Topological lifecycle-blueprint interface for modifying information-technology application

Abstract

An information-technology (IT) blueprint is an executable document that, when executed, can be used to create an IT application such as an e-commerce site. An IT lifecycle blueprint can further be used to manage (e.g., modify) and, ultimately, destroy such an IT application. To this end, an IT lifecycle blueprint can include idempotent methods that achieve the same result whether starting from a blank (real or virtual) infrastructure or from a previously populated infrastructure. In other words, the same method that created an IT application can be used to modify it. A request for a post-deployment modification can be made using a topological representation of a blueprint and highlighting the representations of components to which a selected modification could be applied.