Workflows for processing cloud services

• US 9,397,884 B2
• Filed: 03/15/2013
• Issued: 07/19/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 09/07/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Oracle International Corporation (Oracle Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Oracle International Corporation (Oracle Corporation)
• Inventors: Chatterjee, Ramkrishna, Evans, Neil, Arun, Gopalan
• Primary Examiner(s): Lazaro, David
• Assistant Examiner(s): Chang, Julian
• Application Number:
  US13/841,243
• Publication Number:
  US 20140075027A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,222 Days
• Field of Search: 709223-226
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/122 using management policies backup systems G06F11/1446; file migration policies for HSM systems G06F16/185
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/178 Techniques for file synchronisation in file systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/2282 Tablespace storage structures; Management thereof
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/2308 Concurrency control transaction processing G06F9/466
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/2365 Ensuring data consistency and integrity
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/27 Replication, distribution or synchronisation of data between databases or within a distributed database system; Distributed database system architectures therefor
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/273 Asynchronous replication or reconciliation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/283 Multi-dimensional databases or data warehouses, e.g. MOLAP or ROLAP
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/284 Relational databases
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06315 Needs-based resource requirements planning or analysis
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0633 Workflow analysis
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0633 Lists, e.g. purchase orders, compilation or processing
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0635 Processing of requisition or of purchase orders
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/00 Arrangements for maintenance, administration or management of data switching networks, e.g. of packet switching networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0686 Additional information in the notification, e.g. enhancement of specific meta-data
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/50 Network service management, e.g. ensuring proper service fulfilment according to agreements
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/5041 characterised by the time relationship between creation and deployment of a service
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/5054 Automatic deployment of services triggered by the service manager, e.g. service implementation by automatic configuration of network components
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/5064 Customer relationship management
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0876 Network utilisation, e.g. volume of load or congestion level
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/70 : Admission control; Resource allocation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/10 : for controlling access to devices or network resources
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/20 : for managing network security; network security policies in general filtering policies H04L63/0227
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/10 : in which an application is distributed across nodes in the network software deployment G06F8/60; multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/46

Abstract

Provisioning, managing and tracking of services provided by a cloud infrastructure system are described. A subscription order request from a customer for services provided by the cloud infrastructure system is received. A workflow is defined that includes steps to process the subscription order. The workflow enables a customer to gain access to services requested in a subscription order upon placing the subscription order without the customer having to wait until all the steps involved in processing the subscription order are complete.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving, by a computing infrastructure system, a subscription order for a customer, the subscription order comprising subscription order information identifying a first service subscribed to by the customer from one or more services provided by the computing infrastructure system, the computing infrastructure system comprising one or more computing devices;

identifying, by a computing device from the one or more computing devices, based upon the subscription order information, a primary order workflow for processing the subscription order, the primary order workflow comprising one or more primary steps to be performed for processing the subscription order;

identifying, by the computing device, based upon the subscription order information, a secondary order workflow for processing the subscription order, the secondary order workflow comprising one or more secondary steps to be performed for completing processing of the subscription order;

executing the one or more primary steps in the primary order workflow;

enabling, by the computing device, access to the first service after completion of execution of the one or more primary steps in the primary order workflow; and

performing the one or more secondary steps, the one or more secondary steps comprising configuring additional resources for the customer.

2. The method of claim 1 comprising executing at least one or more of the secondary steps in the secondary order workflow concurrently with one or more of the primary steps in the primary order workflow to complete the processing of the subscription order.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the one or more primary steps in the primary order workflow include at least one or more of creating a logical subscription footprint, a physical subscription footprint and an account administrator related to the subscription order.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein the one or more secondary steps in the secondary order workflow include at least one or more of creating an entitlement footprint and accounting records for the customer and configuring the additional resources for the customer based at least in part on the physical subscription footprint related to the subscription order.

5. The method of claim 2 wherein executing at least one or more of the secondary steps in the secondary order workflow concurrently with one or more of the primary steps in the primary order workflow comprises creating accounting records for the customer concurrently with provisioning resources for the subscription.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein enabling access to the ordered service comprising notifying the customer to utilize the ordered services in the subscription order upon completion of execution of the primary steps in the primary order workflow.

7. The method of claim 1 comprising executing at least one or more of the secondary steps in the secondary order workflow after one or more of the primary steps in the primary order workflow to complete the processing of the subscription order.

8. A system comprising:

one or more computing devices configured to provide one or more

a memory configured to store subscription order information related to a subscription order ordering a first service from the set of services; and

wherein a computing device from the one or more computing devices is configurable to;

identify, based upon the subscription order information, a primary order workflow for processing the subscription order, the primary order workflow comprising one or more primary steps to be performed for processing the subscription order prior to enabling use of the; and

identify, based upon the subscription order information, a secondary order workflow for processing the subscription order, the secondary order workflow comprising one or more secondary steps to be performed for completing processing of the subscription order;

execute the one or more primary steps in the primary order workflow;

enable access to the first service after completion of execution of the one or more primary steps in the primary order workflow; and

performing the one or more secondary steps, the one or more secondary steps comprising configuring additional resources for the customer.

9. The system of claim 8 wherein the computing device is configured to execute at least one or more of the secondary steps in the secondary order workflow concurrently with one or more of the primary steps in the primary order workflow to complete the processing of the subscription order.

10. The system of claim 8 wherein the computing device is configured to execute at least one or more of the secondary steps in the secondary order workflow after one or more of the primary steps in the primary order workflow to complete the processing of the subscription order.

11. The system of claim 10 wherein the one or more primary steps in the primary order workflow include at least one or more of creating a logical subscription footprint, a physical subscription footprint and an account administrator related to the subscription order.

12. The system of claim 10 wherein the one or more secondary steps in the secondary order workflow include at least one or more of creating an entitlement footprint and accounting records for the customer and configuring the additional resources for the customer based on the physical subscription footprint related to the subscription order.

13. The system of claim 10 wherein the computing device is configured to create accounting records for the customer concurrently with provisioning resources for the subscription order.

14. The system of claim 8 wherein the computing device is configured to notify the customer to utilize the ordered services in the subscription order upon completion of execution of the primary steps in the primary order workflow.

15. A computer-readable memory storing a plurality of instructions executable by one or more processors, the plurality of instructions comprising:

instructions that cause at least one processor from the one or more processors to receive a subscription order for a customer, the subscription order comprising subscription order information identifying a first service subscribed to by the customer from one or more services provided by a computing infrastructure system;

instructions that cause at least one processor from the one or more processors to identify based upon the subscription order information, a primary order workflow for processing the subscription order, the primary order workflow comprising one or more primary steps to be performed for processing the subscription order;

instructions that cause at least one processor from the one or more processors to identify based upon the subscription order information, a secondary order workflow for processing the subscription order, the secondary order workflow comprising one or more secondary steps to be performed for completing processing of the subscription order;

instructions that cause at least one processor from the one or more processors to execute the one or more primary steps in the primary order workflow;

instructions that cause at least one processor from the one or more processors to enable access to the first service after completion of execution of the one or more primary steps in the primary order workflow; and

instructions that cause at least one processor from the one or more processors to perform the one or more secondary steps, the one or more secondary steps comprising configuring additional resources for the customer.

16. The computer-readable memory of claim 15 wherein the instructions that cause at least one processor from the one or more processors to enable access to the ordered services comprise instructions to execute at least one or more of the secondary steps in the secondary order workflow concurrently with one or more of the primary steps in the primary order workflow to complete the processing of the subscription order.

17. The computer-readable memory of claim 15 wherein the instructions that cause at least one processor from the one or more processors to enable access to the first service comprise instructions to execute at least one or more of the secondary steps in the secondary order workflow after one or more of the primary steps in the primary order workflow to complete the processing of the subscription order.

18. The computer-readable memory of claim 15 wherein the one or more primary steps in the primary order workflow include at least one or more of creating a logical subscription footprint, a physical subscription footprint and an account administrator related to the subscription order.

19. The computer-readable memory of claim 15 wherein the one or more secondary steps in the secondary order workflow include at least one or more of creating an entitlement footprint and accounting records for the customer and configuring the additional resources for the customer based on the physical subscription footprint related to the subscription order.

20. The computer-readable memory of claim 15 wherein the instructions that cause at least one processor from the one or more processors to enable access to the first service comprise instructions to notify the customer to utilize the first service in the subscription order upon completion of execution of the primary steps in the primary order workflow.