System and method for service level management
First Claim
1. A service level management method, comprising:
- receiving a first service level agreed upon between a supplier associated with a service and a customer associated with the service, pursuant to a service level agreement, to be provided for a first time period of the service provided over an electronic network of network components to support the service and a second service level agreed upon between the supplier and the customer, different from the first service level, to be provided, pursuant to the service level agreement, for a second time period, different from the first time period, of the service, wherein the service comprises an electronic service electronically provided by the electronic network of network components, wherein a billing time period for the service comprises the first time period and the second time period, and wherein the first service level comprises a value used to indicate an acceptable service quality, the service quality comprising availability, reliability, or usability;
monitoring, by a computing device, a value associated with a component parameter that measures the performance associated with a network component of the network components that supports the service;
determining, by the computing device, a value of a service parameter that represents performance associated with the service based on the monitored value associated with the component parameter;
comparing, by the computing device, a value associated with the service parameter for the first time period to a first target value related to the first service level;
comparing, by the computing device, a value associated with the service parameter for the second time period to a second target value related to the second service level; and
responsive to the comparing indicating that the value associated with the service parameter for the first time period does not meet the first target value for the first time period or the comparing indicating that the value associated with the service parameter for the second time period does not meet the second target value for the second time period, providing instructions to automatically reconfigure, by a computing system, at least one of the network components in the electronic network such that the value associated with the service parameter for the first time period conforms to the first service level or the value associated with the service parameter for the second time period conforms to the second service level.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The system and method described herein may provide service level management, wherein business processes may be composed of services. A state of the service may be defined by one or more service parameters, which depend upon performance of network components that support the service (e.g., component parameters). The state of the service may depend, for example, on a collection of service parameter values for availability, reliability, security, integrity, and response time. A service level agreement is a contract between a supplier and a customer that identifies services supported by a network, service parameters for the service, and service levels (e.g., acceptable levels for each service parameter).
96 Citations
24 Claims
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1. A service level management method, comprising:
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receiving a first service level agreed upon between a supplier associated with a service and a customer associated with the service, pursuant to a service level agreement, to be provided for a first time period of the service provided over an electronic network of network components to support the service and a second service level agreed upon between the supplier and the customer, different from the first service level, to be provided, pursuant to the service level agreement, for a second time period, different from the first time period, of the service, wherein the service comprises an electronic service electronically provided by the electronic network of network components, wherein a billing time period for the service comprises the first time period and the second time period, and wherein the first service level comprises a value used to indicate an acceptable service quality, the service quality comprising availability, reliability, or usability; monitoring, by a computing device, a value associated with a component parameter that measures the performance associated with a network component of the network components that supports the service; determining, by the computing device, a value of a service parameter that represents performance associated with the service based on the monitored value associated with the component parameter; comparing, by the computing device, a value associated with the service parameter for the first time period to a first target value related to the first service level; comparing, by the computing device, a value associated with the service parameter for the second time period to a second target value related to the second service level; and responsive to the comparing indicating that the value associated with the service parameter for the first time period does not meet the first target value for the first time period or the comparing indicating that the value associated with the service parameter for the second time period does not meet the second target value for the second time period, providing instructions to automatically reconfigure, by a computing system, at least one of the network components in the electronic network such that the value associated with the service parameter for the first time period conforms to the first service level or the value associated with the service parameter for the second time period conforms to the second service level. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A service level management system, comprising:
a service analysis system having a processor configured to; receive a first service level agreed upon between a supplier associated with a service and a customer associated with the service, pursuant to a service level agreement, to be provided for a first time period of the service provided over an electronic network of network components to support the service and a second service level agreed upon between the supplier and the customer, different from the first service level, to be provided, pursuant to the service level agreement, for a second time period, different from the first time period, of the service, wherein the service comprises an electronic service electronically provided by the electronic network of network components, wherein a billing time period for the service comprises the first time period and the second time period, and wherein the first service level comprises a value used to indicate an acceptable service quality, the service quality comprising availability, reliability, or usability; monitor a value associated with a component parameter that measures the performance associated with a network device of the network devices that supports the service; determine a value of a service parameter that represents performance associated with the service based on the monitored value associated with the component parameter; compare a value associated with the service parameter for the first time period to a first target value related to the first service level; compare a value associated with the service parameter for the second time period to a second target value related to the second service level; and responsive to a comparison result indicating that the value associated with the service parameter for the first time period does not meet the first target value for the first time period or a comparison result indicating that the value associated with the service parameter for the second time period does not meet the second target value for the second time period, provide instructions to automatically reconfigure, by a computing system, at least one of the network components in the electronic network such that the value associated with the service parameter for the first time period conforms to the first service level or the value associated with the service parameter for the second time period conforms to the second service level. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A computer program product comprising:
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a non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing information, the stored information comprising; instructions configured to cause a computing device to; receive a first service level agreed upon between a supplier associated with a service and a customer associated with the service, pursuant to a service level agreement, to be provided for a first time period of the service provided over an electronic network of network components to support the service and a second service level agreed upon between the supplier and the customer, different from the first service level, to be provided, pursuant to the service level agreement, for a second time period, different from the first time period, of the service, wherein the service comprises an electronic service electronically provided by the electronic network of network components, wherein a billing time period for the service comprises the first time period and the second time period, and wherein the first service level comprises a value used to indicate an acceptable service quality, the service quality comprising availability, reliability, or usability; monitor a value associated with a component parameter that measures the performance associated with a network component of the network components that supports the service; determine a value of a service parameter that represents performance associated with the service based on the monitored value associated with the component parameter; compare a value associated with the service parameter for the first time period to a first target value related to the first service level; compare a value associated with the service parameter for the second time period to a second target value related to the second service level; and responsive to a comparison result indicating that the value associated with the service parameter for the first time period does not meet the first target value for the first time period or a comparison result indicating that the value associated with the service parameter for the second time period does not meet the second target value for the second time period, provide instructions to automatically reconfigure, by a computing system, at least one of the network components in the electronic network such that the value associated with the service parameter for the first time period conforms to the first service level or the value associated with the service parameter for the second time period conforms to the second service level. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
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Specification