Abstract: Descriptions of a plurality of information technology resources are maintained in a computer-readable storage medium. A plurality of evaluation strategies a maintained, wherein the evaluation strategies associate a plurality of rules with forms of changes to the plurality of information technology resources. Responsive to detecting a command to change a first property of the set of properties of a first information technology resource of the plurality of information technology resources, the method determines that a first of the evaluation strategies associates at least one of the plurality of rules with a form of the change to the first property of the first information technology resource. Also, responsive to detecting the command, at least one of the plurality of rules is evaluated and the operation of the at least one rule is performed.

Abstract: A running of an application resource of a first site of at least two sites is stopped from accessing a storage device of the first site. A running of a replication resource is brought to a stop. The replication resource is configured to control a replication of data between the storage device on the first site on which data from the running application resource on the first site are stored to the storage device on the second site. A replication request is submitted to the automation engine for changing a replication direction to run from the second site to the first site. The application resource is started on the second site only after changing the replication direction to start from the storage device on the second site instead of from the storage device of the first site.

Abstract: Descriptions of a plurality of information technology resources are maintained in a computer-readable storage medium. A plurality of evaluation strategies a maintained, wherein the evaluation strategies associate a plurality of rules with forms of changes to the plurality of information technology resources. Responsive to detecting a command to change a first property of the set of properties of a first information technology resource of the plurality of information technology resources, the method determines that a first of the evaluation strategies associates at least one of the plurality of rules with a form of the change to the first property of the first information technology resource. Also, responsive to detecting the command, at least one of the plurality of rules is evaluated and the operation of the at least one rule is performed.

Abstract: A method includes maintaining descriptions of a plurality of information technology resources in a computer-readable storage medium. The method includes maintaining a plurality of evaluation strategies, wherein the evaluation strategies associate a plurality of rules with forms of changes to the plurality of information technology resources. Responsive to detecting a command to change a first property of the set of properties of a first information technology resource of the plurality of information technology resources, the method determines that a first of the evaluation strategies associates at least one of the plurality of rules with a form of the change to the first property of the first information technology resource. Also, responsive to detecting the command, the method evaluates the at least one of the plurality of rules and performs the operation of the at least one rule.

Abstract: A method of selecting active members of resource groups is disclosed. The method includes assigning a first label from a predetermined static label set to a first member of a first resource group. The method includes assigning a second label from the predetermined static label set to a second member of the first resource group. The method further includes assigning the first label to a third member of a second resource group. The method includes assigning the second label to a fourth member of the second resource group. The method also includes selecting an active label from the predetermined static label set in response to a command received at a computing system. Upon selection of the active label from the predetermined static label set, computing resources identified by members associated with the active label are automatically placed online and computing resources identified by members associated with a label other than the active label are automatically placed offline.

Abstract: A computer program product includes a storage medium with program code configured to maintain descriptions of a plurality of information technology resources in a computer-readable storage medium. The program code is configured to maintain a plurality of evaluation strategies. Responsive to detecting a command to change a first property of the set of properties of a first information technology resource of the plurality of information technology resources, the program code is configured to determine that a first of the evaluation strategies associates at least one of the plurality of rules with a form of the change to the first property of the first information technology resource. Also, responsive to detecting the command, the program code is configured to evaluate the at least one of the plurality of rules and performs the operation of the at least one rule.

Abstract: Embodiments provide a method of dynamically setting the automation behavior of resources via switching between an active mode and a passive mode. One embodiment is a method that includes placing a first computing resource into a first desired state and an active behavioral mode and placing a second computing resource having a relationship to the first resource into the first desired state when a first request for the first resource that specifies the first desired state is received. The method also includes placing the first computing resource into a standby state and a passive behavioral mode and not placing the second computing resource into the first desired state.

Abstract: A running of an application resource of a first site of at least two sites is stopped from accessing a storage device of the first site. A running of a replication resource is brought to a stop. The replication resource is configured to control a replication of data between the storage device on the first site on which data from the running application resource on the first site are stored to the storage device on the second site. A replication request is submitted to the automation engine for changing a replication direction to run from the second site to the first site. The application resource is started on the second site only after changing the replication direction to start from the storage device on the second site instead of from the storage device of the first site.

Abstract: A method includes maintaining descriptions of a plurality of information technology resources in a computer-readable storage medium. The method includes maintaining a plurality of evaluation strategies, wherein the evaluation strategies associate a plurality of rules with forms of changes to the plurality of information technology resources. Responsive to detecting a command to change a first property of the set of properties of a first information technology resource of the plurality of information technology resources, the method determines that a first of the evaluation strategies associates at least one of the plurality of rules with a form of the change to the first property of the first information technology resource. Also, responsive to detecting the command, the method evaluates the at least one of the plurality of rules and performs the operation of the at least one rule.

Abstract: A method for using WebServices as a basis for implementing an application programming interface (API) of a high-level programming language between a service application and a client application is disclosed. Function parameters of an API function call represent a complex object structure (COS). The method includes serializing the COS into serialized payload data, encoding the serialized payload data to form a payload string that does not contain any XML-specific characters, and specifying the parameters of the API call in parts of an input message of a corresponding operation in a WSDL document. The method also includes transporting the payload string within the input message to the service application, decoding the payload string to yield the serialized payload data, and deserializing the serialized payload data to restore the COS representing the parameters of the API call. A system and computer program product for implementing the API on the basis of Web Services are also disclosed.

Abstract: A method and associated apparatus is provided for generating a machine-processable semantic description of a first manageable resource of an application domain. In accordance with an embodiment of the invention, the first manageable resource is characterized by a set of aspects. Accordingly, an ontology is provided for the application domain that provides a terminology and rules for describing the set of aspects of the first manageable resources of the application domain in a semantic way. The semantic description of the first manageable resource is then generated compliant to the terminology and the rules of the ontology to describe semantically the set of aspects.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method of controlling the replication status and direction of a storage device in accordance to its availability state.

Abstract: A method includes maintaining descriptions of a plurality of information technology resources in a computer-readable storage medium. The method includes maintaining a plurality of evaluation strategies, wherein the evaluation strategies associate a plurality of rules with forms of changes to the plurality of information technology resources. Responsive to detecting a command to change a first property of the set of properties of a first information technology resource of the plurality of information technology resources, the method determines that a first of the evaluation strategies associates at least one of the plurality of rules with a form of the change to the first property of the first information technology resource. Also, responsive to detecting the command, the method evaluates the at least one of the plurality of rules and performs the operation of the at least one rule.

Abstract: A method for using WebServices as a basis for implementing an application programming interface (API) of a high-level programming language between a service application and a client application is disclosed. Function parameters of an API function call represent a complex object structure (COS). The method includes serializing the COS into serialized payload data, encoding the serialized payload data to form a payload string that does not contain any XML-specific characters, and specifying the parameters of the API call in parts of an input message of a corresponding operation in a WSDL document. The method also includes transporting the payload string within the input message to the service application, decoding the payload string to yield the serialized payload data, and deserializing the serialized payload data to restore the COS representing the parameters of the API call. A system and computer program product for implementing the API on the basis of Web Services are also disclosed.

Abstract: Embodiments provide a method of dynamically setting the automation behavior of resources via switching between an active mode and a passive mode. One embodiment is a method that includes placing a first computing resource into a first desired state and an active behavioral mode and placing a second computing resource having a relationship to the first resource into the first desired state when a first request for the first resource that specifies the first desired state is received. The method also includes placing the first computing resource into a standby state and a passive behavioral mode and not placing the second computing resource into the first desired state.

Abstract: A method of selecting active members of resource groups is disclosed. The method includes assigning a first label from a predetermined static label set to a first member of a first resource group. The method includes assigning a second label from the predetermined static label set to a second member of the first resource group. The method further includes assigning the first label to a third member of a second resource group. The method includes assigning the second label to a fourth member of the second resource group. The method also includes selecting an active label from the predetermined static label set in response to a command received at a computing system. Upon selection of the active label from the predetermined static label set, computing resources identified by members associated with the active label are automatically placed online and computing resources identified by members associated with a label other than the active label are automatically placed offline.

Abstract: Data processing comprising requesting a semantic description from each manageable resource of a plurality of manageable resources. An application domain comprises the plurality of manageable resources. The semantic description of a manageable resource comprises semantic information about a plurality of aspects of a manageable resource. The semantic information is specified by use of an ontology. The semantic descriptions and a conceptualization of the application domain is stored in a knowledge base. The conceptualization of the application domain is provided by the ontology. The conceptualization comprises semantic information about the application domain. A request from a client of the application domain to provide a manageable resource with specific properties is received. The specific properties are specified in the request.

Abstract: A method and associated apparatus is provided for generating a machine-processable semantic description of a first manageable resource of an application domain. In accordance with an embodiment of the invention, the first manageable resource is characterized by a set of aspects. Accordingly, an ontology is provided for the application domain that provides a terminology and rules for describing the set of aspects of the first manageable resources of the application domain in a semantic way. The semantic description of the first manageable resource is then generated compliant to the terminology and the rules of the ontology to describe semantically the set of aspects.