Abstract: A method, system, and article for autonomizing autonomic management of a data center, with the data center having at least one computer system and an associated component. Data is collected from the data center and used as input to identify a data center policy. A set of capabilities of elements of the data center are detected and cataloged based upon the collected data. At least one policy is dynamically selected from at least one set of master policies in a policy directory with the selected policy to support the cataloged capabilities of the data center, and to dynamically control selective application and to adapt parameters for quality of service. The selected policy is applied to manage the data center.

Abstract: A system, program product, and method are provided for copying a virtual machine image. An image library comprising a plurality of system images is provided by a target data processing system. A source image selection is received at the target data processing system. A given image from the image library is selected by the target system based on the received source image. The selected given image is transformed into a copy of the virtual machine image by receiving blocks from a source system that are part of the virtual machine image but not a part of the selected given image, such that only the blocks missing from the selected given image are transferred from the source system to the target system in order to form the copy of the virtual machine image. The source image is preferably a virtual data processing system image.

Abstract: A computer hardware-implemented method, system, and/or computer program product manages software patches. A computer monitoring hardware system receives a notification of a new release of a software patch. The computer monitoring hardware system scores a security posture of a monitored computer system to generate a security posture value based on a set of computer system parameters for the monitored computer system. In response to patch control logic within the computer monitoring hardware system determining that the monitored computer system is authorized to install the software patch and that the security posture value exceeds the predetermined value, the computer monitoring hardware system retrieves and installs the software patch in the monitored computer system.

Abstract: Generally speaking, systems, methods and media for updating device drivers of an operating system for a server computer system are disclosed. Embodiments may include a method for updating device drivers for a server computer system by a build server. Embodiments of the method may include determining whether device drivers for an operating system image source need to be updated, such as by crawling a vendor website. Embodiments may also include in response to determining that device driver updates need to be downloaded, scheduling a time for download of device driver updates. Embodiments of the method may also include downloading the scheduled device driver updates based on the scheduled time and storing the device driver updates in a device driver update database. Further embodiments of the method may include installing the operating system image source on a target server and installing the device driver updates on the target server.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention relate to an approach for suggesting/recommending migration of an IT environment to a cloud computing infrastructure. Specifically, in a typical embodiment, historical incident data of an information technology (IT) environment is analyzed. Based on the historical incident data, it may be determined whether a problem is recurring in the IT environment. If so, it may then be determined whether the problem can be mitigated in the cloud computing infrastructure. For example, it may be determined whether the cost of mitigating the problem by migrating to the cloud computing infrastructure is less than the cost of loss due to the problem within the current IT environment. A report particular to the IT environment that identifies a benefit of migrating the IT environment to the cloud computing infrastructure may be generated.

Abstract: Data representative of a set of requests for cloud computing services is obtained. The services are to be provided by a cloud having a plurality of base images. The requests specify requested subsets of the base images. Data representative of provisioning and de-provisioning costs associated with the plurality of base images is obtained. Then, k composite virtual appliances are pre-provisioned. The composite virtual appliances include virtual appliance subsets of the base images, based on cost minimization, in accordance with the data representative of the set of requests and the data representative of the provisioning and de-provisioning costs.

Abstract: In a method for making a recommendation for installing a software patch on a target computer, a computer identifies a first and a second set of computers from a group of computers. Each computer in the first set has hardware and software components, which are identical to each other or differ from each other by less than a predetermined measure. Each computer in the second set has hardware and software components, which are identical to each other or differ from each other by less than a predetermined measure. The computer selects one of the first and the second sets of computers such that the selected set of computers includes a higher number of computers with the software patch already installed.

Abstract: A system, program product, and method are provided for copying a virtual machine image. An image library comprising a plurality of system images is provided by a target data processing system. A source image selection is received at the target data processing system. A given image from the image library is selected by the target system based on the received source image. The selected given image is transformed into a copy of the virtual machine image by receiving blocks from a source system that are part of the virtual machine image but not a part of the selected given image, such that only the blocks missing from the selected given image are transferred from the source system to the target system in order to form the copy of the virtual machine image. The source image is preferably a virtual data processing system image.

Abstract: Multiple policy engines may be integrated with a change and configuration change database to enable coordination of multiple policies by an embodiment comprising: a data center having a plurality of configuration items and connected to a network; a database connected to the network; a plurality of policy engines connected to the network; wherein each of the plurality of policy engines is configured to apply one or more policies to the data center in accordance with an awareness of all configuration item changes made by all other policy engines connected to the network; wherein the awareness comprises a plurality of relationships, each relationship being between a policy data and a configuration item.

Abstract: A method, system, and article for autonomizing autonomic management of a data center, with the data center having at least one computer system and an associated component. Data is collected from the data center and used as input to identify a data center policy. A set of capabilities of elements of the data center are detected and cataloged based upon the collected data. At least one policy is dynamically selected from at least one set of master policies in a policy directory with the selected policy to support the cataloged capabilities of the data center, and to dynamically control selective application and to adapt parameters for quality of service. The selected policy is applied to manage the data center.

Abstract: A method for detecting a failure in a computing system and for restoring the system is provided. The method comprises providing a system connected to a network communications channel, creating, using a configured backup automation tool, a full system backup image and incremental archive logs of the system before attempting to remotely install software on the system and executing a point-in-time detection and restoration tool configured to detect a system failure when attempting to remotely install software on the system and, if the system failure is detected, to restore the system to a desired restoration point before the system failure occurred, using the full system backup image and incremental archive logs created of the system.

Abstract: Generally speaking, systems, methods and media for updating device drivers of an operating system for a server computer system are disclosed. Embodiments may include a method for updating device drivers for a server computer system by a build server. Embodiments of the method may include determining whether device drivers for an operating system image source need to be updated, such as by crawling a vendor website. Embodiments may also include in response to determining that device driver updates need to be downloaded, scheduling a time for download of device driver updates. Embodiments of the method may also include downloading the scheduled device driver updates based on the scheduled time and storing the device driver updates in a device driver update database. Further embodiments of the method may include installing the operating system image source on a target server and installing the device driver updates on the target server.

Abstract: A method for detecting a failure in a computing system and for restoring the system is provided. The method comprises providing a system connected to a network communications channel, creating, using a configured backup automation tool, a full system backup image and incremental archive logs of the system before attempting to remotely install software on the system and executing a point-in-time detection and restoration tool configured to detect a system failure when attempting to remotely install software on the system and, if the system failure is detected, to restore the system to a desired restoration point before the system failure occurred, using the full system backup image and incremental archive logs created of the system.