Powertag: manufacturing and support system method and apparatus for multi-computer solutions

• US 9,646,289 B2
• Filed: 07/20/2012
• Issued: 05/09/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 07/27/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dell Products LP (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Dell Products LP (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Inventors: Yardumian, Edward, Adams, Mark A., Mashayekhi, Victor V.R.
• Primary Examiner(s): STRANGE, AARON N
• Application Number:
  US13/554,406
• Publication Number:
  US 20120290824A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,754 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/20 Administration of product repair or maintenance
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/5061 characterised by the interaction between service providers and their network customers, e.g. customer relationship management
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1097 for distributed storage of data in networks, e.g. transport arrangements for network file system [NFS], storage area networks [SAN] or network attached storage [NAS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]

Abstract

A solutions-based computer system manufacturing process includes assembling computer and storage system components for creation of a given solution-based product as a function of a customer order or plan. The process further includes assigning a solution identifier to the solution-based product. The solution identifier includes a solution type and a unique identifier within the solution type.

Claims

1. A method of supporting a computing solution, comprising:

associating, by a solution service provider system in a database of at least one storage device, a solution identifier with a plurality of solution subsystem identifiers and at least one software system identifier, wherein each solution subsystem identifier identifies a respective solution subsystem of a plurality of solution subsystems that each include a plurality of hardware devices, and wherein the at least one software system identifier identifies software that enables the plurality of solution subsystems to operate together to provide the computing solution;

receiving, by the solution service provider system, at least one of the plurality of solution subsystem identifiers and, in response, determining the solution identifier is associated with the at least one of the plurality of solution subsystem identifiers in the database;

retrieving, by the solution service provider system from the at least one storage device using the solution identifier, solution specific software information related to the software that enables the plurality of solution subsystems to operate together to provide the computing solution;

generating, by the solution service provider system, at least one solution-specific information page for the computing solution using the solution specific software information; and

providing, by the solution service provider system, the at least one solution-specific information page for the computing solution for display on a display device.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining, by the solution service provider system using the solution identifier, a solution service offering type that indicates a level of service provided for the computing solution.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

retrieving, by the solution service provider system from the at least one storage device using the solution identifier, solution subsystem specific information related to at least one of the plurality of solution subsystems that operate together with the software to provide the computing solution;

generating, by the solution service provider system, the at least one solution-specific information page for the computing solution using the solution specific software information and the solution subsystem specific information; and

providing, by the solution service provider system, the at least one solution-specific information page for the computing solution for display on the display device.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining, by the solution service provider system using the solution identifier, solution upgrade information that describes at least one upgrade to the computing solution; and

providing, by the solution service provider system, the solution upgrade information for display on the display device.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

associating, by the solution service provider system, the solution identifier with solution-specific information that is not associated with any of the plurality of solution subsystem identifiers or the at least one software system identifier.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the software enables the plurality of solution subsystems to function together in a predefined manner, and wherein the solution specific software information includes an upgrade to the software.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining, by the solution service provider system, diagnostic routine information for trouble-shooting problems with the computing solution; and

providing, by the solution service provider system, the diagnostic routine information for display on the display device.

8. A computing solution support information handling system (IHS), comprising:

a processor;

a database coupled to the processor, wherein the database associates a solution identifier with a plurality of solution subsystem identifiers and at least one software system identifier, wherein each solution subsystem identifier identifies a respective solution subsystem of a plurality of solution subsystems that each include a plurality of hardware devices, and wherein the at least one software system identifier identifies software that enables the plurality of solution subsystems to operate together to provide the computing solution; and

a non-transitory, computer-readable medium comprising instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to;

receive at least one of the plurality of solution subsystem identifiers and, in response, determine the solution identifier that is associated with the at least one of the plurality of solution subsystem identifiers in the database;

retrieve, from the database using the solution identifier, solution specific software information related to the software that enables the plurality of solution subsystems to operate together to provide the computing solution;

generate at least one solution-specific information page for the computing solution using the solution specific software information; and

provide the at least one solution-specific information page for the computing solution for display on a display device.

9. The computing solution support IHS of claim 8, wherein the non-transitory, computer-readable medium further comprises instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to:

determine, using the solution identifier, a solution service offering type that indicates a level of service provided for the computing solution.

10. The computing solution support IHS of claim 8, wherein the non-transitory, computer-readable medium further comprises instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to:

retrieve, from the database using the solution identifier, solution subsystem specific information related to at least one of the plurality of solution subsystems that operate together with the software to provide the computing solution;

generate the at least one solution-specific information page for the computing solution using the solution specific software information and the solution subsystem specific information; and

provide the at least one solution-specific information page for the computing solution for display on the display device.

11. The computing solution support IHS of claim 8, wherein the non-transitory, computer-readable medium further comprises instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to:

determine, using the solution identifier, solution upgrade information that describes at least one upgrade to the computing solution; and

provide the solution upgrade information for display on the display device.

12. The computing solution support IHS of claim 8, wherein the solution identifier is associated in the database with solution specific information that is not associated with any of the plurality of solution subsystem identifiers or the at least one software system identifier.

13. The computing solution support IHS of claim 8, wherein the software enables the plurality of solution subsystems to function together in a predefined manner, and wherein the solution specific software information includes an upgrade to the software.

14. The computing solution support IHS of claim 8, wherein the non-transitory, computer-readable medium further comprises instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to:

determine diagnostic routine information for trouble-shooting problems with the computing solution; and

provide the diagnostic routine information for display on the display device.

15. A method of supporting a computing solution, comprising:

associating, by a solution service provider system in a database in at least one storage device, a solution identifier with a software system identifier that identifies software and at least one of;

     1) a plurality of computing system identifiers that each identify a respective one of a plurality of computing systems that each include a plurality of hardware devices and

     2) a plurality of storage system identifiers that each identify a respective one of a plurality of storage systems that each include a plurality of hardware devices, wherein the software enables at least one of;

     1) the plurality of computing systems and (2) the plurality of storage systems, to operate together in a predefined manner to provide a computing solution;

receiving, by the solution service provider system, at least one of

     1) the plurality of computing system identifiers and

     2) the plurality of storage system identifiers and, in response, determining the solution identifier is associated with the at least one of

     1) the plurality of computing system identifiers and

     2) the plurality of storage system identifiers in the database;

retrieving, by the solution service provider system from the database using the solution identifier, solution-specific information related to the software;

generating, by the solution service provider system, at least one solution-specific information page for the computing solution using the solution specific information; and

providing, by the solution service provider system, the at least one solution-specific information page for display on a display device.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

determining, by the solution service provider system using the solution identifier, a solution service offering type that indicates a level of service provided for the computing solution.

17. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

retrieving, by the solution service provider system from the database using the solution identifier, the solution-specific information related to at least one of

     1) the plurality of computing systems and (2) the plurality of storage system in the database;

generating, by the solution service provider system, the at least one solution-specific information page for the computing solution using the solution specific information; and

providing, by the solution service provider system, the at least one solution-specific information page for display on the display device.

18. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

determining, by the solution service provider system using the solution identifier, solution upgrade information that describes at least one upgrade to the computing solution; and

providing, by the solution service provider system, the solution upgrade information for display on the display device.

19. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

associating, by the solution service provider system, the solution identifier with solution specific information that is not associated with any of the plurality of computing system identifiers, the plurality of storage system identifiers, and the software system identifier; and

displaying, by the solution service provider system, the solution-specific information on the display device.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the solution-specific information includes a solution architecture of the computing solution.