Abstract: Methods, systems and computer program products for detecting a workload imbalance in a dynamically scheduled cluster of computer servers are disclosed. One such method comprises the steps of monitoring a plurality of metrics at each of the computer servers, detecting change points in the plurality of metrics, generating alarm points based on the detected change points, correlating the alarm points and identifying, based on an outcome of the correlation, one or more of the computer servers causing a workload imbalance. Systems and computer program products for practicing the above method are also disclosed.

Abstract: A method, system, and computer program product are disclosed for automatically determining a valid ordering of provisioning operations, and their needed parameters, so that a provisioning system can configure a desired resource state. This is accomplished by formally describing the pre-conditions and effects of provisioning operations, the current state of managed resources and the desired final state. A planning algorithm is then used to determine the provisioning operations, a valid ordering and appropriate parameters to bring the system from the current state to the desired state.

Abstract: The present invention provides a system, method, and computer program product to accelerate provisioning by dynamically creating dynamic free pools (DFPs) of pre-provisioned resources that are provisioned in advance, and are ready and free for use. A DFP construct for a resource, and its associated dynamic free pool manager are generated dynamically from a formal description of an aggregated resource structure (e.g. in the form of an XML schema). The present invention also provides a system, method, and computer program product to improve the delivery time of SEs based on the DFP constructs. The methods are extended to deal with special conditions such as contention over resources, or critical delivery time.

Abstract: Techniques for improving application server performance and availability are provided. In one aspect, a method of monitoring the health of one or more application servers comprises the following steps. One or more health classes are specified, each of the one or more health classes defining one or more health policies for the one or more application servers. At least one of the one or more health policies is monitored. Violations, if any, of the one or more health policies are detected.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to provisioning and managing computing services in a computing utility system. It receives as an input an infrastructure independent description of a set of requirements on the new desired state of a computing service. It uses a knowledge plane to represent the infrastructure. The method generates a Concrete Model that describes a resource structure that refines the input and is implementable over the infrastructure. It then generates and possibly executes provisioning actions to create an identical resource structure on the infrastructure. The method can be used to create new computing services, to destroy existing computing services, to modify the resource combinations allocated to a computing service, or the configuration of these resources. Provisioning actions can be executed immediately, or saved and executed later, and possibly many times.

Abstract: Methods, apparatus and systems for controlling allocation and de-allocation of resources in a computing utility system, and evaluating resource assignments. Resources are dynamically allocated to customers of the computing utility through computing environments in such a way that a given objective is satisfied. Assignment of resources to environments is affected by relationships between computing environments which enable resource sharing, and constraints regarding assignment of resources to environment which limit resource sharing. The invention may be used over all of the environments in the utility or a selectable subset.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to provisioning and managing computing services in a computing utility system. It receives a Concrete Resource Model describing a desired resource structure. It uses a representation of the infrastructure, including resources, configuration, capabilities and constraints, as a knowledge subsystem. The method generates and executes provisioning actions to affect the infrastructure resources by creating a resource structure that matches the description in the Concrete Resource Model and satisfies the requirements described in the input. The method can be used to create new computing services, to destroy existing computing services, to modify the resource combination allocated to a computing service, or the configuration of these resources. Provisioning actions, generated, can be executed immediately, or saved and executed later, and possibly many times.

Abstract: A method, system, and computer program for managing multi-tiered resource systems, such as Storage Area Networks (SANs). Resource tiers in the resource system are examined to if they are in compliance with a management policy. If a resource tier is not in compliance with the management policy, a processing operation automatically attempts to bring the resource tier in compliance with the management policy. The management policy may, for example, include a requirement that an expiration date of the resource tier occur after a maintenance date.