| BMC SOFTWARE, INC. Patent applications |
| Patent application number | Title | Published |
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| 20110321033 | Application Blueprint and Deployment Model for Dynamic Business Service Management (BSM) - Disclosed are systems and methods for model based provisioning of applications and servers (both physical and virtual) to execute provisioned applications in a reliable and repeatable manner. Several aspects of a complex application management including compliance, change tracking, monitoring, discovery, processing steps, CMDB integration are disclosed within a comprehensive hierarchy of definition templates forming a model. This model can then be used at provisioning time to instantiate a compliant instance of the provisioned application. This model can also be used at run-time for managing run-time aspects of the provisioned application. Additionally, the model based approach can help track applications even when or if applications drift from their intended design and policies for use. | 12-29-2011 |
| 20110320598 | System and Method for Offering Virtual Private Clouds within a Public Cloud Environment - Systems, methods and computer readable media for providing virtual private clouds within a public cloud are described. Examples include a method wherein a service provider deploys a primary instance of a cloud-in-a-box (CIAB) to his cloud computing system to create a public cloud. A CIAB includes adapters configured to manage virtual infrastructure of the cloud, and end-user portal and an administrative portal. A nested instance of CIAB may be deployed to one of the virtual machines, with one of the adapters of the nested instance of CIAB being connected to the end-user portal of the primary instance. An administrator of the nested instance may create his own library of virtual machine images and offer the library to the end-users of the nested CAIB instance. | 12-29-2011 |
| 20110320228 | Automated Generation of Markov Chains for Use in Information Technology - Disclosed are methods and systems to automatically generate a model for pro-active rather than reactive enterprise systems management. In one embodiment, a Markov Chain model is constructed from a Configuration Management Database (CMDB), Service Impact models, event logs and system logs. The model can then be maintained and automatically updated or regenerated based on changing conditions and attributes of configuration items (CIs) being modeled. As part of model generations probabilities associated with potential state transitions of CIs can be calculated. The model can then be used to predict anticipated availability of a corporate enterprise or specific portions of a corporate information technology (IT) environment. In another embodiment, a model can be used to perform what-if scenarios to assist in planning or deferring change requests for the corporate IT environment. | 12-29-2011 |
| 20110316856 | Spotlight Graphs - In a computer-displayed graph, indications of multiple attributes or states of an object represented by a node of the graph are displayed using a spotlight, in which attributes of the spotlight correspond to attributes of the object represented by the node. The attributes of the spotlight each correspond to an attribute of the object and may include the color, brightness, and size of the spotlight. The spotlight may be positioned with the node, including overlaying the spotlight on the node and positioning the spotlight relative to the node. | 12-29-2011 |
| 20110295788 | Method and System to Enable Inferencing for Natural Language Queries of Configuration Management Databases - Disclosed are embodiments of systems and methods to derive a semantic network from a CMDB relationship graph which can then be queried in a natural way from a linguistic standpoint (i.e., using natural language queries). Because disclosed embodiments combine natural language queries with an inferencing engine the disclosed systems and methods automatically “connect the dots” between disparate pieces of information and can allow for a richer user experience. In general, CMDB graph relationships can be converted into semantic networks. Once a semantic network is created, queries can be phrased to leverage the inferential relationships between objects in the semantic network. | 12-01-2011 |
| 20110271327 | Authorized Application Services Via an XML Message Protocol - Disclosed are systems and methods to provide a persistent authorized server address space (ASAS). The ASAS can host components from product suites that are not able to execute in an authorized state. To host other product's components, the ASAS receives “messages” from the unauthorized product components in the form of a generic eXtensible Markup Language (XML) protocol. These messages may request product initialization/administration or performance of a function by the ASAS on behalf of the requesting product. Security constraints are also provided to ensure system and data integrity. Further, the ASAS is not tightly coupled to any requesting product so that flexibility of product update or update to the ASAS itself may not be unnecessarily constrained. | 11-03-2011 |
| 20110246585 | Event Enrichment Using Data Correlation - Systems and methods for enriching events using data correlation are described herein. At least some embodiments include a method for enriching events reflecting the state of a plurality of computer systems, the method including storing a plurality of event messages and system metric data that includes service metric data, determining a degree of correlation between a system metric and at least one of a plurality of service metrics, and enriching an event message of the plurality of event messages based at least in part on the degree of correlation. At least one system metric data value triggers the event message. The degree of correlation is based at least in part on the system metric data and the service metric data. | 10-06-2011 |
| 20110239275 | Centrally Managed Impersonation - Systems, methods and computer readable media for centrally managed impersonation are described. Examples include a system having a central server and a remote shell daemon running on a remote machine, wherein a trust relationship is established between the central server and the remote shell daemon. Examples also include a method wherein a user sends the management system a request to act upon a remote machine. The management system determines whether the user is authenticated for the requested action. Upon authentication, the management system identifies an impersonation policy based on user profile and the remote machine. The management system connects to the remote machine, impersonates an elevated privilege account if required, and executes the user action on the remote machine. | 09-29-2011 |
| 20110239190 | Method for Customizing Software Applications - Techniques for overlaying objects of a software application with other objects allow modification and customization of the application by one or more users in different ways, without storing multiple modified copies of the application. The technique allows configuring the software application to execute using overlaid objects instead of the base objects contained in the software application. In some embodiments, the base objects for the software application and the overlaid objects are stored in a datastore, and a runtime embodiment causes execution of the overlaid objects instead of the base objects. | 09-29-2011 |
| 20110238691 | Mechanism to Display Graphical IT Infrastructure Using Configurable Smart Navigation - A system allows pre-defining CI scope definitions for use by users of a CMDB system. The pre-defined CI scope definitions may be used to expand a starting CI in a graph displaying a portion of the CMDB according to the types of CIs and relationships between CIs defined in the scope definition. The scope definition is converted into one or more CMDB queries that are restricted to a chain of CIs related to the starting CI. The system restricts the visibility of scope definitions to only those applicable to the starting CI. | 09-29-2011 |
| 20110238637 | Statistical Identification of Instances During Reconciliation Process - A system for reconciling object for a configuration management databases employs statistical rules to reduce the amount of manual identification required by conventional reconciliation techniques. As users manually identify matches between source and target datasets, statistical rules are developed based on the criteria used for matching. Those statistical rules are then used for future matching. A threshold value is adjusted as the statistical rules are used, incrementing the threshold value when the rule successfully matches source and target objects. If the threshold value exceeds a predetermined acceptance value, the system may automatically accept a match made by a statistical rule. Otherwise, suggestions of possibly applicable rules may be presented to a user, who may use the suggested rules to match objects, causing adjustment of the threshold value associated with the suggested rules used. | 09-29-2011 |
| 20110238377 | Auto Adjustment of Baseline on Configuration Change - A baseline adjusting technique allows automatically adjust the baselines of metrics affected by a configuration change a monitored system. If a configuration change is detected, a performance management system retrieves linkages between the changed configuration parameter and one or more metrics. The performance management system then adjusts the baselines of the metric using the baseline adjusting algorithm retrieved from the linkage. | 09-29-2011 |
| 20110238376 | Automatic Determination of Dynamic Threshold for Accurate Detection of Abnormalities - An improved performance management technique allows automatic determination dynamic thresholds of a metric based on a baseline of the matching pattern. A pattern matching process is conducted against a set of baseline patterns to find the matching pattern. If a matching pattern is found, the baseline of the matching pattern is used as the dynamic threshold. A series of sanity checks are performed to reduce any false alarms. If the metric does not follow any pattern, a composite of baselines is selected as the dynamic threshold. | 09-29-2011 |
| 20110234595 | Graph Expansion Mini-view - A graphical representation of a service model provides a full view of a portion of the graphical representation. A sub graph view may be displayed for nodes of the graphical representation of the service model that are associated with a selected node, including nodes that may not be visible in the full view. The sub graph view may be interactive, providing additional information regarding the nodes displayed in the sub graph view, and allowing making nodes in the sub graph view visible or invisible in the full view. Information may be displayed in the sub graph view about the status of the components being modeled by the service model corresponding to nodes displayed in the sub graph view. | 09-29-2011 |
| 20110214024 | Method of Collecting and Correlating Locking Data to Determine Ultimate Holders in Real Time - A technique for collecting and correlating locking data collects and correlates information on a plurality of programs waiting on or holding a plurality of resources in a multi-computer database system. The technique identifies a program executing on one computer of the multi-computer database system that is waiting on a resource. The technique also identifies a second program, executing on another computer, as the ultimate holder of the resource. An operator display screen displays information corresponding to the first program and the second program. The operator display screen may be switched between a multiline display format and a single line display format. The collection, identification, and display of the locking data is performed periodically, to allow the operator to discover locking problems and take a desired corrective action. | 09-01-2011 |
| 20110213886 | Intelligent and Elastic Resource Pools for Heterogeneous Datacenter Environments - Disclosed are methods and systems for intelligent resource pool management of heterogeneous datacenter resources. In one embodiment, intelligent resource pool management is utilized to assist in application provisioning performed based upon a blueprint and deployment model defining requirements of the provisioned application. In other embodiments, intelligent resource pool managers are configured to work in concert with other intelligent resource pool managers and/or a centralized provisioning engine. Resource pools may also be configured in a hierarchical manner whereby higher level resource pools may automatically draw resources from lower level resource pools as directed by one or more intelligent resource pool managers. | 09-01-2011 |
| 20110213885 | Automating Application Provisioning for Heterogeneous Datacenter Environments - Disclosed are methods and systems to automate the provisioning and deployment of application instances within a heterogeneous data center. In one embodiment, the application provisioning is performed based upon a blueprint and deployment model defining requirements of the provisioned application. In another embodiment, the totality of available resources for provisioning is divided into different segments. When resources are requested and assigned to an incoming provisioning request, the resource pool may be refreshed or augmented as defined by thresholds or forecasting of user needs. The resource pool may be refreshed by recapturing allocated resources that are no longer in use or by configuring resources taken from the reserve. Further, when reserve resources are not available or are below a minimum reserve threshold, capacity planning actions may be initiated or advised. | 09-01-2011 |
| 20110161964 | Utility-Optimized Scheduling of Time-Sensitive Tasks in a Resource-Constrained Environment - Systems and methods implementing utility-maximized scheduling of time-sensitive tasks in a resource constrained-environment are described herein. Some embodiments include a method for utility-optimized scheduling of computer system tasks performed by a processor of a first computer system that includes determining a time window including a candidate schedule of a new task to be executed on a second computer system, identifying other tasks scheduled to be executed on the second computer system within said time window, and identifying candidate schedules that each specifies the execution times for at least one of the tasks (which include the new task and the other tasks). The method further includes calculating an overall utility for each candidate schedule based upon a task utility calculated for each of the tasks when scheduled according to each corresponding candidate schedule and queuing the new task for execution according to a preferred schedule with the highest overall utility. | 06-30-2011 |
| 20110161959 | Batch Job Flow Management - Systems and methods for improved batch flow management are described. At least some embodiments include a computer system for managing a job flow including a memory storing a plurality of batch queue jobs grouped into Services each including a job and a predecessor job. A time difference is the difference between a scheduled job start time and an estimated predecessor job end time. Jobs with a preceding time gap include jobs immediately preceded only by non-zero time differences. The job start depends upon the predecessor job completion. The computer system further includes a processing unit that identifies jobs preceded by a time gap, selects one of the Services, and traverses in reverse chronological order a critical path of dependent jobs within the Service until a latest job with a preceding time gap is identified or at least those jobs along the critical path preceded by another job are traversed. | 06-30-2011 |
| 20110161928 | Method to Provide Transparent Process I/O Context on a Remote OS While Retaining Local Processing - Systems and methods are disclosed that implement a data collection infrastructure that supports both agent-based and agentless data collection. Existing data collection scripts may be used, whether agent-based or agentless, and new scripts may be created that include commands that may execute either locally or remotely, as desired. These scripts, while executed locally, may interact with either the local machine or another remote machine for performing data collection, corrective actions, or other desired functionality. An execution context defines whether commands executed by the script are to execute locally or remotely, and a context handler allows processing those commands either locally or remotely depending on the execution context, transparently to the script. Data generated by remote execution may be transported back to the local machine for manipulation locally, transparently to the script. | 06-30-2011 |
| 20110161477 | Method and System to Automatically Adapt Web Services from One Protocol/Idiom to Another Protocol/Idiom - A method and system to convert an existing web service from a first web services implantation type to a second web services implementation type. Example implementation types include SOAP and Representational State Transfer (REST). This conversion is achieved by recognizing and classifying available information from each of the distinct implementation types. After proper recognition and classification as disclosed herein, a deterministic process may be utilized to assist in converting or translating the exposed interface; thereby assisting in developing an interface, based on a different interface type than the one already exposed, may be provided. | 06-30-2011 |
| 20110161465 | Method and System to Automatically Adapt Web Services from One Protocol/Idiom to Another Protocol/Idiom - Disclosed are embodiments of a method and system to convert an existing web services request from a first web services implementation type to a second web services implementation type. Example implementation types include SOAP-based and Representational State Transfer (RESTful). Conversion may be achieved through use of a generic web services adaptor. The generic web services adaptor can provide a plurality of interface types and convert requests to a request type supported by an existing web service provider endpoint. In some embodiments, requests not requiring a conversion may be forwarded directly to an existing web service provider endpoint. | 06-30-2011 |
| 20110161048 | Method to Optimize Prediction of Threshold Violations Using Baselines - A baseline technique allows reducing the number of threshold violation predictions that need to be generated in a performance monitoring system. One or more baselines may be calculated based on long-term trends in a monitored metric. If the metric is within the baseline, then predictions regarding short-term trends in the metric may be omitted. If the metric is outside the baseline, then short-term trends may be analyzed to predict possible threshold violations. | 06-30-2011 |
| 20110154362 | Automated Computer Systems Event Processing - Systems and methods for automated computer systems event processing are described herein. At least some example embodiments include a communication interface that receives an event message and a processing unit (coupled to the communication interface) that processes the event message and that further obtains, parses and tokenizes an character string that includes one or more delimited elements selected from the group consisting of a constant, a variable and a function, wherein each function accepts as input the one or more delimited elements. The processing unit further evaluates the parsed and tokenized character string in response to receiving the event message and initiates an action based upon the result of the evaluation. The processing unit also creates a common execution environment for performing the processing, obtaining, parsing, tokenizing and evaluation. | 06-23-2011 |
| 20110154353 | Demand-Driven Workload Scheduling Optimization on Shared Computing Resources - Systems and methods implementing a demand-driven workload scheduling optimization of shared resources used to execute tasks submitted to a computer system are disclosed. Some embodiments include a method for demand-driven computer system resource optimization that includes receiving a request to execute a task (said request including the task's required execution time and resource requirements), selecting a prospective execution schedule meeting the required execution time and a computer system resource meeting the resource requirement, determining (in response to the request) a task execution price for using the computer system resource according to the prospective execution schedule, and scheduling the task to execute using the computer system resource according to the prospective execution schedule if the price is accepted. The price varies as a function of availability of the computer system resource at times corresponding to the prospective execution schedule, said availability being measured at the time the price is determined. | 06-23-2011 |
| 20110153580 | Index Page Split Avoidance With Mass Insert Processing - A technique is disclosed that avoids index page splits when inserting large numbers of rows into a table of a relational database. Keys in index pages are moved to successive index pages to make room to insert keys on the original index page. Where no room is available on successive pages, a new index page is created to hold moved keys. The result is typically a smaller chain of index pages with better locality than using the conventional insertion technique of splitting index pages. | 06-23-2011 |
| 20110153559 | Mechanism for Deprecating Object Oriented Data - Techniques are described to allow the deprecation of classes in an object-oriented data model, such as a CDM for a CMDB. When a class is deprecated and replaced by another existing or new class, data associated with instances of the deprecated class may be migrated to the replacement class. A mapping between the deprecated class and its replacement class may be provided to allow existing applications to continue to access data using the deprecated class without change until the deprecated class is finally deleted or the application is updated to use the replacement class. New applications written to use the object-oriented data model after the deprecation may use the replacement class to access data instances created using the original data model. | 06-23-2011 |
| 20110137887 | Constraint Processing - Constraint processing for a relational database generates primary (e.g., based on primary key values) and constraint index records (e.g., based on foreign key values) during table load operations that are then sorted in a manner that rapidly and unambiguously identifies rows that fail the specified constraint test. Rows so identified may be deleted to maintain the constraint (e.g., referential) integrity of a child table. In one case, child table row data may be processed in constraint key order, eliminating the need first load the child table with row data and then delete those rows that subsequently fail the integrity test. | 06-09-2011 |
| 20110131186 | Extending a Database Recovery Point at a Disaster Recovery Site - A DBA may pre-generate database recovery jobs on a convenient schedule at a local site, then recover a database at a disaster recovery site. Archive log files for the database that are generated in the interim between recovery job generation and recovery job execution are automatically incorporated into the recovery job when it executes, extending the recovery point closer to the time of the disruption that triggered the need or desire for recovery. | 06-02-2011 |
| 20110125745 | Balancing Data Across Partitions of a Table Space During Load Processing - A balancing technique allows a database administrator to perform a mass data load into a relational database employing partitioned tablespaces. The technique automatically balances the usage of the partitions in a tablespace as the data is loaded. Previous definitions of the partitions are modified after the loading of the data into the tablespace to conform with the data loaded into the tablespace. | 05-26-2011 |
| 20110113117 | Asynchronous Collection and Correlation of Trace and Communications Event Data - A transaction processing system that includes a communications bridge between clients and a transaction processing engine provides a way to correlate events associated with the communications bridge and events associated with the transaction processing engine. By passing a unique identification information with the transaction requests and response between the communications bridge and transaction processing engine and including the unique identification information in logging information created by each, a correlation utility may correlate logging information to create a more complete view of the events associated with a transaction, including end-to-end response times. | 05-12-2011 |
| 20110072433 | Method to Automatically ReDirect SRB Routines to a ZIIP Eligible Enclave - A Method to redirect SRB routines from otherwise non-zIIP eligible processes on an IBM z/OS series mainframe to a zIIP eligible enclave is disclosed. This redirection is achieved by intercepting otherwise blocked operations and allowing them to complete processing without errors imposed by the zIIP processor configuration. After appropriately intercepting and redirecting these blocked operations more processing may be performed on the more financially cost effective zIIP processor by users of mainframe computing environments. | 03-24-2011 |
| 20110072432 | METHOD TO AUTOMATICALLY REDIRECT SRB ROUTINES TO A zIIP ELIGIBLE ENCLAVE - A Method to redirect SRB routines from otherwise non-zIIP eligible processes on an IBM z/OS series mainframe to a zIIP eligible enclave is disclosed. This redirection is achieved by intercepting otherwise blocked operations and allowing them to complete processing without errors imposed by the zIIP processor configuration. After appropriately intercepting and redirecting these blocked operations more processing may be performed on the more financially cost effective zIIP processor by users of mainframe computing environments. | 03-24-2011 |
| 20110071984 | Area-Specific Reload of Database - A hierarchical database stores data for the database in a plurality of areas. A disclosed technique allows reorganization of one or more areas of the database without stopping the entire database. The areas to be reorganized are first stopped, then the areas are unloaded, reorganized, and reloaded, before restarting the reorganized areas. In-memory control blocks for the areas are updated to indicate to the database software that the areas have been reorganized, without stopping the entire database. | 03-24-2011 |
| 20110071982 | Offline Restructuring of DEDB Databases - An IMS DEDB database restructure operation creates an empty offline DEDB having the desired structure. The offline database is populated with data from a source (online) database while keeping the source database online (i.e., available for access and update operations). Updates to the source database made during this process are selectively processed in parallel with the offline DEDB load operation. When the contents of the offline database is substantially the same as the source or online database, the source database is taken offline, final updates to the offline database are applied whereafter the offline database is brought online, thereby replacing the source database. It is significant to note that updates occurring to the source or online DEDB are applied to the offline DEDB. | 03-24-2011 |
| 20110055181 | Database Quiesce Operations - A technique to quiesce a database without causing after-arriving access requests to abnormally terminate interrogates database management system control structures associated with the database. Specified modifications to these control structures can be made so that subsequent access requests to the database (i.e., during quiesce operations) are not abnormally terminated. Once quiesced, regular or special purpose maintenance or testing operations, the starting or stopping of log keeping operations or similar operations may be made to the database. Once these are complete, the database control structures may be updated again to permit pending/scheduled access requests to proceed. | 03-03-2011 |
| 20100318497 | Unobtrusive Copies of Actively Used Compressed Indices - Unobtrusive Copies of Actively Used Compressed Indices Methods, devices and systems to make compressed backup copies of in-use compressed database indices are described. In general, an “oldest” time at which index pages in working memory had been updated is identified. Compressed index pages may be directly copied without the need to bring them into working memory or uncompressing them. The identified “oldest” time is then associated with the compressed backup copy. In some embodiments, an entire compressed backup copy may be associated with a single point in time (e.g., the identified “oldest” time). In other embodiments, a compressed backup copy may be associated with multiple points in time (e.g., one time for each portion of the compressed index that is being backed-up). Compressed indices copied in accordance with the invention may be used during restore operations to reconstruct database indices using the identified “oldest” time and database log files. | 12-16-2010 |
| 20100287143 | Relational Database Page-Level Schema Transformations - Methods, devices and systems which facilitate the conversion of database objects from one schema version (e.g., an earlier version) to another schema version (e.g., a newer version) without requiring the objects be unloaded and reloaded are described. In general, data object conversion applies to both table space objects and index space objects. The described transformation techniques may be used to convert any object whose schema changes occur at the page-level. | 11-11-2010 |
| 20100268565 | SYSTEM AND METHOD OF ENTERPRISE SYSTEMS AND BUSINESS IMPACT MANAGEMENT - A system architecture and a method for managing using a cellular architecture to allow multi-tier management of events such as the managing of the actual impact or the potential impact of IT infrastructure situations on business services. A preferred embodiment includes a high availability management backbone to frame monitoring operations using a cross-domain model where IT component events are abstracted into IT Aggregate events. By combining IT Aggregate events with transaction events, an operational representation of the business services is possible. Another feature is the ability to connect this information to dependent business user groups such as internal end-users or external customers for direct impact measurement. A web of peer-to-peer rule-based cellular event processors preferably using Dynamic Data Association constitutes management backbone crossed by event flows, the execution rules, and distributed set of dynamic inter-related object data rooted in the top data instances featuring the business services. | 10-21-2010 |
| 20100251379 | Method and System for Configuration Management Database Software License Compliance - A software license engine allows an enterprise to model software license contracts and evaluate deployment of software for compliance with the software license contracts. Deployment of software products in the enterprise is modeled in a configuration management database. The software license engine maintains a license database for connecting software license contracts with software deployment modeled by the configuration management database. Users of the software license engine may use license types that are predefined in the software license engine or may define custom license types. The software license engine may indicate compliance or non-compliance with the software license contracts. | 09-30-2010 |
| 20100223166 | Unified Service Model for Business Service Management - A unified service model method is used for Business Service Management of a computing infrastructure. In the model, service offerings are defined for a business service, and one or more service level targets are associated with each of these offerings. The business service is associated with one or more technical services that support the business service. These technical services are delivered by actual component in a computing infrastructure. In the model, service offerings are associated with the technical services, and service level targets are associated with each of these offerings. A customer defined in the model subscribes to one of the service offerings of the business service. As business services are provided, the unified service model combines the service offerings tying the business and technical services to the associated service level targets, and administrators can manage the services and IT components using the unified service model. | 09-02-2010 |
| 20100220625 | Heuristic Determination of Network Interface Transmission Mode - A method for measuring and determining the duplex modes of a network interface. The method assumes the network interface to be operating in a half-duplex mode until the bandwidth utilization reaches a threshold. When the threshold is reached, the method checks the traffic collision in the interface. If there is no collision, then the duplex mode is determined to be full-duplex. If there is collision, then the duplex mode is determined to be half-duplex and an alarm is set off. In another embodiment, the interface type is determined through SNMP. If the interface is a WAN interface, then the interface is determined to be full-duplex. | 09-02-2010 |
| 20100205157 | Log Data Store and Assembler for Large Objects in Database System - A mechanism works in conjunction with a DB2® Log and an analysis tool, such as BMC's Log Master™, to handle logged data for Large Objects (LOBs) stored in tables of a DB2 database system. A plurality of controls track data logged for the LOBs. The mechanism reads log records from a DB2 Log and uses the controls to determine which of the tracked LOBs is associated with the log records and obtains data from those associated log records. The mechanism builds keys to index the data and stores the keys and the data in a Virtual Storage Access Method store having Key Sequenced Data Sets maintained separate from the log record store for the DB2 Log. When requested by the analysis tool, the data in the store can be reassembled using the keys and map records in the first store that map the logged data for the tracked LOBs. | 08-12-2010 |
| 20100199058 | Data Set Size Tracking and Management - Specified data sets may be tracked from creation to end-of-life (e.g., deletion). Between creation and end-of-life, data set storage changes may be recorded (i.e., when additional storage is allocated or when some storage is released). During a subsequent allocation cycle, this information may be used in conjunction with user-specified allocation rules to manage or control the data set's initial allocation. | 08-05-2010 |
| 20100198843 | Software Title Discovery - In a computer system that has no single place to discover all installed software applications, a software title discovery technique uses a combination of techniques to discover installed software. One of the combined techniques is an operating system predefined interface for obtaining information about installed software application; other techniques that may be employed include searching a repository of uninstall information, searching for executable files in a portion of a filesystem for the computer, and searching for executable files pointed to by other files in the filesystem of the computer system. A client/server configuration may be employed to allow collection of the software application information across a network of computers in an enterprise by a server computer system, allowing the server system to provide reports regard installed software applications. | 08-05-2010 |
| 20100191624 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR CLASSIFYING REQUESTS - Embodiments of the present invention generate identification rules to classify requests as corresponding to particular transactions. Embodiments of the present invention examine a set of sample requests, determine patterns in the sample requests and generate identification rules based on the request patterns to classify subsequent requests as corresponding to particular transactions. As more sample requests are processed, embodiments of the present invention can update the identification rules. Put another way, embodiments of the present invention can automatically learn how to classify requests better as more requests are processed. | 07-29-2010 |
| 20100185658 | MDR FEDERATION FACILITY FOR CMDBf - This disclosure relates generally to the field of federated configuration management databases (CMDBs). To claim compliance with the CMDBf Standard (“the Standard”), a CMDB implementation must provide working and interoperable implementations of the interfaces defined in the Standard. To make a working implementation, certain non-obvious features are required that are not addressed by the Standard. Among these requirements are: registering management data repositories (MDRs) so that they can be federated; managing/maintaining the list of federated MDRs; querying an MDR for its Data Model; using such MDR Data Models to define mappings of one or more attributes from the MDR data model to one or more attributes of one or more of the CMDB's data models; identifying attributes and defining rules to be used when reconciliation is performed; and managing as well as storing data representative of those mappings. This disclosure addresses these and other deficiencies. | 07-22-2010 |
| 20100179945 | Normalization Engine to Manage Configuration Management Database Integrity - Data is often populated into Configuration Management Databases (CMDBs) from different sources. Because the data can come from a variety of sources, it may have inconsistencies—and may even be incomplete. A Normalization Engine (NE) may be able to automatically clean up the incoming data based on certain rules and knowledge. In one embodiment, the NE takes each Configuration Item (CI) or group of CIs that are to be normalized and applies a rule or a set of rules to see if the data may be cleaned up, and, if so, updates the CI or group of CIs accordingly. In particular, one embodiment may allow for the CI's data to be normalized by doing a look up against a Product Catalog and/or an Alias Catalog. In another embodiment, the NE architecture could be fully extensible, allowing for the creation of custom, rules-based plug-ins by users and/or third parties. | 07-15-2010 |
| 20100179939 | CMDB FEDERATION METHOD AND MANAGEMENT SYSTEM - This disclosure relates generally to the field of Configuration Management Databases (CMDBs). One embodiment of a user interface embodying the present invention is an extension of the process for creating CMDB classes and is therefore readily available for use by someone with knowledge of CMDB administration. The CMDB administrator is thus relieved from having to understand in detail the technologies and interfaces used by the Management Data Repository (MDR) sources. The result of setting up a relation from a CMDB data structure to an MDR data structure by a CMDB administrator may be represented by one or more new CMDB class(es) for the MDR data. The related MDR may then be accessed by an existing CMDB application using already existing CMDB interfaces. The instances of the new relationships and classes thus appear as if they were native instances stored in the CMDB. | 07-15-2010 |
| 20100162227 | Automation of Mainframe Software Deployment - Methods and systems to automate the deployment from one SMP/E installed run-time mainframe system logical partition (LPAR) to one or more different and distinct LPARs within a mainframe environment are described. Deployment may consist of distributing one or more installation items (e.g., complete products, product upgrades, patches and/or temporary fixes) from one installation environment to another target system. Also, the installed items may have optionally undergone further configuration after the initial installation and prior to actual automated deployment. Each of the target systems are communicatively coupled to the first (i.e., source) LPAR. | 06-24-2010 |
| 20100161577 | Method of Reconciling Resources in the Metadata Hierarchy - An enhanced resource reconciliation process is disclosed to examine the metadata hierarchy of unidentified instances of configuration objects within a particular “data partition” (sometimes called a dataset) of an enterprise configuration management database (CMDB) and perform reconciliation against a target dataset, such as a golden, i.e., production, dataset. The enhanced reconciliation process could identify against instances in the production dataset that are of the same class as the unidentified instance—as well as instances that come from any “candidate” classes. Candidate classes could consist of, e.g., classes upstream or downstream from the unidentified instance in the metadata hierarchy. By allowing the specification of one or more reconciliation properties, such as, “identify downstream,” “identify upstream,” “identify upstream and downstream,” or “identify resources of the same class only,” the enhanced resource reconciliation process could perform identification and resource reconciliation against instances of any class in the unidentified instance's metadata hierarchy. | 06-24-2010 |
| 20100146498 | METHOD TO MAKE SMP/E BASED PRODUCTS SELF DESCRIBING - Systems and methods of providing information from run-time installations of mainframe SMP/E based products. Information is embedded into a fingerprint library. The fingerprint library may then be associated with a product installed via SMP/E. The fingerprint library may then remain with the product when it is copied to its distributed location. A system administrator may later query the run-time installation and retrieve information previously only known to the SMP/E tool in an SMP/E controlled installation. In one embodiment, information may be embedded into a fingerprint library at product build time. | 06-10-2010 |
| 20100114948 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR SCHEDULED AND COLLABORATIVE DISTRIBUTION OF SOFTWARE AND DATA TO MANY THOUSANDS OF CLIENTS OVER A NETWORK USING DYNAMIC VIRTUAL PROXIES - A method and system for distributing content from a server computer to a number of client computers is disclosed. A file to be distributed to a requesting client computer is identified. If another client computer of the plurality of client computers can distribute the file to the requesting client computer, the requesting client computer requests the file from the other client computer. If no client computer can distribute the file to the requesting client computer, the requesting client computer requests the first file from the server computer. Then the requesting client computer receives the first file from either the other client computer or the server computer. Each client computer can act both as a client and a server to the other client computers, providing content that would otherwise be provided by the server computer. | 05-06-2010 |
| 20100100533 | Cascade Delete Processing - A time-efficient means for identifying and processing cascading deletes due to referential constraint violations includes: logging, to an error file, all primary key (“PK”) errors detected during table load operations; building a foreign key (“FK”) index for each child table; recursively probing each relevant FK index to identify all loaded rows that violate a referential constraint due to a PK error; logging all identified FK errors to the error file; and using the (preferably sorted) error file contents to identify, mark and physically delete table rows that violate a referential constraint. The described cascade delete processing methods make only a single pass through the table data, using ordinary computer files to track and organize rows identified for deletion. Use of error files rather than tablescans (multiple passes through the loaded table data) can provide a significant reduction in table load times, especially for large or intricately “related” tables. | 04-22-2010 |
| 20100050023 | SYSTEM, METHOD AND COMPUTER PROGRAM PRODUCT FOR OPTIMIZED ROOT CAUSE ANALYSIS - Embodiments disclosed herein can significantly optimize a root cause analysis and substantially reduce the overall time needed to isolate the root cause or causes of service degradation in an IT environment. By building on the ability of an abnormality detection algorithm to correlate an alarm with one or more events, embodiments disclosed herein can apply data correlation to data points collected within a specified time window by data metrics involved in the generation of the alarm and the event(s). The level of correlation between the primary metric and the probable cause metrics may be adjusted using the ratio between theoretical data points and actual points. The final Root Cause Analysis score may be modified depending upon the adjusted correlation value and presented for user review through a user interface. | 02-25-2010 |
| 20100023302 | System and Method for Assessing and Indicating the Health of Components - A system and method for visualization of the components of an enterprise system and the rendering of information about the health or status of the enterprise system, its components, and/or its subcomponents. The invention uses a combination of color codes or other indicators and a combination of algorithms and/or rules-based systems to control the computation of status/severities to associate to components and setup the color codes and indicators. | 01-28-2010 |
| 20090307272 | IMS Change Mapper - A method, system and device for monitoring internal database log events in a computer database environment are described. As database updates are detected they are analyzed and used to determine which of several kinds of database maintenance are required. The database administrator is therefore presented with information to allow for more accurate maintenance scheduling and able to prevent unnecessary database maintenance outages. | 12-10-2009 |
| 20090292720 | Service Model Flight Recorder - A method, system and medium for recording events in a system management environment is described. As system events are detected in an enterprise computing environment they are stored in a manner allowing them to be “replayed” either forward or reverse to assist a system administrator or other user to determine the chain of events that affected the enterprise. The system engineer and business process owner are therefore presented with pertinent information for monitoring, administrating and diagnosing system activities and their correlation to business services. | 11-26-2009 |
| 20090240765 | SYNTHETIC TRANSACTION MONITOR WITH REPLAY CAPABILITY - Systems and methods for recording and replaying client-server transactions on selected clients in order to gauge the performance of the client-server system from the perspective of the client. In one embodiment, a method comprises playing back a set of recorded transactions on a client, monitoring selected performance-related parameters at the client, and transmitting monitored data to the server for analysis or for viewing by a system administrator. The set of transactions is recorded on a first client by replacing a standard Internet transaction driver (e.g., WinInet.DLL) with a modified driver that is configured to intercept function calls. The function calls and corresponding parameters are recorded in a file which is later transmitted to a client, where the recorded transaction information is used to reproduce the transactions on the client. As the transactions are played back, performance data may be monitored and forwarded to a management server for analysis, display, etc. | 09-24-2009 |
| 20090158192 | Dynamic Folding of Listed Items for Display - A list folding process dynamically groups items of a list into logically related visual folds to reduce the number of items to be displayed in a window of a computer screen. The process determines attributes of the items to be displayed and dynamically groups items together into a special group called a visual fold based on the attributes. The rules for folding items based on attributes can be defined by a particular user so that each view of the items may be different among users. As the attributes of each item change, the display of the items and visual folds may be automatically adjusted to reflect the current proper grouping. The folding process therefore allows a user to view the maximum amount of information in available display area of a computer screen window. | 06-18-2009 |
| 20090157724 | Impact Propagation in a Directed Acyclic Graph Having Restricted Views - Service impact data is efficiently propagated in a directed acyclic graph with restricted views. One or more service components, impact rules and business rules are grouped together into a directed acyclic graph and a related metadata array. Impact propagation uses related metadata array to minimize traversal of the graph. As nodes of the graph are updated to propagate impact data, a determination is made as to when no further impact propagation is required. Subsequently, calculations are terminated without having to traverse the entire graph. This method allows a system or business administrator to view and receive real-time notification of the impacted state of all nodes in the graph that are available to their permitted view. Restricted views ensure that available service impact data is only displayed to end users having the proper authorization to view the underlying impact model data. | 06-18-2009 |
| 20090157723 | Impact Propagation in a Directed Acyclic Graph - A method, system and medium for efficiently propagating service impact data in a directed acyclic graph. One or more service components, impact rules and business rules will be grouped together into a directed acyclic graph and a related metadata array. Impact propagation uses related metadata array to minimize traversal of the graph. As nodes of the graph are updated to propagate impact data a determination is made as to when no further impact propagation is required and calculations are terminated without having to traverse the entire graph. This method will allow a system or business administrator to maintain real-time notification and visualization of, the impacted state of all objects in the graph. | 06-18-2009 |
| 20090157712 | Dynamic Compression of Systems Management Data - A method, system, and medium for compressing systems management information in a historical data store. Dynamically determining the appropriate compression algorithm to apply based on the type of data being compressed and stored. As further input is received for any particular measurement, the appropriate compression algorithm will be automatically selected from the set of available compression algorithms or be defined by a user configuration parameter. The amount of historical data stored with the minimal amount of data loss is optimized by the system dynamically changing the compression algorithm used for the given input data over a particular time span. The system engineer is therefore presented with the pertinent information for monitoring, administrating and diagnosing system activities. | 06-18-2009 |
| 20090094294 | Associating Database Log Records into Logical Groups - A method, system and medium for organizing and associating log records into logically related groups is described. One or more input sources from, possibly, different systems/subsystems are input to a log correlation method. As the log records are processed the fields are interrogated to determine which log records are related to each other. As further log records are processed more information about previously unidentifiable relationships is determined. After this later information is known, log records that could previously not be associated with any other log records are added to the existing association. The system engineer is therefore presented with the pertinent information for monitoring, administrating and diagnosing system activities. | 04-09-2009 |
| 20080281865 | Database Recovery Using Logs Applied to Consistent Copies - A copy utility creates a copy of source database objects that is transactionally consistent to a consistent point-in-time, and a recovery utility apples log records to the consistent copy to make a resulting image that is updated as of an identified point-in-time (i.e., the current time or a point-in-time after the copy was made). To effectively recover and apply the logs so that no previously in-flight transactions are lost, the copy utility registers a starting point indicating a point-in-time for logs to be applied to the copy and also registers a smallest lock size used to block access to target data when the copy was made. The recovery utility bases its recovery operations using the registered starting point and the smallest lock size when applying log records to the copy so as not to lose any previously in-flight transactions. | 11-13-2008 |
| 20080243945 | Log Data Store and Assembler for Large Objects in Database System - A mechanism works in conjunction with a DB2® Log and an analysis tool, such as BMC's Log Master™, to handle logged data for Large Objects (LOBs) stored in tables of a DB2 database system. A plurality of controls track data logged for the LOBs. The mechanism reads log records from a DB2 Log and uses the controls to determine which of the tracked LOBs is associated with the log records and obtains data from those associated log records. The mechanism builds keys to index the data and stores the keys and the data in a Virtual Storage Access Method store having Key Sequenced Data Sets maintained separate from the log record store for the DB2 Log. When requested by the analysis tool, the data in the store can be reassembled using the keys and map records in the first store that map the logged data for the tracked LOBs. | 10-02-2008 |
