Abstract: A method of identifying at least one resource in a distributed computing system which is a potential root cause of performance degradation of the system includes the steps of: computing operational bounds for the system and operational bounds for at least one resource in the system; comparing current end-to-end system performance with the operational bounds for the system; when the current end-to-end system performance is outside of the operational bounds for the system, comparing current performance of the at least one resource in the system with the operational bounds for the at least one resource; and generating at least one output identifying the at least one resource in the system which is a potential root cause of performance degradation of the system.

Abstract: Described are methods, apparatus and computer programs for determining run-time dependencies between logical components of a data processing environment. Components of the data processing environment are monitored by monitoring agents accessing run-time activity data via APIs of the managed system. A dependency generator identifies correlations between the run-time activity of the monitored components. For synchronous monitored systems, the dependency generator calculates an activity period for monitored components and determines which component's activity periods contain the activity periods of other components. Containment is used as an indicator of a likely dependency relationship, and a weighting is computed for each dependnecy relationship based on the consistency of containment.

Abstract: Described are methods, apparatus and computer programs for determining run-time dependencies between logical components of a data processing environment. Components of the data processing environment are monitored by monitoring agents accessing run-time activity data via APIs of the managed system. A dependency generator identifies correlations between the run-time activity of the monitored components. For synchronous monitored systems, the dependency generator calculates an activity period for monitored components and determines which component's activity periods contain the activity periods of other components. Containment is used as an indicator of a likely dependency relationship, and a weighting is computed for each dependency relationship based on the consistency of containment.

Abstract: A method of identifying at least one resource in a distributed computing system which is a potential root cause of performance degradation of the system includes the steps of: computing operational bounds for the system and operational bounds for at least one resource in the system; comparing current end-to-end system performance with the operational bounds for the system; when the current end-to-end system performance is outside of the operational bounds for the system, comparing current performance of the at least one resource in the system with the operational bounds for the at least one resource; and generating at least one output identifying the at least one resource in the system which is a potential root cause of performance degradation of the system.

Abstract: A method of identifying at least one resource in a distributed computing system which is a potential root cause of performance degradation of the system includes the steps of: computing operational bounds for the system and operational bounds for at least one resource in the system; comparing current end-to-end system performance with the operational bounds for the system; when the current end-to-end system performance is outside of the operational bounds for the system, comparing current performance of the at least one resource in the system with the operational bounds for the at least one resource; and generating at least one output identifying the at least one resource in the system which is a potential root cause of performance degradation of the system.

Abstract: Electronic contracts or “eContracts” for representing service level agreements are provided. In one illustrative embodiment, the eContract may comprise information pertaining to: (a) descriptions of business transactions in IT terms; (b) financial implications of business transaction service levels; and (c) reporting to be done in business terms. Of course, the eContract may comprise other terms and conditions. In an illustrative aspect of the invention, a system for managing IT resources in terms of business financials comprises an electronic contract authoring system or “ecAuthoring system,” an electronic contract manager module or “ecManager,” and one or more electronic contract agent modules or “ecAgents” that may run on IT elements (e.g., components of the network) that are being managed. Analysts interact with the ecAuthoring system to construct eContracts. An eContract is input to an ecManager that interprets the contract to report on and optimize IT resources based on business financials.

Abstract: Techniques for dynamic management of virtual machine environments are disclosed. For example, a technique for automatically managing a first set of virtual machines being hosted by a second set of physical machines comprises the following steps/operations. An alert is obtained that a service level agreement (SLA) pertaining to at least one application being hosted by at least one of the virtual machines in the first set of virtual machines is being violated. Upon obtaining the SLA violation alert, the technique obtains at least one performance measurement for at least a portion of the machines in at least one of the first set of virtual machines and the second set of physical machines, and a cost of migration for at least a portion of the virtual machines in the first set of virtual machines. Based on the obtained performance measurements and the obtained migration costs, an optimal migration policy is determined for moving the virtual machine hosting the at least one application to another physical machine.

Abstract: The present invention provides a system consisting of reusable components for implementing data warehousing and business intelligence solutions. The reusable components comprise a data model component housing an exhaustive pre-built vertical and business function specific data models and key performance indicator libraries. The reusable components further comprise a MetAL component which serves as a key repository of all mappings between all standard source data systems and vertical function specific data models and KPIs used in the data model component. Being compliant with Common Warehouse Metamodel, the system is extraction and reporting tool neutral. In other words, the technical and business metadata can be exported to any of the CWM compliant extraction and reporting tools. The system further consists of an algorithm to automatically detect version changes in the standard source systems.

Abstract: A technique for determining a root cause of a condition (e.g., service outage) of at least one subject component in a computing environment comprises the following steps/operations. First, one or more components in the computing environment upon which the at least one subject component depends (e.g., antecedents) are identified. Identification comprises traversing at least a portion of a model representative of an existence of one or more relationships associated with at least a portion of components of the computing environment and which is capable of accounting for a full lifecycle (e.g., including deployment, installation and runtime) associated with at least one component of the computing environment. Then, one or more procedures are performed in accordance with the one or more identified components to determine a condition status associated with each of the one or more identified components. By way of example, the inventive techniques may be applied to a distributed computing environment.

Abstract: Computer-based methods and systems are provided for constructing, deploying, executing and managing the performance of electronic contract based service applications across multiple business entities. In this context, the electronic service contract includes information to be used for configuration and enforcement not just by the primary parties to the contract, but also by other parties referred to herein as sponsored roles in the contract. At least a portion of the contract may be monitored, enforced or managed by at least one of the sponsored roles. In one aspect of the invention, a computer-based electronic business service system includes: (1) a contract builder; (2) a contract deployment component; (3) one or more measurement systems; (4) a violation detection system; and (5) a management system. Generally, the contract builder component provides the mechanism for defining and pricing the contract, checking the validity of the contract and a repository for storing the completed contracts.

Abstract: A problem determination system and method reduces the time and effort required by system administrators to trouble shot transaction processing difficulties in a large distributed I/T environment by monitoring system component performance and computing operational performance threshold limits based on dependency graphs for the system. Using this data, a prioritized list of suspect components for the I/T system is generated.

Abstract: Computer-based methods and systems for performing automated distribution of a software package to one or more target machines in one or more regions of a distributed network of target machines, comprises the following steps. First, a base software package is prepared for each of the one or more regions based on at least one of: (i) policy data indicating which of the one or more regions are candidates for receiving the software package, (ii) dependency information indicating requisites for a service provided by the software package, and (iii) configuration information for each of the candidate regions. The base software package is then distributed to each of the candidate regions of the distributed network.

Abstract: Described are methods, apparatus and computer programs for determining run-time dependencies between logical components of a data processing environment. Components of the data processing environment are monitored by monitoring agents accessing run-time activity data via APIs of the managed system. A dependency generator identifies correlations between the run-time activity of the monitored components. For synchronous monitored systems, the dependency generator calculates an activity period for monitored components and determines which component's activity periods contain the activity periods of other components. Containment is used as an indicator of a likely dependency relationship, and a weighting is computed for each dependency relationship based on the consistency of containment.

Abstract: Techniques for managing information in a computing environment. Information associated with components of the computing environment is obtained. Then, from at least a portion of the obtained information, a determination is made as to the existence of one or more relationships associated with at least a portion of the components of the computing environment. The determination of the existence of one or more relationships is capable of accounting for a full lifecycle (e.g., including deployment, installation and runtime) associated with at least one component of the computing environment.

Abstract: A technique for determining an impact of a condition (e.g., service outage) of at least one subject component in a computing environment comprises the following steps/operations. First, one or more components in the computing environment which depend on the at least one subject component (e.g., dependents) are identified. Identification comprises traversing at least a portion of a model representative of an existence of one or more relationships associated with at least a portion of components of the computing environment and which is capable of accounting for a full lifecycle (e.g., including deployment, installation and runtime) associated with at least one component of the computing environment. Then, one or more procedures are performed in accordance with the one or more identified components to determine a condition status associated with each of the one or more identified components. By way of example, the inventive techniques may be applied to a distributed computing environment.

Abstract: A technique for determining a root cause of a condition (e.g., service outage) of at least one subject component in a computing environment comprises the following steps/operations. First, one or more components in the computing environment upon which the at least one subject component depends (e.g., antecedents) are identified. Identification comprises traversing at least a portion of a model representative of an existence of one or more relationships associated with at least a portion of components of the computing environment and which is capable of accounting for a full lifecycle (e.g., including deployment, installation and runtime) associated with at least one component of the computing environment. Then, one or more procedures are performed in accordance with the one or more identified components to determine a condition status associated with each of the one or more identified components. By way of example, the inventive techniques may be applied to a distributed computing environment.

Abstract: Techniques for managing information in a computing environment. Information associated with components of the computing environment is obtained. Then, from at least a portion of the obtained information, a determination is made as to the existence of one or more relationships associated with at least a portion of the components of the computing environment. The determination of the existence of one or more relationships is capable of accounting for a full lifecycle (e.g., including deployment, installation and runtime) associated with at least one component of the computing environment.

Abstract: The present invention provides a system consisting of reusable components for implementing data warehousing and business intelligence solutions. The reusable components comprise a data model component housing an exhaustive pre-built vertical and business function specific data models and key performance indicator libraries. The reusable components further comprise a MetAL component which serves as a key repository of all mappings between all standard source data systems and vertical function specific data models and KPIs used in the data model component. Being compliant with Common Warehouse Metamodel, the system is extraction and reporting tool neutral. In other words, the technical and business metadata can be exported to any of the CWM compliant extraction and reporting tools. The system further consists of an algorithm to automatically detect version changes in the standard source systems.

Abstract: Computer-based methods and systems are provided for constructing, deploying, executing and managing the performance of electronic contract based service applications across multiple business entities. In this context, the electronic service contract includes information to be used for configuration and enforcement not just by the primary parties to the contract, but also by other parties referred to herein as sponsored roles in the contract. At least a portion of the contract may be monitored, enforced or managed by at least one of the sponsored roles. In one aspect of the invention, a computer-based electronic business service system includes: (1) a contract builder; (2) a contract deployment component; (3) one or more measurement systems; (4) a violation detection system; and (5) a management system. Generally, the contract builder component provides the mechanism for defining and pricing the contract, checking the validity of the contract and a repository for storing the completed contracts.

Abstract: Electronic contracts or “eContracts” for representing service level agreements are provided. In one illustrative embodiment, the eContract may comprise information pertaining to: (a) descriptions of business transactions in IT terms; (b) financial implications of business transaction service levels; and (c) reporting to be done in business terms. Of course, the eContract may comprise other terms and conditions. In an illustrative aspect of the invention, a system for managing IT resources in terms of business financials comprises an electronic contract authoring system or “ecAuthoring system,” an electronic contract manager module or “ecManager,” and one or more electronic contract agent modules or “ecAgents” that may run on IT elements (e.g., components of the network) that are being managed. Analysts interact with the ecAuthoring system to construct eContracts.