Patent Application
20070057956
The present invention relates generally to the data processing field, and more particularly, relates to a method, apparatus and computer program product for implementing self-modeling of computer systems componentry.
Large computer systems are composed of hundreds of individual parts. Racks also known as frames or cages, support enclosures like drawers or planers, which also provide connections, such as, bus slots and locations for cards, disk units, and the like.
Each one of these components is individually built and participates on a common bus and act together to form the computer system. Each one of these components also contains elements about itself, which is available on the bus as vital product data (VPD), which classically contains information such as, serial number, manufacturer name, version and date of firmware, and sometimes additional descriptive information such as, text string like “Intel Ether Pro 100M” as an example of a product name for a particular line of Ethernet card and chipset.
Inventory systems that probe the bus for all the cards use this VPD information to provide a listing of serial numbers and the like of components in the system, however no information is provided to physically describe the makeup of the system.
A need exists for an effective mechanism for implementing self-modeling of computer systems componentry.
As used in the following description and claims, it should be understood that the term scalable vector graphic (SVG) includes various arrangements of graphical data and vector graphical data.
Principal aspects of the present invention are to provide a method, apparatus and computer program product for implementing self-modeling of computer systems componentry. Other important aspects of the present invention are to provide such method, apparatus and computer program product for implementing self-modeling of computer systems componentry substantially without negative effect and that overcome many of the disadvantages of prior art arrangements.
In brief, a method, apparatus and computer program product are provided for implementing self-modeling of computer systems componentry. Each computer system component includes a scalable vector graphic (SVG). The SVG provides a graphical representation for the respective computer system component. The SVGs are collected and a visual representation of the computer system is generated.
In accordance with features of the invention, the SVG for the respective computer system component is stored with vital product data (VPD) on the component. Alternatively, a system memory address or a universal resource locator (URL) for an Internet location for the SVG for the respective computer system component is stored with the VPD on the component.
In accordance with features of the invention, the generated visual representation of the computer system can include predefined attributes, such as color, to visually correlate component failure.
The present invention together with the above and other objects and advantages may best be understood from the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments of the invention illustrated in the drawings, wherein:
In accordance with features of the preferred embodiments, along with conventional VPD information, a computer system component provides a visual/physical representation of itself when probed for information. This visual/physical representation is optimally in the form of a scalable vector graphic (SVG), so that as each of the devices of a bus report in, a composite image of the physical system advantageously is constructed. In the computer system including multiple individual component parts, each visually describing itself with a respective SVG; the aggregate inventory is instantly capable of graphically modeling any combination of component parts that comprise the system. This self-describing system advantageously is used to provide an instant graphical system representation. Activities such as the system assembly, upgrades, component failure identification, and maintenance advantageously leverage this capability.
Having reference now to the drawings, in
Computer system 100 is shown in simplified form sufficient for understanding the present invention. The illustrated computer system 100 is not intended to imply architectural or functional limitations. The present invention can be used with various hardware implementations and systems and various other internal hardware devices, for example, multiple main processors.
As shown in
Various commercially available computers can be used for computer system 100, for example, an IBM computer. CPU 102 is suitably programmed by the self-modeling program 132 and the SVG display rules 140 to execute the flowchart of
Referring now to
Computer system 100 optionally includes a Radio Frequency IDentification (RFID) tag 204 provided with a computer system component 200, for example, used to identify a part within a homogeneous pool of computer systems 100. For example, with a laptop or other such radio receiver equipment (not shown), a system administrator could locate the particular component in question.
It should be understood that the SVG may not necessarily be stored within the component 200, but rather, for example, can be referenced in a URL fashion. A URL, representing an Internet location of the SVG file, can easily suffice, conserving valuable space in the nonvolatile space 202 of the component 200. Multiple URLs could also be stored, representing the various physical and operating states of the device, such as a failed CD-ROM device depicting open CD shuttle.
In accordance with features of the preferred embodiments, with the computer components 200 containing the SVG data, computer system 100 can be instantly modeled, thus enabling numerous applications in the computer industry. Assembly of computer systems could use the graphically modeling of the system 100 to ensure the various parts are put on the racks/enclosures appropriately. Such visually guided assembly would aid in accuracy, as the person could follow along in pictures what they are physically doing. A visually modeled computer system 100 can provide rapid part location identification, which is helpful in the cases of locating a failed component, and by swapping it out with a new/replacement part.
In accordance with features of the preferred embodiments, with a collection of inventory sampled over periods of time, when a part 200 fails and no longer reports itself, or does with some error code, the visually modeled computer system 100 presents, for example, a flashing red part to guide the operator to locate the part in question. When the part 200 is located and swapped out, the delta in the inventory of visually modeled computer system 100 is visually represented and can be used to verify that the “look” of the new part is similar to that of the “old” part, or if there is a difference, it could provide a visual summary like “you swapped part A for part B, as depicted below”, allowing the operator visual verification to that service activity. The failing part 200 also can provide multiple image (SVG) representations of itself mapping back to physical characteristics of the type of failure. For example, if a CD-ROM device cannot close its tray (i.e. stuck/jammed open), visually modeled computer system 100 can report or render an SVG depicting a CD ROM drive with its shuttle open.
Referring now to
Referring now to
The components 500, 502 of computer system 100 could also emit its VPD via RFID tags, for example, included with VPD storage 506. RFID tags are now generally inexpensive. For example, an operator with a wireless-enabled laptop that has the inventory as gathered by a particular computer system 100 with its componentry reporting SVG on the common bus, as the new component is within proximity of the particular computer system 100 to receive the new component, the wireless-enabled laptop can detect the new device, and begin to visually depict and guide the correct insertion point into the computer system 100.
Referring now to
A sequence of program instructions or a logical assembly of one or more interrelated modules defined by the recorded program means 604, 606, 608, 610, direct the computer system 100 for implementing self-modeling of computer systems componentry of the preferred embodiment.
Embodiments of the present invention may also be delivered as part of a service engagement with a client corporation, nonprofit organization, government entity, internal organizational structure, or the like. Aspects of these embodiments may include configuring a computer system to perform, and deploying software, hardware, and web services that implement, some or all of the methods described herein. Aspects of these embodiments may also include analyzing the client's operations, creating recommendations responsive to the analysis, building systems that implement portions of the recommendations, integrating the systems into existing processes and infrastructure, metering use of the systems, allocating expenses to users of the systems, and billing for use of the systems.
While the present invention has been described with reference to the details of the embodiments of the invention shown in the drawing, these details are not intended to limit the scope of the invention as claimed in the appended claims.
