Service Model Layering for IT Infrastructure Drift Tracking
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing ITOM tools face challenges in managing complex IT infrastructure, particularly in storing and accessing historical data and representing different layers of services, making it difficult to track drift between desired and actual states of business services.
Innovation Solution
A service model is stored separately from the CMDB with links to it, allowing for flexible inclusion of historical data, templates, and compact data storage using layers such as entry point, template, matching, and impact layers, enabling efficient tracking of service states and reducing storage needs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of information
If historical data is stored in the CMDB alongside service data, then data completeness is improved, but data storage complexity and access difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the data storage system into two distinct parts: the CMDB stores current service configuration data, while a separate data warehouse stores historical service data. This segmentation allows each component to specialize in its specific function, reducing the complexity of data management while preserving both current and historical information.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary layer (service model with multiple layers) that sits between the CMDB and the data warehouse. This intermediary structure organizes service data into entry point, template, matching, and impact layers, making it easier to access and analyze historical data without directly complicating the CMDB structure.
2Stability of the object's composition
If service data is stored in a single unified structure, then data consistency is improved, but flexibility in representing different service layers decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides service data into multiple distinct layers (entry point layer, template layer, matching layer, and impact layer), each serving a specific purpose. This segmentation allows the system to maintain consistency within each layer while providing flexibility in representing different aspects of service data, resolving the contradiction between consistency and adaptability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent adds a dimensional structure to service data by organizing it across multiple layers rather than using a flat single-structure approach. This dimensional organization allows the system to maintain consistency through structured relationships between layers while gaining flexibility in representing complex service scenarios.
3Measurement precision
If detailed service modeling is implemented, then service state tracking accuracy is improved, but data storage requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts historical and detailed service data from the operational CMDB and stores it in a separate data warehouse. This extraction allows detailed service modeling to be implemented for accurate state tracking while preventing the operational system from being burdened by excessive data storage requirements.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent organizes detailed service data into a multi-layered structure that efficiently captures service state information across different dimensions (entry point, template, matching, impact). This dimensional organization improves tracking accuracy by capturing relationships between different service aspects while optimizing storage through structured data representation.
Data Source
AI summary
A method can include storing information about the business service in one or more template type layers; storing information about an instance of the business service in one or more instance type layers; wherein the template type layers include one or more checkpoints that reference information stored in a content addressable store that defines an expected structure of the business service, wherein at least one checkpoint of the template type layers includes a timestamp and a hash value associated with an entry in the content addressable store; and wherein the instance type layers include one or more checkpoints that reference information stored in the content addressable store that defines attributes of the instance of the business service, wherein at least one checkpoint of the instance type layers includes a timestamp and a hash value associated with an entry in the content addressable store.