least one component tag, without broadcasting the first really simple syndication message to the recipients of the second really simple syndication message;

maintain a plurality of subsequent text messages received from the support team service provider professionals that comprise each of the service provider identity tag and the at least one component tag in association with each other and the alert message or the first reply message in a first alert thread; and

maintaining a plurality of subsequent text messages received from the support team service provider professionals that comprise each of the service provider identity tag, the other different identity tag and the at least one component tag in association with each other and the alert message or the second reply message in a second alert thread that is separate and distinct from the first alert thread;

wherein the message board system does not broadcast the first really simple syndication message to the support team service provider professionals recipients of the second really simple syndication message that are identified by association with the service provider identity tag, the other different identity tag, and the at least one component tag; and

wherein each of the support team service provider professionals recipients receives in real time really simple syndication messages that are filtered according to associations with respective ones of the service provider identity tag, the other different identity tag, and the at least one component tag.

14. The computer program product of claim 13, wherein the at least one component tag that identifies the infrastructure associated with the service interruption is a plurality of tags that comprises an application tag that identifies a software component associated with the service interruption, and a hardware tag that identifies a hardware component associated with the service interruption.

15. The computer program product of claim 14, wherein the computer readable program code instructions for execution by the computer processing unit, further cause the computer processing unit to send the text description of the interruption of service in the posted alert message to the support team service provider professionals via an instant message, a cellular text message, a chat text message or an email text message.

16. The computer program product of claim 15, wherein the computer readable program code instructions for execution by the computer processing unit, further cause the computer processing unit to, in response of a transfer of the service provider identity tag, the application tag and the hardware tag from a current support team member of the team service provider professionals to a new stakeholder of the team service provider professionals:

broadcast the subsequent text messages received from the support team service provider professionals and maintained in the first alert thread to the new stakeholder but not to the current support team member as a function of the transfer of the service provider identity tag, the application tag and the hardware tag from the current support team member to the new stakeholder.

17. The computer program product of claim 16, wherein the computer readable program code instructions for execution by the computer processing unit, further cause the computer processing unit to, in response to a transfer of the service provider identity tag, the application tag and the hardware tag from the new stakeholder back to the current support team member at the end of a leave period of the current support team member:

broadcast the subsequent text messages received from the support members and maintained in the first alert thread to the current support team member but not to the new stakeholder as a function of the transfer of the service provider identity tag, the application tag and the hardware tag back from the new stakeholder to the current support team member.