International Business Machines Corporation

Earl Walter Emerick

Lonny R Olson-Williams

Ronald Dean Young

Paul William Wertzler

Carol Ann Egan

Van Dee Sammons

Kurt Clifford Thompson

Nathaniel Calvert

Thomas Alan Shore

Erik Duane Lindberg

David L Johnston

Sandra D Westling

George B Scarborough

John L Koehler

James Orrin Walts

Joseph Philip Bigus

Terry C Reed

John J Eakins

Gerald P Miller

Beau T Sinclair

James R Morcomb

Beth Ann Krupit

Eric Gunter Roubal

Gail Lynn Sawyer

Emil Pelnar

Susette Marie Townsend

Loren Edward Smith

Embodiments of the present invention provide an integrated methodology that simplifies upgrade choices for complex computer products through the use of automation and integration of product monitoring and business applications with, for example, web based capabilities. Historical information for computer systems is collected and transmitted to a remote support system. Over time, sufficient historical data provides a historical view of the systems indicative of usage and facilitating the choice of product enhancements, upgrades and customization. Further, this historical view may be integrated with the advances in the product that are kept by the remote support system as well as with the performance requirements of third party application providers.

Method and apparatus upgrade assistance using critical historical product information

The present invention provides methods and a computer-readable program for providing autonomic, event driven upgrade maintenance of one or more software modules residing on a computer system. In a preferred embodiment, a method begins by detecting a predefined triggering event on the computer system indicative of a potential maintenance issue. Next the computer system connects to an upgrade management server, where the upgrade maintenance server creates a list of recommended upgrade modules to download to the computer system, the list based upon the triggering event and a set of selection policies. The method then downloads the list of recommended upgrade modules from the upgrade management server to the computer system, and selectively installs upgrade modules chosen from the list of recommended upgrade modules on the computer system. The user is then notified of the status of the upgrade maintenance operation.

Computer application and methods for autonomic upgrade maintenance of computer hardware, operating systems and application software

An apparatus, program product, and method utilize a dynamic, automated, extensible and flexible intelligent agent-based product support 'framework' to facilitate the provision of product support services to customers of computer-related products. Agent platforms are utilized on both a customer computer and a product support computer, with different agents configured to execute on one or both of such computers. Automated analysis and/or creation of remedial actions, based upon cross-customer operational data, and often relying upon intelligent agents for many or all of such actions, may be used to decrease product support personnel burden and effort. Publishing control may be provided to limit distribution of certain intelligent agents, as may multi-agent remediation of undesirable operational conditions, where agents from multiple parties collectively address a problem experienced by a customer.

Product support of computer-related products using intelligent agents

Automated problem analysis and resolution of a customer data-processing system uses a central service data-processor system communicating with the customer system and having a data base for converting machine, software, and symptom data into instructions, hardware and software module lists, and service call schedules. The customer system detects data concerning its own configuration and problem symptoms for communication to the service system. The service system itself orders repair modules, and electronically communicates software fixes to the customer system.

On-line problem management of remote data processing systems, using

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Rochester, MN, United States of America

Earl Walter Emerick