Abstract: A system, method and apparatus for performing a real-time service level agreement (SLA) impact analysis. In the system of the invention, a service level manager can be programmed to establish a plurality of SLAs directly implicating selected resources. A relationship database further can be configured for coupling to one or more management applications programmed to manage the selected resources. Finally, a modeling and evaluation system can be communicatively coupled to the relationship database and the service level manager and programmed to perform a real-time SLA impact analysis based both upon resources directly implicated by the SLAs and also upon resources which are related to the resources directly implicated by the SLAs.

Abstract: A method for automated provisioning of computing resources in a distributed computing network includes obtaining a data structure representing a resource dependency characterization of an application to be implemented over the distributed computing network, wherein the data structure indicates a set of resources to be deployed, obtaining a template that represents a predefined network topology for supporting deployment of the set of resources, mapping the set of resources represented in the data structure to the template so as to satisfy a set of component requirements to generate a deployment map, and provisioning the set of resources on a plurality of computers based on the deployment map to implement the application over the distributed computing network.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method, computer-program product and a system to compose an application solution on a cloud-computing platform for a user. The method includes, in response to input from the user, selecting at least one predetermined template that includes a hardware and software instance of a data processing system that is implementable as an solution on a cloud platform; comparing the at least one selected template against a set of constraints; establishing an instance of a cloud based solution for the user based on the selected template; and validating the established cloud based solution against user-uploaded information such as software and workloads to ensure that the solution satisfies requirements of the user, such as both technical and financial requirements of the user.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method, computer-program product and a system to compose an application solution on a cloud-computing platform for a user. The method includes, in response to input from the user, selecting at least one predetermined template that includes a hardware and software instance of a data processing system that is implementable as an solution on a cloud platform; comparing the at least one selected template against a set of constraints; establishing an instance of a cloud based solution for the user based on the selected template; and validating the established cloud based solution against user-uploaded information such as software and workloads to ensure that the solution satisfies requirements of the user, such as both technical and financial requirements of the user.

Abstract: A computer implemented method, apparatus, and computer usable program code for collecting data. The data is collected from a particular data source by an application portion of agent to form collected data. The application portion is associated with the particular data source in response to an event. The collected data stored in a temporary data store for transfer to a data storage system to form stored data. The stored data sent to the data storage system using a generic portion of the agent, wherein the generic portion of the agent is configured to send data to the data storage system.

Abstract: A method for creating a configurable model for rating and metering resource usage, the method includes utilizing at least one rating context for a contract of a registered offering, wherein the registered offering is a resource, monitoring the resource usage to create a usage record, optimizing the collection of the usage data based on revenue potential and metering costs, contextualizing a usage record of the resource, generating rated usage data according to the usage record, and tuning a performance indicator of a metering definition for the registered offering based on the rated usage data.

Abstract: A method for creating a configurable model for rating and metering resource usage, the method includes utilizing at least one rating context for a contract of a registered offering, wherein the registered offering is a resource, monitoring the resource usage to create a usage record, optimizing the collection of the usage data based on revenue potential and metering costs, contextualizing a usage record of the resource, generating rated usage data according to the usage record, and tuning a performance indicator of a metering definition for the registered offering based on the rated usage data.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method, computer-program product and a system to compose an application solution on a cloud-computing platform for a user. The method includes, in response to input from the user, selecting at least one predetermined template that includes a hardware and software instance of a data processing system that is implementable as an solution on a cloud platform; comparing the at least one selected template against a set of constraints; establishing an instance of a cloud based solution for the user based on the selected template; and validating the established cloud based solution against user-uploaded information such as software and workloads to ensure that the solution satisfies requirements of the user, such as both technical and financial requirements of the user.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method, computer-program product and a system to compose an application solution on a cloud-computing platform for a user. The method includes, in response to input from the user, selecting at least one predetermined template that includes a hardware and software instance of a data processing system that is implementable as an solution on a cloud platform; comparing the at least one selected template against a set of constraints; establishing an instance of a cloud based solution for the user based on the selected template; and validating the established cloud based solution against user-uploaded information such as software and workloads to ensure that the solution satisfies requirements of the user, such as both technical and financial requirements of the user.

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: An assistance method and system. The method includes retrieving by a computer processor of a computing system comprising a touch screen display, an enable command for enabling a keyboard configuration menu for a virtual touch screen keyboard presented by the touch screen of said computing system. The computer processor presents the keyboard configuration menu to the user. The computer processor receives a modify command for modifying specified configuration settings associated with each key of the virtual touch screen keyboard. The computer processor generates and saves modified configuration settings associated with said specified configuration settings. The computer processor disables the keyboard configuration menu.

Abstract: A computer implemented method, apparatus, and computer usable program code to identify a policy for managing data in a data storage system. Raw data is located in the data storage system for processing to form located data. The located data is aggregated based on the policy to form aggregated data. The aggregated data is stored in the data storage system.

Abstract: An assistance method and system. The method includes retrieving by a computer processor of a computing system comprising a touch screen display, an enable command for enabling a keyboard configuration menu for a virtual touch screen keyboard presented by the touch screen of said computing system. The computer processor presents the keyboard configuration menu to the user. The computer processor receives a modify command for modifying specified configuration settings associated with each key of the virtual touch screen keyboard. The computer processor generates and saves modified configuration settings associated with said specified configuration settings. The computer processor disables the keyboard configuration menu.

Abstract: A computer implemented method, apparatus, and computer usable program code to aggregate data. Data is parsed for a behavior tag assigned to a portion of the data. In response to detecting a behavior tag, a determination is made as to whether a policy is associated with the behavior tag. The policy associated with a behavior tag defines how the portion of the data assigned to the behavior tag is to be aggregated. The portion of the data is aggregated using the policy associated with the behavior tag.

Abstract: A method for automated provisioning of computing resources in a distributed computing network includes obtaining a data structure representing a resource dependency characterization of an application to be implemented over the distributed computing network, wherein the data structure indicates a set of resources to be deployed, obtaining a template that represents a predefined network topology for supporting deployment of the set of resources, mapping the set of resources represented in the data structure to the template so as to satisfy a set of component requirements to generate a deployment map, and provisioning the set of resources on a plurality of computers based on the deployment map to implement the application over the distributed computing network.

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: A method for automated provisioning of computing resources in a distributed computing network includes obtaining a data structure representing a resource dependency characterization of an application to be implemented over the distributed computing network, wherein the data structure indicates a set of resources to be deployed, obtaining a template that represents a predefined network topology for supporting deployment of the set of resources, mapping the set of resources represented in the data structure to the template so as to satisfy a set of component requirements to generate a deployment map, and provisioning the set of resources on a plurality of computers based on the deployment map to implement the application over the distributed computing network.