Abstract: A method for managing hardware resources includes obtaining, by a local virtual hardware license manager, a license request from an application instance, in response to the license request: sending a virtual hardware license request to a license management system, wherein the virtual hardware license request comprises a hardware resource list, making a first determination that a response to the virtual hardware license request validates the virtual hardware license request, and in response to the first determination: providing, based on the hardware resource list, a signed hardware resource document to a hardware resource manager managing a hardware resource, wherein the hardware resource list specifies the hardware resource, updating a hardware resource access repository to specify enabled access of the hardware resource by the application instance, and initiating access to the hardware resource by the application instance.

Abstract: A system update appliance includes a processor and a memory device with a Content Addressable Storage (CAS) space and a location addressable storage space. The location addressable storage space partitioned into an object storage space and a device storage space. The processor stores a device entry in the device storage space. The device entry is associated with a device external to the system update appliance and includes a component entry for a component of the device. The component operates based on an update. The component entry includes a description of the component and a pointer to a record stored in the CAS space. The processor stores the record in the CAS space. The record is associated with a combination of the component and the first update. The record includes the description, a second pointer to an update repository, and a third pointer to the object storage space.

Abstract: An apparatus comprises a processing device configured to identify one or more message flows, a given one of the message flows comprising messages associated with management of a given information technology asset in an information technology infrastructure, and to parse the given message flow to identify branches in a sequence of the messages, a given branch comprising a given conditional clause and two or more possible action clause paths. The processing device is also configured to determine rankings of the possible action clause paths based at least in part on complexities of action clauses in the possible action clause paths, to select, for a given user, a particular action clause path based at least in part on the determined rankings of the possible action clause paths and a skill level of the given user, and to provide, to the given user, the selected action clause path.

Abstract: An apparatus comprises a processing device configured to obtain one or more messages, the one or more messages being associated with management of a given one of one or more information technology assets in an information technology infrastructure, and to determine, based at least in part on content of a given one of the one or more messages, whether the given message is suitable for delivery in an audio format. The processing device is also configured, responsive to determining that the given message is suitable for delivery in the audio format, to convert the content of the given message into one or more audio messages. The processing device is further configured to select one or more audio output devices for delivery of the one or more audio messages, and to provide, to the selected one or more audio output devices, the one or more audio messages.

Abstract: Methods and system for managing data processing system are disclosed. To manage the operation of the data processing system, hardware components may be replaced from time to time. To improve the likelihood of hardware components being available, procurement plans for proactive management of hardware component inventors for replacement may be used. The procurement plans may be based on various limits regarding when and how many hardware components may be purchased, predicted hardware component failures, and goals for hardware component acquisition that may reduce or manage cost associated with hardware component acquisition.

Abstract: An apparatus comprises a processing device configured to obtain messages associated with actions taken in applications running on at least one information technology asset in an information technology infrastructure, and to parse the messages to create message records, a given message record associated with a given message identifying actions taken in a given one of the applications, entities for which the actions in the given application were performed, and topics that the given message is associated with. The processing device is also configured to determine cross-application dependencies between the actions based at least in part on correlating entities and topics across the message records, a given cross-application dependency characterizing a relationship between first and second actions taken in first and second ones of the applications.

Abstract: A module optimizes active and inactive components and resources of a hybrid computing system to optimize a combination of private and public resources to minimize cost and maximize performance of the hybrid computing system. A learning model may analyze past usage and present usage metrics of one or more components with respect to performance criteria or cost criteria. Cost factors associated with components of the private system may be based on wear—the higher the wear the less desirable a component's use becomes due to lower reliability and higher warranty costs. When activating a component of the private system, a deactivation of a higher wear component may be delayed allowing time for a recently activated component to be integrated with the private system. A resource of a public system may be used while deactivation of a high wear component is delayed.

Abstract: Custom-tailored warranties are provided with improved service level agreements (SLA) based upon an estimated turnaround time for service and/or parts. The turnaround time is calculated using an artificial intelligence or machine learning engine considering parameters such as the transit time from the nearest service centers and warehouses, the availability of service engineers at the service centers, and the availability of replacement parts in the warehouse. A custom-tailored warranty also may be offered for a specific customer-selected SLA if supported by the estimated turnaround time for the location. A warranty recommendation may be based on device location for data centers in multiple locations. A Location-Based Warranty Monitor (LBWM) provides fine-grained warranty suggestions and Un-bound Warranty Tokens (UWTs) can be bound to a system to assign a warranty with a desired. SLA.

Abstract: An information handling system includes a provisioning server and a server. The server includes a baseboard management controller (BMC) to determine a first hardware inventory profile for the server. The BMC provides the first hardware inventory profile to the provisioning server. The BMC stores first signed provisioning configuration content that is based on a first ownership certificate for a first owner of the server. The BMC determines a second hardware inventory profile for the server, and provides the second hardware inventory profile to the provisioning server. The BMC stores second signed provisioning configuration content that is based on a second ownership certificate for a second owner of the server. In response to an expiration of the second ownership certificate, the BMC removes the second signed provisioning configuration content, compares a current hardware inventory profile to the first hardware inventory profile, and generates a report to indicate any hardware changes.

Abstract: Custom-tailored warranties are provided with improved service level agreements (SLA) based upon an estimated turnaround time for service and/or parts. The turnaround time is calculated using an artificial intelligence or machine learning engine considering parameters such as the transit time from the nearest service centers and warehouses, the availability of service engineers at the service centers, and the availability of replacement parts in the warehouse. A custom-tailored warranty also may be offered for a specific customer-selected SLA if supported by the estimated turnaround time for the location. A warranty recommendation may be based on device location for data centers in multiple locations. A Location-Based Warranty Monitor (LBWM) provides fine-grained warranty suggestions and Un-bound Warranty Tokens (UWTs) can be bound to a system to assign a warranty with a desired. SLA.

Abstract: Systems and methods provide a warranty updating system for transferal of an Information Handling System (IHS) from a first entity to a second entity. In some embodiments, the warranty updating system includes computer-executable instructions to receive a request to manage a warranty transfer of the IHS in which the first entity is separate and distinct from a vendor of the first IHS. The system may obtain an inventory of the first IHS. determine one or more recommended warranty options for the second entity based on the received inventory, and present the warranty options for consumption by the second entity. When the system receives a selected warranty option from the first entity, it may configure the first IHS for use by the second entity based upon the selected warranty option.

Abstract: Techniques are provided for semantic-aware workflow creation and execution. One method comprises obtaining a semantic-aware workflow; identifying objects specified in the semantic-aware workflow; performing the following steps for at least one of the identified objects: extracting parameters corresponding to the at least one identified object using an attribute registry associated with the semantic-aware workflow; selecting, using the attribute registry, an extracted parameter that takes, as a value, another identified object; and adding an operation to the semantic-aware workflow using the at least one identified object, and the corresponding selected extracted parameter that takes, as a value, the other identified object.

Abstract: Techniques are provided for identifying and mitigating security vulnerabilities in multi-layer infrastructure stacks. One method comprises obtaining vulnerability information associated with a security vulnerability for a component in a server device, wherein the server device is associated with a multi-layer infrastructure stack, and wherein the vulnerability information is obtained from a vulnerability catalog that identifies the security vulnerability for the component; exchanging at least portions of the vulnerability information among at least some layers of the multi-layer infrastructure stack; identifying a remedial action to mitigate the security vulnerability using an update catalog that identifies a remedial action for the component to mitigate a corresponding security vulnerability; and automatically initiating the remedial action.

Abstract: Techniques are provided for performing server device updates using update baselines that are tagged across multiple management consoles. One method comprises obtaining, by a first management console of multiple management consoles associated with a server device, a first update baseline comprising a first tag identifier, of multiple tag identifiers, that identifies a first update of a component of the server device across the multiple management consoles; and applying the first update baseline to the server device in a maintenance mode to update the component of the server device, wherein the server device is maintained in the maintenance mode when two or more of the tag identifiers are active in the server device following the application of the first update baseline. The server device can be restored from the maintenance mode when only one tag identifier is active in the server device following the application of the first update baseline.

Abstract: A system, method, and computer-readable medium are disclosed for performing a data center monitoring and management operation. The data center monitoring and management operation includes: identifying a plurality of data center assets within a data center; determining whether a particular data center asset from the plurality of data center assets has an associated asset support certification; and, performing a data center asset support certification operation, the data center asset support certification operation determining whether another data center asset may be certified for a particular type of data center asset support.

Abstract: Methods and systems for managing data processing system are disclosed. A data processing system may include one or more hardware and/or software components. The operation of the data processing system may depend on the operation of these components. To manage the operation of the data processing system, future failures of the hardware components may be predicted and used as a basis for predicted services to reduce the threat of the predicted component failures. To manage performance of the predicted services, the predicted services may be scheduled for performance. To schedule performance of the predicted services, limitations on availability of service professionals that may complete the predicted services may be taken into account.

Abstract: Techniques are provided for generating multi-layer configuration templates for deployment across multiple infrastructure stack layers.

Abstract: Systems and methods for dynamically moving virtual machine (VM) data based upon context are described. In some embodiments, an Information Handling System (IHS) may include a processor and a memory coupled to the processor, the memory having program instructions stored thereon that, upon execution, cause the IHS to: select a VM having a plurality of VM files; identify, among the plurality of VM files, a movable VM file; and transfer the movable VM file from a first storage tier to a second storage tier based upon a usage classification associated with the movable VM file.

Abstract: A method includes identifying a source virtual machine to be migrated from a source domain to a target domain, extracting file-in-use metadata and shared asset metadata from virtual machine metadata of the source virtual machine, and copying one or more files identified in the file-in-use metadata to a target virtual machine in the target domain. For each of one or more shared assets identified in the shared asset metadata, the method further includes (a) determining whether or not the shared asset already exists in the target domain, (b) responsive to the shared asset already existing in the target domain, updating virtual machine metadata of the target virtual machine to specify the shared asset, and (c) responsive to the shared asset not already existing in the target domain, copying the shared asset to the target domain and updating virtual machine metadata of the target virtual machine to specify the shared asset.

Abstract: Systems and methods take into account the criticality of workloads, the warranty needs of workloads, the warranty available time, and the lifetime of a workload to provide an optimal solution that ensures servers are used to highest extent. The warranty health of servers is computed and categorized as critical, warning, or healthy based on the number of days remaining in warranty. Workloads are tagged as short-term or long-term workloads. Workloads are also classified based on criticality. The quarantine mode for proactive high availability of servers is divided into multiple modes, including a long-time, critical-workload quarantine mode, a critical-workload quarantine mode, and a standard quarantine mode. Servers that are in quarantine mode are assigned new workloads based upon the warranty health, workload term, and workload criticality.