Method, system, and article of manufacture for product configuration

• US 20040059447A1
• Filed: 09/20/2002
• Published: 03/25/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 09/20/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Rich, Nicki Jo, Coale, Jerry Lee
• Granted Patent: US 6,813,531 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/97
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions

Abstract

Provided are a method, system, and article of manufacture for product configuration. Order information is received for a product. Based on the received order information, configuration information for the product is generated via a simulator to simulate the product. The configuration information is sent, wherein the configuration information is used to configure the product.

Claims

1. A method for product configuration, comprising:

receiving order information for a product;

based on the received order information, generating configuration information for the product via a simulator to simulate the product; and

sending the configuration information, wherein the product is configured based on the configuration information.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

subsequent to generating the configuration information and prior to configuring the product, sending the configuration information to a sender of the order information; and

receiving an approval of the configuration information from the sender of the order information.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein a generator of the configuration information interacts with a sender of the order information to modify the order information based on potential valid configurations of the product generated by the simulator.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the product is an enterprise storage server comprising a server and one or more storage devices, wherein the receiving, generating and sending is preformed by a configuration application, and wherein the configuration application enables interaction with a sender of the purchase order via a graphical user interface.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving the order information occurs a batch mode.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the order information is received in an interactive mode.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the simulator can simulate instances of a plurality of products and can check for valid configurations for each instance.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the configuration information is processed to manufacture the product prior to configuring the product, and wherein the configured product is sent to the sender of the order information.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the configuration information includes logical configuration information for the product.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the logical configuration information includes storage partitioning information for the product.

11. A system for product configuration, comprising:

(i) a processor;

(ii) a computer readable medium accessible to the processor;

(iii) a simulator, wherein the simulator can simulate a product, and wherein the simulator is stored in the computer readable medium; and

(iv) program logic including code capable of causing the processor to perform;

(a) receiving order information for the product;

(b) generating configuration information for the product via the simulator based on the received order information and a simulation of the product by the simulator; and

(c) sending the configuration information, wherein the configuration information is used to configure the product.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the processor further performs:

sending the configuration information to a sender of the order information; and

receiving an approval of the configuration information from the sender of the order information.

13. The system of claim 11, further comprising:

a generator of the configuration information, wherein the generator interacts with a sender of the order information to modify the order information based on potential valid configurations of the product generated by the simulator.

14. The system of claim 11, wherein the product is an enterprise storage server comprising a server and one or more storage devices, and further comprising:

a configuration application, wherein the receiving, the generating and the sending is performed by the configuration application, and wherein the configuration application enables interaction with a sender of the purchase order via a graphical user interface.

15. The system of claim 11, wherein the order information is received in a batch mode.

16. The system of claim 11, wherein the order information is received in an interactive mode.

17. The system of claim 11, wherein the simulator can simulate instances of a plurality of products and can check for valid configurations for each instance.

18. The system of claim 11, wherein the configuration information is processed to manufacture the product prior to configuring the product, and wherein the configured product is sent to the sender of the order information.

19. The system of claim 11, wherein the configuration information includes logical configuration information for the product.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the logical configuration information includes storage partitioning information for the product.

21. An article of manufacture for product configuration, wherein the article of manufacture is capable of causing operations, the operations comprising:

receiving order information for a product;

based on the received order information, generating configuration information for the product via a simulator to simulate the product; and

sending the configuration information, wherein the configuration information is used to configure the product.

22. The article of manufacture of claim 21, the operations further comprising:

subsequent to generating the configuration information and prior to configuring the product, sending the configuration information to a sender of the order information; and

receiving an approval of the configuration information from the sender of the order information.

23. The article of manufacture of claim 21, wherein a generator of the configuration information interacts with a sender of the order information to modify the order information based on potential valid configurations of the product generated by the simulator.

24. The article of manufacture of claim 21, wherein the product is an enterprise storage server comprising a server and one or more storage devices wherein the receiving, generating and sending is preformed by a configuration application, and wherein the configuration application enables interaction with a sender of the purchase order via a graphical user interface.

25. The article of manufacture of claim 21, wherein the order information is received in a batch mode.

26. The article of manufacture of claim 21, wherein the order information is received in an interactive mode.

27. The article of manufacture of claim 21, wherein the simulator can simulate instances of a plurality of products and can check for valid configurations for each instance.

28. The article of manufacture of claim 21, wherein the configuration information is processed to manufacture the product prior to configuring the product, and wherein the configured product is sent to the sender of the order information.

29. The article of manufacture of claim 21, wherein the configuration information includes logical configuration information for the product.

30. The article of manufacture of claim 29, wherein the logical configuration information includes storage partitioning information for the product.

31. A system for product configuration, comprising:

a simulator, wherein the simulator can simulate a product;

means for receiving order information for the product;

means for generating configuration information for the product via the simulator based on the received order information and a simulation of the product by the simulator; and

means for sending the configuration information, wherein the configuration information is used to configure the product.