1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates in general to the field of information handling system interactions, and more particularly to a system and method for configuring networked enterprise information handling system solutions from a product and option template.
2. Description of the Related Art
As the value and use of information continues to increase, individuals and businesses seek additional ways to process and store information. One option available to users is information handling systems. An information handling system generally processes, compiles, stores, and/or communicates information or data for business, personal, or other purposes thereby allowing users to take advantage of the value of the information. Because technology and information handling needs and requirements vary between different users or applications, information handling systems may also vary regarding what information is handled, how the information is handled, how much information is processed, stored, or communicated, and how quickly and efficiently the information may be processed, stored, or communicated. The variations in information handling systems allow for information handling systems to be general or configured for a specific user or specific use such as financial transaction processing, airline reservations, enterprise data storage, or global communications. In addition, information handling systems may include a variety of hardware and software components that may be configured to process, store, and communicate information and may include one or more computer systems, data storage systems, and networking systems.
Business enterprises have come to rely upon information handling systems in order to perform enterprise functions in an effective and efficient manner. One result of the growing reliance of enterprises on information handling systems is that enterprises have generated and continue to generate large quantities of information that needs management and storage. In response to increased enterprise storage needs, industry has developed a variety of enterprise solutions that manage and store information with networked information handling systems and supporting devices, such as networked hard disk drives. Generally, enterprises prefer enterprise solutions that are scalable so that additional management and storage devices are added as needed to provide rapid access to information when the information is needed. Another feature commonly sought by enterprises is redundancy, such as by keeping multiple copies of information within a storage solution so that failure of any one storage device will not make information inaccessible. One type of enterprise storage solution often preferred by enterprises is a storage area network (SAN). SANs are often interfaced with Fibre channel cables that provide for rapid communication of information between storage devices through host bus adapters (HBAs), Fibre channel switches and disk or storage processor enclosures (DPEs or SPEs). SANs are typically deployed in redundant or non-redundant topologies. Another type of enterprise storage topology is direct attached storage (DAS).
One difficulty that enterprises face in setting up and using networked enterprise information handling system solutions is configuring components of a solution in a compatible manner. For example, different combinations of HBAs, switches, DPEs and SPEs call for different types of cables for connecting devices. Often, when ordering networked information handling system enterprise solutions, end users have confusion about the types of components to select and how the selected components will interconnect. An overall enterprise solution is often difficult for end users to visualize since an enterprise solution often includes large numbers of components. In the event that an end user purchases incompatible components, such as incorrect cables, the end user often blames the incompatible components on the information handling system manufacturer. Active management of a customer order by manufacturer sales representatives tends to increase the probability of generating a valid enterprise configuration by reducing such errors; however, even highly-trained representatives have difficulty keeping track of appropriate components. Further, active involvement by a manufacturer representative also increases the cost of completing enterprise orders since manual selection and validation of an enterprise solution is time consuming. Automation of the configuration of enterprise solutions is difficult given the variety of components involved and frequent updates made to these components by their manufacturers.
Therefore a need has arisen for a system and method which aids automation of end user configuration of information handling system enterprise solutions by tracking a plurality of components available for the configuration and the compatibility of the components with each other.
In accordance with the present invention, a system and method are provided which substantially reduce the disadvantages and problems associated with previous methods and systems for tracking a plurality of components available for the configuration of information handling system enterprise solutions. A component template tracks attributes of components. Configuration of an enterprise solution interconnects plural information handling systems with compatible components by reference to the attributes.
More specifically, a component template built from an XML schema associates information handling system components with attributes so that a configuration engine can apply the attributes to define an enterprise information handling system networked information handling systems, component options, such as interconnection devices for server information handling system, and constraints, such as the types of components and component options used in a selected component, such as CPU or memory capability or the type of topology that components are used in to build an enterprise solution. A selector interface accepts end user selections of components, options and constraints which the configuration engine applies to the component template to suggest components that will build an enterprise solution for the end user. The component template is refined to narrow down the components, such as products, options and constraints, which are used to build an enterprise solution.
The present invention provides a number of important technical advantages. One example of an important technical advantage is that a plurality of components for use by end users to configure information handling system enterprise solutions are effectively and efficiently tracked by product, option and constraint attributes in a solution template. The solution template is an XML structure maintained through a graphical user interface to readily accept updates for new requirements so that requirements are effectively decoupled from component products. This simplifies end user purchases of enterprise solutions and provides a favorable end user experience with decreased risk that an enterprise solution will ship with incompatible components and increased likelihood that an ordered enterprise solution will offer optimal performance for a given price point.
The present invention may be better understood, and its numerous objects, features and advantages made apparent to those skilled in the art by referencing the accompanying drawings. The use of the same reference number throughout the several figures designates a like or similar element.
Networked information handling system enterprise solutions are generated from a component template that is easily maintained with regular updates to satisfy changing requirements. For purposes of this disclosure, an information handling system may include any instrumentality or aggregate of instrumentalities operable to compute, classify, process, transmit, receive, retrieve, originate, switch, store, display, manifest, detect, record, reproduce, handle, or utilize any form of information, intelligence, or data for business, scientific, control, or other purposes. For example, an information handling system may be a personal computer, a network storage device, or any other suitable device and may vary in size, shape, performance, functionality, and price. The information handling system may include random access memory (RAM), one or more processing resources such as a central processing unit (CPU) or hardware or software control logic, ROM, and/or other types of nonvolatile memory. Additional components of the information handling system may include one or more disk drives, one or more network ports for communicating with external devices as well as various input and output (I/O) devices, such as a keyboard, a mouse, and a video display. The information handling system may also include one or more buses operable to transmit communications between the various hardware components.
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Component template 34 supports generation of an enterprise solution from user inputs for desired components or constraints. For example, an end user can input a desired network or connection topology to locate components associated with the desired network or connection topology, such as a direct attached storage topology, non-redundant storage area network topology or redundant storage area network topology. As another example, an end user can input a product class or preferred product, such as servers, switches, HBAs, and flat panel televisions. Alternatively, an end user can input option criteria as constraints, such as hard disk drive capacity and processor speed. The end user product and option selection criteria are provided to configuration engine 32 to find solutions that best match the criteria, such as an ordered list of solution or solution elements that are selectable by the end user. Describing components in an XML structure to have attributes as opposed to specific product identifiers, such as SKUs, provides easier updates to the components while maintaining a valid component template. For example, a server information handling system might have attributes like a CPU_COUNT or MAX_MEMORY that are associated with CPU and memory requirements for other components or topologies. User inputted products, options and constraints are applied along with component template products, options and constraints to resolve an enterprise solution of plural interconnected information handling systems. For example, selection of an HBA option for a server information handling system component results in selection of cables, such as Fibre or iSCSI cables, based on the attributes of the HBA in the component template and the selected topology.
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Although the present invention has been described in detail, it should be understood that various changes, substitutions and alterations can be made hereto without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.