Patent ID: 6938027
Filing Date: 2005-08-30
Classification: G06Q

Abstract:
1. A method for assessing the financial cost of ownership of a configuration of at least one computer data center defined by a plurality of elements, through the use of systematic, computer assisted procedures, the method comprising the steps of: a) modeling elements of a data center configuration on a computer by identifying to the computer the elements of a given configuration, said step being carried out at least in part by an auditing tool which identifies at least a portion of the elements of the configuration in a substantially automatic manner; b) providing in a knowledge base financial information which reflects financial ownership costs of a plurality of the elements; c) correlating information stored in the knowledge base with elements of the configuration; d) outputting at least a portion of the configuration and at least a portion of the associated information to a user; and e) including performing the modeling step and the correlating step by means of a substantially automatic software controlled process and said correlating step including calculating the financial ownership costs over selected time periods.