Abstract: Co-locating a virtual machine with nested virtualization, in one aspect, may comprise receiving a list of one or more virtual machine instances to co-locate with associated configuration information. A parent virtual machine instance may be identified to host the one or more virtual machine instances. Virtual machine images associated with the one or more virtual machine instances may be consolidated. A composite parent virtual machine image may be created based on the consolidated virtual machine images and the parent virtual machine instance. The parent virtual machine instance may be configured to accommodate for capacity requirement of the one or more child virtual machine instances. The parent virtual machine instance may be started on a processor via the composite parent virtual machine image. The one or more virtual machine instances may be started within the parent virtual machine instance as one or more child virtual machine instances.

Abstract: An embodiment of the invention provides a method for non-intrusive cloud services billing, including storing service log files in a data store, wherein each of the service log files include a lifecycle event of a resource in a service produced by an instance of the service. A log transformer connected to the data store converts the service log files into a standardized format. A metering descriptor describing billable entities for each offering of the service is obtained, wherein each offering of the service has a different metering descriptor, and wherein the billable entities include multiple categories of billing. A billing record generator connected to the log transformer is programmed, wherein the billing record generator converts standardized log records into metering records. The billing record generator generates a metering record with one or more of the service log files in the standardized format and the metering descriptor.

Abstract: A natural language specification of at least one high level information technology services requirement is obtained from a user, via a conversational interface; the same is parsed into first pre-defined semi-structured data, using a conversation parser. Based on the first pre-defined semi-structured data, a subset of candidate information technology services is identified, with a dialog engine, from a plurality of candidate information technology services provided by a plurality of vendors, the dialog engine is used to formulate a response including second pre-defined semi-structured data. The response is reverse-parsed into a natural language response, using the conversation parser. The natural language response includes a question for the user to assist in further refining the subset of candidate information technology services; the natural language response is presented to the user via the conversational interface.

Abstract: Co-locating a virtual machine with nested virtualization, in one aspect, may comprise receiving a list of one or more virtual machine instances to co-locate with associated configuration information. A parent virtual machine instance may be identified to host the one or more virtual machine instances. Virtual machine images associated with the one or more virtual machine instances may be consolidated. A composite parent virtual machine image may be created based on the consolidated virtual machine images and the parent virtual machine instance. The parent virtual machine instance may be configured to accommodate for capacity requirement of the one or more child virtual machine instances. The parent virtual machine instance may be started on a processor via the composite parent virtual machine image. The one or more virtual machine instances may be started within the parent virtual machine instance as one or more child virtual machine instances.

Abstract: Systems and methods for custom-fitting a service solution to consumer requirements are provided. A method for custom-fitting a service solution to consumer requirements, comprises acquiring a request for the service solution from a consumer via a conversational interface, and issuing a query to a service knowledge base to obtain a set of service knowledge representation items from the service knowledge base and analyzing each service knowledge representation item to determine whether a custom-fit service solution can be developed.

Abstract: Systems and methods for custom-fitting a service solution to consumer requirements are provided. A method for custom-fitting a service solution to consumer requirements, comprises acquiring a request for the service solution from a consumer via a conversational interface, and issuing a query to a service knowledge base to obtain a set of service knowledge representation items from the service knowledge base and analyzing each service knowledge representation item to determine whether a custom-fit service solution can be developed.

Abstract: A natural language specification of at least one high level information technology services requirement is obtained from a user, via a conversational interface; the same is parsed into first pre-defined semi-structured data, using a conversation parser. Based on the first pre-defined semi-structured data, a subset of candidate information technology services is identified, with a dialog engine, from a plurality of candidate information technology services provided by a plurality of vendors, the dialog engine is used to formulate a response including second pre-defined semi-structured data. The response is reverse-parsed into a natural language response, using the conversation parser. The natural language response includes a question for the user to assist in further refining the subset of candidate information technology services; the natural language response is presented to the user via the conversational interface.

Abstract: A system in a cloud services environment comprises one or more service offerings, one or more service instances and one or more service support utilities. Each of the one or more service offerings is described by at least one service descriptor. Each of the one or more service instances is obtained from at least one of the one or more service offerings. Each of the one or more service support utilities is customized by at least one service descriptor. A service comprises at least one component and a service descriptor comprises one or more models.

Abstract: A plurality of traditional software applications are packaged as custom composite solutions, and are stored as custom composite solution deployable images. Customer input is obtained from a customer. At least one of the custom composite solution deployable images is deployed into a management cloud in response to the customer input.

Abstract: A method for providing a cloud-based service includes receiving information from a customer of the service over a conversational interface, the information identifying a requirement of the customer related to a resiliency of the service, and identifying a service provider who provides the service in a manner that satisfies the requirement. A method for building a knowledge base of cloud-based service providers includes receiving information from a service provider, the information specifying at least one resiliency attribute of the service provider, matching the information to a standardized service descriptor, wherein the service descriptor is indexed within an ontology-based organizational framework that indexes a plurality of service descriptors, and storing the service descriptor for the service provider.

Abstract: A system for providing a cloud-based service includes a processor and a computer readable storage medium that stores instructions which, when executed, cause the processor to perform operations including: receiving information from a customer of the cloud-based service over a conversational interface, the information identifying a requirement of the customer related to a resiliency of the service, and identifying at least one service provider who provides the cloud-based service in a manner that satisfies the requirement of the customer. Another embodiment of a system for providing a cloud-based service includes a conversational interface for receiving information from a customer of the cloud-based service, the information identifying a requirement of the customer related to a resiliency of the service and a resiliency analysis engine for identifying at least one service provider who provides the cloud-based service in a manner that satisfies the requirement of the customer.

Abstract: Systems and methods for custom-fitting a service solution to consumer requirements are provided. A method for custom-fitting a service solution to consumer requirements, comprises acquiring a request for the service solution from a consumer via a conversational interface, and issuing a query to a service knowledge base to obtain a set of service knowledge representation items from the service knowledge base and analyzing each service knowledge representation item to determine whether a custom-fit service solution can be developed.

Abstract: Systems and methods for custom-fitting a service solution to consumer requirements are provided. A method for custom-fitting a service solution to consumer requirements, comprises acquiring a request for the service solution from a consumer via a conversational interface, and issuing a query to a service knowledge base to obtain a set of service knowledge representation items from the service knowledge base and analyzing each service knowledge representation item to determine whether a custom-fit service solution can be developed.

Abstract: A system in a cloud services environment comprises one or more service offerings, one or more service instances and one or more service support utilities. Each of the one or more service offerings is described by at least one service descriptor. Each of the one or more service instances is obtained from at least one of the one or more service offerings. Each of the one or more service support utilities is customized by at least one service descriptor. A service comprises at least one component and a service descriptor comprises one or more models.

Abstract: Co-locating a virtual machine with nested virtualization, in one aspect, may comprise receiving a list of one or more virtual machine instances to co-locate with associated configuration information. A parent virtual machine instance may be identified to host the one or more virtual machine instances. Virtual machine images associated with the one or more virtual machine instances may be consolidated. A composite parent virtual machine image may be created based on the consolidated virtual machine images and the parent virtual machine instance. The parent virtual machine instance may be configured to accommodate for capacity requirement of the one or more child virtual machine instances. The parent virtual machine instance may be started on a processor via the composite parent virtual machine image. The one or more virtual machine instances may be started within the parent virtual machine instance as one or more child virtual machine instances.

Abstract: Co-locating a virtual machine with nested virtualization, in one aspect, may comprise receiving a list of one or more virtual machine instances to co-locate with associated configuration information. A parent virtual machine instance may be identified to host the one or more virtual machine instances. Virtual machine images associated with the one or more virtual machine instances may be consolidated. A composite parent virtual machine image may be created based on the consolidated virtual machine images and the parent virtual machine instance. The parent virtual machine instance may be configured to accommodate for capacity requirement of the one or more child virtual machine instances. The parent virtual machine instance may be started on a processor via the composite parent virtual machine image. The one or more virtual machine instances may be started within the parent virtual machine instance as one or more child virtual machine instances.

Abstract: Performance prediction techniques are provided that utilize business-process information such as transaction history and log information. For example, in one aspect of the invention, a computer-based technique for providing a performance prediction service comprises the following steps/operations. First, business-process information associated with a business is obtained. Then, a performance estimation function is generated based at least in part on the business-process information, the performance estimation function being usable in responding to a query obtained from a potential customer of the business.

Abstract: Techniques are disclosed for the dynamic introduction of new components to be used during provisioning of solutions in data processing system environments such as service delivery environments. For example, in a provisioning system that manages provisioning of components in a data processing system, an automated method of dynamically provisioning one or more new components in the data processing system comprises the provisioning system performing the following steps. The provisioning system accepts a registration of a new component during a runtime period of the data processing system, wherein the new component has not been previously registered in the data processing system prior to the runtime period, and further wherein the registration comprises obtaining information relating to at least one of one or more prerequisites and a configuration associated with the new component. The provisioning system causes a modification to the data processing system by enabling use of the registered new component therein.

Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for autonomic control and optimization of computing systems. A plurality of component models for one or more components in an autonomic computing system are maintained in a system level database. These component models are obtained from a source external to the management server including the components associated with the models. Component models are added or removed from the database or updated as need. A system level management server in communication with the database utilizes the component models maintained in the system level database and generic component models as needed to compute an optimum state of the autonomic computing system. The autonomic computing system is managed in accordance with the computed optimum state.

Abstract: A system, computer program and method for inspection of a system under inspection. The system may include an inspection program configured to access information available at the system under inspection and generate inspection data for the system under inspection. A runtime platform independent from the inspection program at the system under inspection is configured to limit the limit the contents of the inspection data to a maximum information content. A trusted third-party computer system may assist in selecting the inspection program and transferring the resulting inspection data.