Patents by Inventor Timothy R. Croy

Timothy R. Croy has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 10841159
    Abstract: A method, system and program product for deploying a service on a network comprising a plurality of network resources, the method comprising providing an actual network model comprising network resources and the configurations of the network resources; providing a computer-implemented network configuration management system controlling the actual network resource configurations in the actual model; providing a service description comprising network resource configuration information for implementing the service on specific network resources; selecting a set of available network resources for deploying the service in the network based on the service description; reserving available network resources for deploying the service in an off-line version of the actual network model, the off-line version including updated network resource configurations to reflect the changes to the configurations of the actual network resources triggered by the deployment of the service; and deploying the service by updating the actu
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2020
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Timothy R. Croy, Paul B. French, Robert P. Fulton, Trevor Graham, Kevin M. Hamilton
  • Patent number: 10498599
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a computer program product for using a common configuration template for a set of devices includes a computer readable storage medium having computer readable program code embodied therewith, the computer readable program code including computer readable program code configured for identifying a set of devices from the plurality of devices which share a common configuration template applicable to a proposed change, wherein the common configuration template includes a collection of command variations, computer readable program code configured for determining which command from the collection of command variations is applicable to each device in the set of devices, and computer readable program code configured for executing the proposed change across all devices in the set of devices using the determined command for each device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2019
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Timothy R. Croy, Trevor Graham, Kevin M. Hamilton, Steven S. Shuman
  • Patent number: 10469335
    Abstract: Techniques are provided for service placement on hosts for a consumer based on geographic location The techniques include: determining a geographical location of a consumer; and inputting a topology model of an environment including multiple candidate hosts to support a service required by the consumer, the topology model including: a geographic location of each of resource in the environment; and connectivity details between the resources and between the resources and the consumer. The techniques also include: calculating the distance from a candidate host to the consumer; determining if a geographic requirements is met by a candidate host; and ordering candidate hosts that meet geographic requirement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2019
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Ivor Bradley, Timothy R. Croy, John E. Dinger, Matthew E. Duggan, Randy George, Trevor Graham
  • Patent number: 10313184
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a method for using a common configuration template for a set of devices includes identifying a set of devices from the plurality of devices which share a common configuration template applicable to a proposed change, wherein the common configuration template includes a collection of command variations, determining which command from the collection of command variations is applicable to each device in the set of devices, and executing the proposed change across all devices in the set of devices using the determined command for each device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2019
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Timothy R. Croy, Trevor Graham, Kevin M. Hamilton, Steven S. Shuman
  • Publication number: 20180316548
    Abstract: A method, system and program product for deploying a service on a network comprising a plurality of network resources, the method comprising providing an actual network model comprising network resources and the configurations of the network resources; providing a computer-implemented network configuration management system controlling the actual network resource configurations in the actual model; providing a service description comprising network resource configuration information for implementing the service on specific network resources; selecting a set of available network resources for deploying the service in the network based on the service description; reserving available network resources for deploying the service in an off-line version of the actual network model, the off-line version including updated network resource configurations to reflect the changes to the configurations of the actual network resources triggered by the deployment of the service; and deploying the service by updating the actu
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 27, 2018
    Publication date: November 1, 2018
    Inventors: Timothy R. Croy, Paul B. French, Robert P. Fulton, Trevor Graham, Kevin M. Hamilton
  • Publication number: 20180302298
    Abstract: Techniques are provided for service placement on hosts for a consumer based on geographic location The techniques include: determining a geographical location of a consumer; and inputting a topology model of an environment including multiple candidate hosts to support a service required by the consumer, the topology model including: a geographic location of each of resource in the environment; and connectivity details between the resources and between the resources and the consumer. The techniques also include: calculating the distance from a candidate host to the consumer; determining if a geographic requirements is met by a candidate host; and ordering candidate hosts that meet geographic requirement.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 23, 2018
    Publication date: October 18, 2018
    Applicant: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Ivor Bradley, Timothy R. Croy, John E. Dinger, Matthew E. Duggan, Randy George, Trevor Graham
  • Patent number: 10091060
    Abstract: A method, system and program product for deploying a service on a network comprising a plurality of network resources, the method comprising providing an actual network model comprising network resources and the configurations of the network resources; providing a computer-implemented network configuration management system controlling the actual network resource configurations in the actual model; providing a service description comprising network resource configuration information for implementing the service on specific network resources; selecting a set of available network resources for deploying the service in the network based on the service description; reserving available network resources for deploying the service in an off-line version of the actual network model, the off-line version including updated network resource configurations to reflect the changes to the configurations of the actual network resources triggered by the deployment of the service; and deploying the service by updating the actu
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 2, 2018
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Timothy R. Croy, Paul B. French, Robert P. Fulton, Trevor Graham, Kevin M. Hamilton
  • Patent number: 10015061
    Abstract: Techniques are provided for service placement on hosts for a consumer based on geographic location The techniques include: determining a geographical location of a consumer; and inputting a topology model of an environment including multiple candidate hosts to support a service required by the consumer, the topology model including: a geographic location of each of resource in the environment; and connectivity details between the resources and between the resources and the consumer. The techniques also include: specifying bounding requirements for a host and/or bounding requirements for a path between the consumer to a host; calculating the distance from a candidate host to the consumer; determining if bounding requirements are met by a candidate host; and ordering candidate hosts that meet bounding requirements by distance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2018
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Ivor Bradley, Timothy R. Croy, John E. Dinger, Matthew E. Duggan, Randy George, Trevor Graham
  • Publication number: 20170272333
    Abstract: Techniques are provided for service placement on hosts for a consumer based on geographic location The techniques include: determining a geographical location of a consumer; and inputting a topology model of an environment including multiple candidate hosts to support a service required by the consumer, the topology model including: a geographic location of each of resource in the environment; and connectivity details between the resources and between the resources and the consumer. The techniques also include: specifying bounding requirements for a host and/or bounding requirements for a path between the consumer to a host; calculating the distance from a candidate host to the consumer; determining if bounding requirements are met by a candidate host; and ordering candidate hosts that meet bounding requirements by distance.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 15, 2013
    Publication date: September 21, 2017
    Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Ivor Bradley, Timothy R. Croy, John E. Dinger, Matthew E. Duggan, Randy George, Trevor Graham
  • Patent number: 9762439
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a computer program product for creating a configuration template for a set of devices includes a computer readable storage medium having program instructions embodied therewith. The program instructions are readable/executable by a hardware processor to cause the processor to separate, by the processor, existing syntactic models describing syntax from existing semantic models describing semantics prior to determining a command information and determine, by the processor, the command information for a plurality of devices. The program instructions also cause the processor to identify, by the processor, a command structure from the command information which is common to a set of devices from the plurality of devices, and associate, by the processor, the set of devices to a common configuration template.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2017
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Timothy R. Croy, Trevor Graham, Kevin M. Hamilton, Steven S. Shuman
  • Patent number: 9680703
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a method for creating a configuration template for a set of devices includes determining command information for a plurality of devices, identifying a command structure from the command information which is common to a set of devices from the plurality of devices, and associating the set of devices to a common configuration template.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2017
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Timothy R. Croy, Trevor Graham, Kevin M. Hamilton, Steven S. Shuman
  • Patent number: 9647891
    Abstract: Provided are systems, methods and computer program products that proactively manage configurations that enable a service. Configurations that are critical to enabling a particular service are automatically captured, for example as part of a provisioning activity, and/or tracked in association with that service. This automated, service-oriented configuration management enables improved service assurance and faster identification of problems, and mitigates the problem of errors and compromised service delivery that can arise from misconfigurations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2017
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Timothy R. Croy, Matthew E. Duggan, Robert P. Fulton, Trevor Graham, Kevin M. Hamilton, David J. Wallace
  • Patent number: 9621420
    Abstract: Method and system are provided for network device configuration management. The method includes: receiving a set of user commands for configuration of a network device; retrieving a syntactic model of a network device configuration interface for a network device type and generating a modelled configuration of a current configuration of the network device; predicting the effect of the user command on the modelled configuration to generate a predicted modelled configuration; and applying rules for a user and/or network device type to determine if the command is permitted based on the predicted modelled configuration of the network device. Predicting the effect of the user command predicts in near real-time the effect on the network device configuration of a command that the user enters.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2017
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Ivor G. Bradley, Timothy R. Croy, Trevor Graham, Kevin M. Hamilton, David J. Wallace
  • Publication number: 20160301569
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a computer program product for creating a configuration template for a set of devices includes a computer readable storage medium having program instructions embodied therewith. The program instructions are readable/executable by a hardware processor to cause the processor to separate, by the processor, existing syntactic models describing syntax from existing semantic models describing semantics prior to determining a command information and determine, by the processor, the command information for a plurality of devices. The program instructions also cause the processor to identify, by the processor, a command structure from the command information which is common to a set of devices from the plurality of devices, and associate, by the processor, the set of devices to a common configuration template.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 21, 2016
    Publication date: October 13, 2016
    Inventors: Timothy R. Croy, Trevor Graham, Kevin M. Hamilton, Steven S. Shuman
  • Patent number: 9417892
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a computer program product for creating a configuration template for a set of devices includes a computer readable storage medium having computer readable program code embodied therewith, the computer readable program code including computer readable program code configured for determining command information for a plurality of devices, computer readable program code configured for identifying a command structure from the command information which is common to a set of devices from the plurality of devices, and computer readable program code configured for associating the set of devices to a common configuration template. In another embodiment, a method for creating a configuration template for a set of devices includes determining command information for a plurality of devices, identifying a command structure from the command information which is common to a set of devices from the plurality of devices, and associating the set of devices to a common configuration template.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2016
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Timothy R. Croy, Trevor Graham, Kevin M. Hamilton, Steven S. Shuman
  • Publication number: 20150339135
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a computer program product for using a common configuration template for a set of devices includes a computer readable storage medium having computer readable program code embodied therewith, the computer readable program code including computer readable program code configured for identifying a set of devices from the plurality of devices which share a common configuration template applicable to a proposed change, wherein the common configuration template includes a collection of command variations, computer readable program code configured for determining which command from the collection of command variations is applicable to each device in the set of devices, and computer readable program code configured for executing the proposed change across all devices in the set of devices using the determined command for each device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 31, 2015
    Publication date: November 26, 2015
    Inventors: Timothy R. Croy, Trevor Graham, Kevin M. Hamilton, Steven S. Shuman
  • Publication number: 20150341215
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a method for using a common configuration template for a set of devices includes identifying a set of devices from the plurality of devices which share a common configuration template applicable to a proposed change, wherein the common configuration template includes a collection of command variations, determining which command from the collection of command variations is applicable to each device in the set of devices, and executing the proposed change across all devices in the set of devices using the determined command for each device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 31, 2015
    Publication date: November 26, 2015
    Inventors: Timothy R. Croy, Trevor Graham, Kevin M. Hamilton, Steven S. Shuman
  • Publication number: 20150341214
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a method for creating a configuration template for a set of devices includes determining command information for a plurality of devices, identifying a command structure from the command information which is common to a set of devices from the plurality of devices, and associating the set of devices to a common configuration template.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 31, 2015
    Publication date: November 26, 2015
    Inventors: Timothy R. Croy, Trevor Graham, Kevin M. Hamilton, Steven S. Shuman
  • Publication number: 20140379881
    Abstract: Method and system are provided for network device configuration management. The method includes: receiving a set of user commands for configuration of a network device; retrieving a syntactic model of a network device configuration interface for a network device type and generating a modelled configuration of a current configuration of the network device; predicting the effect of the user command on the modelled configuration to generate a predicted modelled configuration; and applying rules for a user and/or network device type to determine if the command is permitted based on the predicted modelled configuration of the network device. Predicting the effect of the user command predicts in near real-time the effect on the network device configuration of a command that the user enters.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 10, 2012
    Publication date: December 25, 2014
    Inventors: Ivor G. Bradley, Timothy R. Croy, Trevor Graham, Kevin M. Hamilton, David J. Wallace
  • Publication number: 20140325042
    Abstract: A method, system and program product for deploying a service on a network comprising a plurality of network resources, the method comprising providing an actual network model comprising network resources and the configurations of the network resources; providing a computer-implemented network configuration management system controlling the actual network resource configurations in the actual model; providing a service description comprising network resource configuration information for implementing the service on specific network resources; selecting a set of available network resources for deploying the service in the network based on the service description; reserving available network resources for deploying the service in an off-line version of the actual network model, the off-line version including updated network resource configurations to reflect the changes to the configurations of the actual network resources triggered by the deployment of the service; and deploying the service by updating the actu
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 17, 2014
    Publication date: October 30, 2014
    Applicant: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Timothy R. Croy, Paul B. French, Robert P. Fulton, Trevor Graham, Kevin M. Hamilton