Methods and apparatus for interactive specification of context-sensitive sevice level agreements; for provisioning of resources required during service delivery events regulated by service level agreements; and for monitoring compliance with service level agreements during service delivery events

Abstract

In a first aspect of the present invention, methods and apparatus implement graphical user interfaces for interactively specifying service level agreements used to regulate delivery of services to, for example, computer systems. An interactive graphical user interface allows a user to see the effects of varying values of service delivery variables on the level of service achievable in a particular service delivery context. In a second aspect, methods and apparatus of the present invention provision resources required for service delivery. In the second aspect, the methods and apparatus of the present invention select a service delivery model dependent on context. The selected service delivery model is used to provision resources that will be required during service delivery. In a third aspect, methods and apparatus of the present invention monitor compliance with a service level agreement during a service delivery event. In instances where a given service delivery does not comply with service level attributes specified in a controlling service level agreement, the methods and apparatus of the present invention take corrective action.

1 . A signal-bearing medium tangibly embodying a program of machine-readable instructions executable by a digital processing apparatus of a computer system to perform operations for managing interactive specification of a new service level agreement to govern a contemplated service delivery, the operations comprising: 
 receiving a selection of a particular service level agreement;    accessing a machine-readable electronic file corresponding to the selected particular service level agreement, the electronic file comprising at least a description of a graphical representation of the selected particular service level agreement for use by a graphical user interface of the computer system;    displaying the graphical representation of the selected particular service level agreement on the graphical user interface of the computer system using the machine-readable electronic file, wherein the graphical representation displays an initial value of at least one service variable, an initial value of at least one service level attribute, and an initial value of a cost estimate for the contemplated service delivery;    receiving a selection of a new value for the at least one service variable;    receiving an updated value for the at least one service level attribute, wherein the updated value depends at least in part on the selected new value for the at least one service variable;    receiving an updated value of the cost estimate for the contemplated service delivery, wherein the updated value of the cost estimate depends at least in part on the selected new value for the at least one service variable; and    displaying the selected new value, the updated value, and the updated cost estimate in the graphical representation of the service level agreement.    
   
   
       2 . The signal-bearing medium of  claim 1  whereby the selection of a particular service level agreement is made by a prospective service customer and wherein the operations of receiving a selection of a new value, receiving an updated value; receiving an updated cost estimate and displaying the selected new value, the updated value and the updated cost estimate are repeated until a combination of an acceptable value for the at least one service variable, an acceptable value for the at least one service level attribute, and an acceptable value for the cost estimate are identified, wherein the operations further comprise: 
 receiving from the prospective service customer an indication that the selected particular service level agreement and the combination of the acceptable value for the at least one service variable, the acceptable value for the at least one service level attribute and the acceptable value for the cost estimate form a service level agreement acceptable to the prospective service customer; and    transmitting the indication to a prospective service provider.    
   
   
       3 . The signal-bearing medium of  claim 2  wherein the operations further comprise: 
 receiving a confirmation from the prospective service provider that the particular service level agreement and the combination of the acceptable value for the at least one service variable, the acceptable value for the at least one service level attribute and the acceptable value for the cost estimate form an agreed-to service level agreement which will bind the prospective service customer and the prospective service customer during a service delivery event.    
   
   
       4 . The signal-bearing medium of  claim 2  wherein the steps are repeated until a range of acceptable values for the at least one service level attribute is selected for a range of values of the at least one service variable, whereby each acceptable service level attribute value is associated with a service variable value, whereby a service, level agreement specifying such a range of acceptable values for the at least one service level attribute accommodates a service delivery context in which the value of the at least one service variable may vary over a range of possible values.  
   
   
       5 . The signal-bearing medium of  claim 3  wherein the acceptable value for the at least one service level attribute functions as a target value for the at least one service level attribute when a service delivery event covered by the agreed-to service level agreement occurs, wherein the target value for the at least one service level attribute is used in measuring compliance of the service delivery event with the agreed-to service level agreement.  
   
   
       6 . The signal-bearing medium of  claim 1  wherein the operations further comprise: 
 prior to receiving an updated value for the at least one service level attribute and an updated value of the cost estimate, 
 accessing a service delivery model for use in determining the updated value for the at least one service level attribute and the updated value of the cost estimate; and  
 using the service delivery model to determine the updated value for the at least one service level attribute and the updated value for the cost estimate.  
   
   
   
       7 . The signal-bearing medium of  claim 6  wherein accessing a service delivery model further comprises: 
 accessing a source of a plurality of service delivery models; and    selecting one of the plurality of service delivery models on the basis of a current value of the at least one service variable.    
   
   
       8 . The signal-bearing medium of  claim 6  wherein the service delivery model comprises a series of steps necessary to deliver the service, wherein at least one of the steps of the service delivery model corresponds to utilization of a resource represented by a service variable, wherein the at least one step corresponding to utilization of a resource is annotated with at least one of a contribution of the service variable to the service level attribute or the cost of service delivery.  
   
   
       9 . The signal-bearing medium of  claim 6  wherein the service delivery model comprises a plurality of rules which relate particular values of at least one service variable to both particular values of service level attributes and particular values of cost estimates for service delivery.  
   
   
       10 . The signal-bearing medium of  claim 1  wherein the at least one service variable concerns at least one item selected from the group of: network bandwidth associated with a network over which the contemplated service delivery will occur; a location where the contemplated service delivery will occur; a role of an entity to receive the contemplated service delivery; and urgency of the contemplated service delivery.  
   
   
       11 . The signal-bearing medium of  claim 1  whereby the selection of a particular service level agreement is made by a prospective service provider and wherein displaying the graphical representation of the selected particular service level agreement further comprises displaying an initial value of a service provider cost estimate, wherein the service provider cost estimate represents the cost to the prospective service provider of delivering service to a prospective service customer at the initial value of the at least one service variable and the initial value of the at least one service level attribute, wherein the operations further comprise: receiving an updated value for the service provider cost estimate, wherein the updated value of the service provider cost estimate depends at least in part on the selected new value of the at least one service variable; and 
 displaying the updated value for the service provider cost estimate.    
   
   
       12 . The signal-bearing medium of  claim 11  wherein the operations of receiving a selection of a new value; receiving an updated value; receiving an updated cost estimate, receiving an updated value for the service provider cost estimate, displaying the selected new value, the updated value and the updated cost estimate, and displaying the updated service provider cost estimate are repeated until a combination of an acceptable value for the at least one service variable, an acceptable value for the at least one service level attribute, an acceptable value for the cost estimate and an acceptable value for the service provider cost estimate are reached, wherein the operations further comprise: 
 receiving from the prospective service provider an indication that the selected particular service level agreement and the combination of the acceptable value for the at least one service variable, the acceptable value for the at least one service level attribute, the acceptable value for the cost estimate, and the acceptable value for the service provider cost estimate form a service level agreement acceptable to the prospective service provider; and    transmitting the indication to a prospective service customer.    
   
   
       13 . The signal-bearing medium of  claim 12  wherein the operations further comprise: 
 receiving a confirmation from the prospective service customer that the particular service level agreement and the combination of the acceptable value for the at least one service variable, the acceptable value for the at least one service level attribute and the acceptable value for the cost estimate form an agreed-to service level agreement which will bind the prospective service customer and the prospective service provider during a service delivery event.    
   
   
       14 . The signal-bearing medium of  claim 13  wherein when a service delivery event intended to be made in accordance with the agreed-to service level agreement occurs, the at least one service variable is used to select a service delivery model to manage the service delivery event.  
   
   
       15 . An electronic device to perform operations for managing the interactive specification of a service level agreement to govern a contemplated service delivery between parties to the service level agreement, the electronic device comprising: 
 a memory for storing at least one computer program;    a network interface for communicating with a computer being operated by a party to the service level agreement; and    a digital processor coupled to the memory and network interface for executing the at least one computer program, wherein when the at least one computer program is executed the following operations are performed: 
 receiving a request for a particular service level agreement over a network from at computer being operated by the party;  
 accessing a machine-readable electronic file corresponding to the particular service level agreement requested, the electronic file comprising at least a description of a graphical representation of the requested particular service level agreement;  
 transmitting the machine-readable electronic file corresponding to the requested particular service level agreement to the computer being operated by the party, wherein when the graphical representation of the requested particular service level agreement is displayed in a graphical user interface of a computer system, the graphical representation displays an initial value of at least one service variable, an initial value of at least one service level attribute, and an initial value of a cost estimate for the contemplated service delivery;  
   receiving a selection of a new value for one of the at least one service variable or the at least one service level attribute;    accessing a service delivery model that specifies a functional relationship among the at least one service variable, the at least one service level attribute and the cost estimate;    using the service delivery model to determine an updated value for the one of the at least one service variable or the at least one service level attribute for which a new value was not selected, wherein the updated value depends at least in part on the selected new value for one of the at least one service variable or the at least one service level attribute; 
 using the service delivery model to determine an updated value for the cost estimate of the contemplated service delivery; and  
 transmitting the updated values for the one of the at least one service variable or the at least one service level attribute for which a new value was not selected and the cost estimate to the computer being operated by one of the service customer and the service provider.  
   
   
   
       16 . The electronic device of  claim 15  wherein accessing a service delivery model further comprises: 
 accessing a source of a plurality of service delivery models; and    selecting one of the plurality of service delivery models on the basis of a current value of at least one of the at least one service variable or the at least one service level attribute.    
   
   
       17 . The electronic device of  claim 15  wherein the service delivery model comprises a series of steps necessary to deliver the service, wherein at least one of the steps of the service delivery model corresponds to utilization of a resource represented by a service variable, wherein the at least one step corresponding to utilization of a resource is annotated with at least one of a contribution of the service variable to the service level attribute or the cost of service delivery.  
   
   
       18 . The electronic device of  claim 15  wherein the service delivery model comprises a plurality of rules which relate particular values of at least one service variable to both particular values of service level attributes and particular values of cost estimates for service delivery.  
   
   
       19 . An electronic device for use by a party to a contemplated service delivery to specify a new service level agreement to govern the contemplated service delivery, the electronic device comprising: 
 a memory for storing at least one computer program;    a network interface for bi-directionally communicating over a network with a service level agreement manager;    a digital processor coupled to the memory and network interface, wherein when the digital processor executes the at least one computer program the following operations are performed: 
 receiving a selection of a particular service level agreement;  
 transmitting a request for the particular service level agreement to the service level agreement manager over the network;  
 receiving a machine-readable electronic file corresponding to the selected particular service level agreement, the electronic file comprising at least a description of a graphical representation of the selected particular service level agreement for use by a graphical user interface of the electronic device;  
 displaying the graphical representation of the selected particular service level agreement on the graphical user interface of the electronic device using the machine-readable electronic file, wherein the graphical representation displays an initial value of at least one service variable, an initial value of at least one service level attribute, and an initial value of a cost estimate for the contemplated service delivery;  
 receiving a selection of a new value for one of the at least one service variable or the at least one service level attribute;  
 receiving an updated value for the one of the at least one service variable or the at least one service level attribute for which a new value was not selected, wherein the updated value depends at least in part on the selected new value;  
 receiving an updated value of the cost estimate for the contemplated service delivery, wherein the updated value of the cost estimate depends at least in part on the selected new value; and  
 displaying the selected new value, the updated value, and the updated cost estimate in the graphical representation of the service level agreement.  
   
   
   
       20 . A signal-bearing medium tangibly embodying a program of machine-readable instructions executable by a digital processing apparatus of a computer system to perform operations for selecting a service delivery implementation for use in managing a service delivery event, the operations comprising: 
 detecting an ensuing service delivery event whereby a service will be delivered to a service customer by a service provider;    retrieving data associated with a service level agreement regulating the ensuing service delivery event, wherein the data comprises at least one service variable;    determining what value the at least one service variable will assume during the service delivery event; and    retrieving a service delivery model in dependence on the value that the service variable will assume during the service delivery event, wherein service will be provided during the service delivery event in accordance with the service delivery model.    
   
   
       21 . The signal-bearing medium of  claim 20  wherein the operations further comprise: 
 provisioning resources required during the service delivery event as specified in the service delivery model.    
   
   
       22 . The signal-bearing medium of  claim 20  wherein the operations further comprise: 
 providing the service during the service delivery event in accordance with the service delivery model.    
   
   
       23 . The signal-bearing medium of  claim 20  wherein retrieving data further comprises retrieving multiple distinct service variables specified in the service level agreement; wherein determining what value the at least one service variable will assume further comprises determining what value each distinct service variable will assume during the service delivery event and wherein retrieving a service delivery model in dependence on the value that the at least one service variable will assume further comprises retrieving a service delivery model in dependence on the value each service variable will assume during the service delivery event.  
   
   
       24 . The signal-bearing medium of  claim 20  where determining what value the at least one service variable will assume during the service delivery event further comprises: 
 performing a trend analysis to predict the value the at least one service variable will assume during the service delivery event based on past values of the service variable prior to the service delivery event.    
   
   
       25 . The signal-bearing medium of  claim 23  wherein multiple service delivery models are available for retrieval and whereby values associated with certain service variables result in a conflict about which service delivery model to choose when retrieving a service delivery model in dependence on the value each service variable will assume during the service delivery event, wherein the operations further comprise: 
 accessing a policy database to resolve the conflict; and    choosing the service delivery model in accordance with policy established in the policy database.    
   
   
       26 . The signal-bearing medium of  claim 20  whereby a plurality of service delivery models are available for retrieval wherein each service delivery model is applicable to a range of values the at least one service variable may assume during a service delivery event, and wherein retrieving a service delivery model in dependence on the value that the service variable will assume further comprises: 
 choosing a service delivery model specifying a range of possible values of the at least one service variable to which the service delivery model applies within which the value that the at least one service variable will assume during the service delivery event falls.    
   
   
       27 . The signal-bearing medium of  claim 23  whereby multiple service delivery models are available for retrieval, wherein the particular service delivery model chosen for retrieval is chosen using a state-space method, wherein a collection of values that each service variable will assume during a service delivery event define a state, and wherein each service delivery model is associated with a space of possible values each service variable may assume, the operations further comprising: 
 choosing a service delivery model for retrieval that is associated with a space of service variable values which encompasses the state defined by the collection of values that each service variable will assume during the service delivery event.    
   
   
       28 . An electronic device for measuring compliance of a service delivery event with a service level agreement, the electronic device comprising: 
 a memory for storing at least one computer program;    a network interface for bi-directionally communicating over a network with other entities; and    a digital processor coupled to the memory and network interface, wherein when the digital processor executes the at least one computer program the following operations are performed: 
 detecting a service delivery event between a service provider and a service customer;  
 retrieving data associated with a service level agreement regulating the service delivery event, wherein the data concerns both an identity of at least one service variable specified in the service level agreement, and a plurality of target values specified for at least one service level attribute in the service level agreement, wherein each of the plurality of target values of the service level attribute is associated with a value that the at least one service variable may assume during a service delivery event;  
 determining an actual value that the at least one service variable assumed during the service delivery event;  
 selecting a particular target value for the at least one service level attribute on the basis of the actual value that the at least one service variable assumed during the service delivery event;  
 determining a realized value for the service level attribute, wherein the realized value corresponds to a value actually achieved for the service level attribute during the service delivery event; and  
   comparing the particular target value for the at least one service level attribute with the realized value for the at least one service level attribute to gauge compliance of the service delivery event with the service level agreement.    
   
   
       29 . The electronic device of  claim 28  wherein comparing the particular target value for the at least one service level attribute with the realized value for the at least one service level attribute occurs in real time during the service delivery event.  
   
   
       30 . The electronic device of  claim 29  wherein the operations further comprise: 
 reporting the outcome of the comparison of the particular target value for the at least one service level attribute with the realized value of the at least one service level attribute to at least one of the service customer or the service provider.    
   
   
       31 . The electronic device of  claim 29  wherein the operations further comprise: 
 if is determined that the realized value for the service level attribute is not in compliance with the particular target value for the service level attribute as established by the service level agreement, taking action to bring the realized value for the at least one service level attribute into compliance with the particular target value for the service level attribute.    
   
   
       32 . The electronic device of  claim 29  wherein determining an actual value for the at least one service variable further comprises: 
 observing multiple values that the at least one service variable assumes during the service delivery event; and    performing a trend analysis to predict a future value for the service variable based on the observed multiple values of the at least one service variable.    
   
   
       33 . The electronic device of  claim 32  wherein selecting a particular target value for the at least one service level attribute further comprises selecting a particular target value of the at least one service level attribute in dependence on the predicted future value for the service variable; wherein determining a realized value for the at least one service level attribute further comprises predicting a future realized value for the at least one service level attribute; and wherein comparing the particular target value for the at least one service level attribute with the realized value further comprises comparing the particular target value of the at least one service level attribute associated with the future value of the at least one service variable with the future realized value of the at least one service level attribute.  
   
   
       34 . The electronic device of  claim 33  wherein the operations further comprise: 
 if it is determined based on the comparison of the future value of the service level attribute and the target value of the service level attribute that the service provider will fall out of compliance with the service level agreement at a future time, reporting this fact to at least one of the service provider or the service customer.    
   
   
       35 . The electronic device of  claim 33  wherein the operations further comprise: 
 if it is determined based on the comparison of the future value of the service level attribute and the target value for the service level attribute established by the service level agreement that the service provider will fall out of compliance with the service level agreement at a future time, taking action to prevent the service provider from falling out of compliance with the service level agreement before the future time.