DYNAMIC SCENARIOS FOR MANAGING COMPUTER SYSTEM ENTITIES

• US 20120159490A1
• Filed: 12/21/2010
• Published: 06/21/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 12/21/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SAP SE
• Original Assignee: SAP SE
• Inventors: MINOV, IASSEN
• Granted Patent: US 8,732,708 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 718/100
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/44526 Plug-ins; Add-ons

Abstract

Systems and methods for dynamic generation of scenarios for managing computer system entities are described herein. A number of management programs are deployed in an administrator framework as embedded plug-ins. One or more management descriptors are provided for the plug-ins. The management descriptors include a number of relationships between the deployed programs and a number of computer system entities. The relationships indicate that the management applications can administer one or more aspects of the corresponding entities. A first management program is selected from the number of deployed management programs to administer a related computer system entity. One or more other management programs are dynamically identified and presented to the user as possible management scenarios. The identification of the other management programs is based on correspondence defined in the management descriptors to the aspects or the types of the computer system entity.

Claims

1. A computer system for generating dynamic management scenarios comprising:

a memory to store computer instructions; and

a processor coupled to said memory to execute said computer instructions to

deploy a plurality of programs for managing a plurality of computer system entities, wherein at least one management descriptor is associated with said plurality of programs to define a plurality of relationships between said plurality of programs ant said plurality of entities,

select a first program of said plurality of programs to manage at least one aspect of a computer system entity of said plurality of entities,

dynamically identify at least one other program from said plurality of programs, wherein said at least one other program relates to at least one aspect of said entity based on said at least one management descriptor, and

display at least one link corresponding to said at least one other program, wherein said first program and said at least one other program represent at least one scenario for managing at least one aspect of at least one computer system entity of said plurality of entities.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein selecting said first program comprises:

reading a management descriptor from said at least one management descriptor, wherein said management descriptor is associated with said first program, and wherein said management descriptor includes at least one relationship between an action supported by said first program and an aspect of said at least one aspect of said entity.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein dynamically identifying said at least one other program comprising:

identifying a type aspect of said computer system entity;

in said at least one management descriptor, dynamically locating at least one other computer system entity of said plurality of entities corresponding to said type of said entity; and

identifying said at least one other program based on at least one relationship between said at least one other program and at said at least one other computer system entity.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein dynamically identifying said at least one other program comprising:

identifying an action supported by said first program; and

in said at least one management descriptor, dynamically identifying said at least one other program, wherein said at least one program supports said action.

5. An article of manufacture including non-transitory computer readable storage medium to tangibly store instructions for generating dynamic management scenarios, which when executed by a computer, cause the computer to:

load a first program selected from a plurality of programs installed for managing a plurality of computer system entities;

select a computer system entity of said plurality of entities, wherein said first program relates to at least one aspect of said entity;

dynamically identify at least one other program from said plurality of programs, wherein said at least one other program relates to at least one aspect of said entity; and

create at least one link to said at least one other program, wherein said first program and said at least one other program represent at least one scenario for managing at least one aspect of at least one computer system entity of said plurality of entities.

6. The article of manufacture of claim 5, wherein the non-transitory computer readable storage medium tangibly stores further instructions, which when executed by the computer cause the computer to:

generate a management context for said entity based on an execution of said first program; and

pass said management context from said first program to said at least one other program as part of said at least one scenario.

7. The article of manufacture of claim 5, wherein loading said first program comprises:

reading at least one management descriptor associated with said first program, wherein said at least one management descriptor includes at least one relationship between said first program and at least one aspect of at least one entity of said plurality of entities.

8. The article of manufacture of claim 5, wherein loading said first program comprises:

reading at least one management descriptor associated with said first program, wherein said at least one management descriptor includes at least one relationship between an action supported by said first program and at least one aspect of at least one entity of said plurality of entities.

9. The article of manufacture of claim 5, wherein selecting said computer system entity comprises:

displaying a user interface (UI) associated with said first program, wherein said UI includes at least one computer system entity of said plurality of entities, wherein said first program relates to at least one aspect of said at least one entity.

10. The article of manufacture of claim 5, wherein dynamically identifying said at least one other program comprises:

reading at least one management descriptor associated with said plurality of programs, wherein said at least one management descriptor includes a plurality of relationships between said plurality of programs and said plurality of entities; and

in said at least one management descriptor, dynamically locating at least one relationship connecting said at least one other program to said at least one aspect of said entity.

11. The article of manufacture of claim 10, wherein the non-transitory computer readable storage medium tangibly stores further instructions, which when executed by the computer cause the computer to:

select an aspect of said computer system entity;

in said at least one management descriptor, dynamically locate at least one other computer system entity corresponding to said aspect of said entity; and

identify said at least one other program related to at least one other aspect of said at least one other entity.

12. The article of manufacture of claim 10, wherein the non-transitory computer readable storage medium tangibly stores further instructions, which when executed by the computer cause the computer to:

select an action supported by said first program; and

in said at least one management descriptor, dynamically identify said at least one other program supporting said action.

13. A computer implemented method for generating dynamic management scenarios comprising:

loading in a computer system memory a first program selected from a plurality of programs installed for managing a plurality of computer system entities;

selecting a computer system entity of said plurality of entities, wherein said first program relates to at least one aspect of said entity;

dynamically identifying by a processor at least one program from said plurality of programs different from said first program, wherein each of said at least one program relates to at least one aspect of said entity; and

displaying a link corresponding to a second program of said at least one program, wherein said first program and said second program represent a scenario for managing at least one aspect of at least one computer system entity of said plurality of entities.

14. The method of claim 13 further comprising:

generating by said processor in said memory a management context for said entity based on an execution of said first program; and

passing said management context from said first program to said second program as part of said scenario during an execution of said second program.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein loading said first program comprising:

deploying at least one management descriptor associated with said first program, wherein said at least one management descriptor includes at least one relationship between said first program and at least one aspect of at least one entity of said plurality of entities.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein loading said first program comprises:

deploying at least one management descriptor associated with said first program, wherein said at least one management descriptor includes at least one relationship between an action supported by said first program and at t least one entity of said plurality of entities.

17. The method of claim 13, wherein selecting said computer system entity comprises:

displaying a user interface (UI) associated with said first program, wherein said UI includes at least one computer system entity of said plurality of entities, wherein said first program relates to at least one aspect of said at least one entity.

18. The method of claim 13, wherein dynamically identifying said at least one program comprises:

reading at least one management descriptor associated with said plurality of programs, wherein said at least one management descriptor includes a plurality of relationships between said plurality of programs and said plurality of entities;

in said at least one management descriptor, dynamically locating at least one relationship connecting said at least one program to said at least one aspect of said entity.

19. The method of claim 18 further comprising:

selecting an aspect of said computer system entity;

in said at least one management descriptor, dynamically locating at least one other computer system entity corresponding to said aspect of said entity; and

identifying said at least one program of said plurality of programs, wherein said at least one program relates to at least one other aspect of said at least one other entity.

20. The method of claim 18 further comprising:

selecting an action supported by said first program; and

in said at least one management descriptor, dynamically identifying said at least one program of said plurality of programs, wherein said at least one program supports said action.