Abstract:
An approach is provided in a service desk detects a current computer resource outage and identifies applications corresponding to the computer resource outage. The service desk uses historical service request entries to match the identified applications to users previously inquiring about the applications and, in turn, sends notifications to the users regarding the computer resource outage.

Description:
BACKGROUND 
       [0001]    Company employees use common Information Technology (I/T) computer resources such as e-mail, instant messaging and e-meetings to perform job functions. When these computer resources become unavailable, either from planned outages or from unplanned outages, employees unknowingly spend time attempting to access the computer resources during the outages. 
         [0002]    A service desk provides a mechanism for a user to enter a service request when the user experiences a computer resource issue, such as not being able to access a particular application. Service desks typically employ an issue tracking system to create, update, and resolve reported customer issues. The issue tracking system often includes a knowledge base that includes resolutions to common problems. Businesses have moved towards “self-service” web-based service desks, which allow a user to view known issues in a computer environment and enter service requests if needed when a user experiences computer resource issues. Service desks, however, may overwhelm a user with outage notifications corresponding to computer resources unrelated to the user&#39;s work environment. For example, an engineer may be notified of a finance server outage that the engineer does not have a requirement, or permission, to access. 
       BRIEF SUMMARY 
       [0003]    According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, an approach is provided in which a service desk detects a current computer resource outage and identifies applications corresponding to the computer resource outage. The service desk uses historical service request entries to match the identified applications to users previously inquiring about the applications and, in turn, sends notifications to the users regarding the computer resource outage. 
         [0004]    The foregoing is a summary and thus contains, by necessity, simplifications, generalizations, and omissions of detail; consequently, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the summary is illustrative only and is not intended to be in any way limiting. Other aspects, inventive features, and advantages of the present disclosure, as defined solely by the claims, will become apparent in the non-limiting detailed description set forth below. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0005]    The present disclosure may be better understood, and its numerous objects, features, and advantages made apparent to those skilled in the art by referencing the accompanying drawings, wherein: 
           [0006]      FIG. 1  is a diagram showing one embodiment of a service desk system informing a user of resource outages; 
           [0007]      FIG. 2  is a diagram showing one embodiment of a service desk home screen presented to a user by a service desk system; 
           [0008]      FIG. 3  is a flowchart showing one embodiment of steps taken in providing resource outage notifications to a user and creating a new service request entry; 
           [0009]      FIG. 4  is a flowchart showing one embodiment of steps taken to analyze a service request and generate a new service request entry; 
           [0010]      FIG. 5  is a flowchart showing one example of steps taken in using historical service request entries to notify users of current resource outages; 
           [0011]      FIG. 6  is a block diagram of a data processing system in which the methods described herein can be implemented; and 
           [0012]      FIG. 7  provides an extension of the information handling system environment shown in  FIG. 6  to illustrate that the methods described herein can be performed on a wide variety of information handling systems which operate in a networked environment. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0013]    The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of the disclosure. As used herein, the singular forms “a”, “an” and “the” are intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. It will be further understood that the terms “comprises” and/or “comprising,” when used in this specification, specify the presence of stated features, integers, steps, operations, elements, and/or components, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, operations, elements, components, and/or groups thereof. 
         [0014]    The corresponding structures, materials, acts, and equivalents of all means or step plus function elements in the claims below are intended to include any structure, material, or act for performing the function in combination with other claimed elements as specifically claimed. The description of the present disclosure has been presented for purposes of illustration and description, but is not intended to be exhaustive or limited to the disclosure in the form disclosed. Many modifications and variations will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of the disclosure. The embodiment was chosen and described in order to best explain the principles of the disclosure and the practical application, and to enable others of ordinary skill in the art to understand the disclosure for various embodiments with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated. 
         [0015]    As will be appreciated by one skilled in the art, aspects of the present disclosure may be embodied as a system, method or computer program product. Accordingly, aspects of the present disclosure may take the form of an entirely hardware embodiment, an entirely software embodiment (including firmware, resident software, micro-code, etc.) or an embodiment combining software and hardware aspects that may all generally be referred to herein as a “circuit,” “module” or “system.” Furthermore, aspects of the present disclosure may take the form of a computer program product embodied in one or more computer readable medium(s) having computer readable program code embodied thereon. 
         [0016]    Any combination of one or more computer readable medium(s) may be utilized. The computer readable medium may be a computer readable signal medium or a computer readable storage medium. A computer readable storage medium may be, for example, but not limited to, an electronic, magnetic, optical, electromagnetic, infrared, or semiconductor system, apparatus, or device, or any suitable combination of the foregoing. More specific examples (a non-exhaustive list) of the computer readable storage medium would include the following: an electrical connection having one or more wires, a portable computer diskette, a hard disk, a random access memory (RAM), a read-only memory (ROM), an erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM or Flash memory), an optical fiber, a portable compact disc read-only memory (CD-ROM), an optical storage device, a magnetic storage device, or any suitable combination of the foregoing. In the context of this document, a computer readable storage medium may be any tangible medium that can contain, or store a program for use by or in connection with an instruction execution system, apparatus, or device. 
         [0017]    A computer readable signal medium may include a propagated data signal with computer readable program code embodied therein, for example, in baseband or as part of a carrier wave. Such a propagated signal may take any of a variety of forms, including, but not limited to, electro-magnetic, optical, or any suitable combination thereof. A computer readable signal medium may be any computer readable medium that is not a computer readable storage medium and that can communicate, propagate, or transport a program for use by or in connection with an instruction execution system, apparatus, or device. 
         [0018]    Program code embodied on a computer readable medium may be transmitted using any appropriate medium, including but not limited to wireless, wireline, optical fiber cable, RF, etc., or any suitable combination of the foregoing. 
         [0019]    Computer program code for carrying out operations for aspects of the present disclosure may be written in any combination of one or more programming languages, including an object oriented programming language such as Java, Smalltalk, C++ or the like and conventional procedural programming languages, such as the “C” programming language or similar programming languages. The program code may execute entirely on the user&#39;s computer, partly on the user&#39;s computer, as a stand-alone software package, partly on the user&#39;s computer and partly on a remote computer or entirely on the remote computer or server. In the latter scenario, the remote computer may be connected to the user&#39;s computer through any type of network, including a local area network (LAN) or a wide area network (WAN), or the connection may be made to an external computer (for example, through the Internet using an Internet Service Provider). 
         [0020]    Aspects of the present disclosure are described below with reference to flowchart illustrations and/or block diagrams of methods, apparatus (systems) and computer program products according to embodiments of the disclosure. It will be understood that each block of the flowchart illustrations and/or block diagrams, and combinations of blocks in the flowchart illustrations and/or block diagrams, can be implemented by computer program instructions. These computer program instructions may be provided to a processor of a general purpose computer, special purpose computer, or other programmable data processing apparatus to produce a machine, such that the instructions, which execute via the processor of the computer or other programmable data processing apparatus, create means for implementing the functions/acts specified in the flowchart and/or block diagram block or blocks. 
         [0021]    These computer program instructions may also be stored in a computer readable medium that can direct a computer, other programmable data processing apparatus, or other devices to function in a particular manner, such that the instructions stored in the computer readable medium produce an article of manufacture including instructions which implement the function/act specified in the flowchart and/or block diagram block or blocks. 
         [0022]    The computer program instructions may also be loaded onto a computer, other programmable data processing apparatus, or other devices to cause a series of operational steps to be performed on the computer, other programmable apparatus or other devices to produce a computer implemented process such that the instructions which execute on the computer or other programmable apparatus provide processes for implementing the functions/acts specified in the flowchart and/or block diagram block or blocks. 
         [0023]    The flowchart and block diagrams in the Figures illustrate the architecture, functionality, and operation of possible implementations of systems, methods and computer program products according to various embodiments of the present invention. In this regard, each block in the flowchart or block diagrams may represent a module, segment, or portion of code, which comprises one or more executable instructions for implementing the specified logical function(s). It should also be noted that, in some alternative implementations, the functions noted in the block may occur out of the order noted in the figures. For example, two blocks shown in succession may, in fact, be executed substantially concurrently, or the blocks may sometimes be executed in the reverse order, depending upon the functionality involved. It will also be noted that each block of the block diagrams and/or flowchart illustration, and combinations of blocks in the block diagrams and/or flowchart illustration, can be implemented by special purpose hardware-based systems that perform the specified functions or acts, or combinations of special purpose hardware and computer instructions. 
         [0024]    The following detailed description will generally follow the summary of the disclosure, as set forth above, further explaining and expanding the definitions of the various aspects and embodiments of the disclosure as necessary. 
         [0025]      FIG. 1  is a diagram showing one embodiment of a service desk system informing a user of resource outages. Service desk system  150  manages service requests received from users pertaining to computer resource issues within computer environment  120 . When service desk system  150  receives a new service request, service request system  150  generates a service request entry that includes a user identifier (ID) and an application identifier. The user identifier corresponds the user that submitted the service request and the application identifier corresponds to the user&#39;s computer resource issue. In one embodiment, the application identifier may be identified from information included in the service request, such as through error code analysis or textual analysis of a problem description (see  FIG. 4  and corresponding text for further details). 
         [0026]    Service desk system  150  keeps a log of the service request entries in service request table  170  (stored in service request store  160 ), even after the service request is resolved, to establish historical associations between users and the applications they utilize. In turn, service desk system  150  proactively notifies users associated with an application affected by a new computer resource outage as discussed below. 
         [0027]    User  100  logs on to client  110  and attempts to access a particular resource (e.g., one of applications  130  or one of data stores  140 ). User  100  is not able to access a computer resource for various reasons, such as from the application and/or database being down for planned/unplanned maintenance. As such, user  100  accesses service desk system  150  to view resource outage information and enter a service request if needed. Service desk system  150  receives login information from client  110  and accesses service request table  170  to identify applications associated with user  100  (from prior “historical service requests”). Service desk system  150  determines whether the associated applications are experiencing a computer resource outage and, if so, displays an outage notification on user  100 &#39;s service desk home screen (see  FIG. 2  and corresponding text for further details). As a result, user  100  is informed of outage notifications pertaining to user  100 &#39;s utilized applications. If user  100  is experiencing a computer resource issue unrelated to the displayed outage notifications, user  100  enters a new service request to service desk system  150 . 
         [0028]    In one embodiment, when service desk system  150  is informed of a computer resource outage, such as from an administrator and/or a new service request, service desk system  150  identifies affected applications and accesses service request table to identify users associated with the affected applications. In this embodiment, service desk system  150  notifies the users accordingly, such as by sending a message (e.g., email) to the users and/or, by displaying a resource outage notice on the user&#39;s service desk home screen (see  FIG. 5  and corresponding text for further details). 
         [0029]      FIG. 2  is a diagram showing one embodiment of a service desk home screen presented to a user by service desk system  150 . Window  200  may be displayed by client  110  to user  100  when user  100  logs in to service desk system  150 . Window  200  shows personalized current computer resource outage notifications ( 210 ) pertaining to applications associated with user  100  based upon historical service requests submitted by user  100 . As such, user  100  may view window  200  to determine whether to submit a new service request that describes a new computer resource issue currently being experienced by user  100 . 
         [0030]    Window  200  allows the user to select to be notified when a current computer resource issue is resolved ( 220 ), and also allows the user to unsubscribe from receiving current computer resource outage information pertaining to a particular application ( 230 ). If user  100  wishes to submit a new service request (e.g., the current computer resource outages are unrelated to user  100 &#39;s problem), user  100  selects button  240 , which causes client  110  to display window  250 . 
         [0031]    User  100  enters service request information in window  250 , which includes entering the user&#39;s ID in box  260 . In one embodiment, the user ID is automatically entered based upon the user&#39;s login information. If user  100 &#39;s issue involves an error code (e.g., an application displays an error number), the user enters such error code in box  270 . Box  280  includes an area for the user to describe the user&#39;s problem, such as “I&#39;m having trouble with the payroll application.” In turn, service desk system  150  performs textual analysis on the problem description to determine the particular application corresponding to the computer resource issue (see  FIG. 4  and corresponding text for further details). 
         [0032]      FIG. 3  is a flowchart showing one embodiment of steps taken in providing resource outage notifications to a user and creating a new service request entry. Client processing commences at  300 , whereupon the client sends login information received from user  100  to the service desk ( 305 ). Service desk processing commences at  330 , whereupon the service desk receives the login information and authenticates the user ( 340 ). The service desk retrieves current computer resource outage information corresponding to the user from service request store  160  at  350 . For example, user  100  may have generated service request entries in the past that correspond to a payroll application and an email application. In this example, the service desk retrieves current computer resource outage information corresponding to the payroll application or email application (e.g., a server, a storage device, application updates, etc.). At  355 , the service desk provides the current computer resource outage notifications to the client. 
         [0033]    The client receives the current computer resource outage notifications from the service desk and displays the information to user  100  at  310  (e.g., via window  200  shown in  FIG. 2 ). At  312 , the client receives a response from user  100 , such as closing window  200  or selecting button  240  shown in  FIG. 2 . A determination is made as to whether user  100  wishes to create a new service request entry after reviewing the current outage information (decision  315 ). 
         [0034]    If the user does not wish to create a new service request entry, such as because one of the displayed outage notifications pertained to user  100 &#39;s computer resource issue, decision  315  branches to the “No” branch, whereupon processing ends at  325 . On the other hand, if the user wishes to create a new service request entry, decision  315  branches to the “Yes” branch, whereupon the client sends service request information provided by user  100  (via window  250  shown in  FIG. 2 ) to the service desk ( 320 ) and client processing ends at  325 . 
         [0035]    Referring back to the service desk, if the user does not wish to create a new service request entry, decision  360  branches to the “No” branch, whereupon service desk processing ends at  370 . On the other and, if the user wishes to create a new service desk entry, decision  360  branches to the “Yes” branch, whereupon the service desk analyzes the service request and generates a new service request entry based upon information received from the client and/or textual analysis of user  100 &#39;s problem description (pre-defined process block  380 , see  FIG. 4  and corresponding text for further details). Service desk processing ends at  390 . 
         [0036]      FIG. 4  is a flowchart showing one embodiment of steps taken to analyze a service request and generate a new service request entry. Service desk processing commences at  400 , whereupon the service desk parses the service request information received from the user&#39;s client ( 405 ). A determination is made as to whether the user provided an error code in the service request, such as from an error code displayed on the user&#39;s display (decision  410 ). If the service request includes an error code, decision  410  branches to the “Yes” branch, whereupon the service desk identifies an application and application ID corresponding to the code, such as through a look up table included in the service desk ( 420 ). At  440 , the service desk creates a service request entry in service request store  160  that includes the user ID (from the service request) and the identified application ID. 
         [0037]    On the other hand, if the service request does not include an error code, decision  410  branches to the “No” branch, whereupon the service desk performs textual analysis of a problem description provided by the user (e.g., field  280  shown in  FIG. 2 ) and identifies an application based upon the textual analysis ( 430 ). For example, the service desk may analyze text of “payroll not working” and, in turn, associate a payroll application with the service request. At  440 , the service desk creates a service request entry in service request store  160  and includes the user ID (from the service request) and the application ID corresponding to the application identified at  430 . Processing ends at  450 . 
         [0038]      FIG. 5  is a flowchart showing one example of steps taken in using historical service request entries to notify users of current resource outages. Service desk processing commences at  500 , whereupon the service desk identifies a computer resource issue ( 510 ). In one embodiment, the service desk identifies a computer resource issue based upon receiving a new service request from a user. In another embodiment, the service desk identifies a computer resource issue from information received from an administrator pertaining to a planned outage or an unplanned computer resource outage. 
         [0039]    At  520 , the service desk identifies applications affected by the computer resource issue. For example, a storage device may support a payroll application and an employee information application. At  530 , the service desk locates historical service request entries in w store  160  (service request table  170 ) that match the affected applications and, in turn, identifies users associated with the affected applications. For example, the service desk may match historical service request entries to a payroll application and extract user identifiers from the matched historical service request entries. 
         [0040]    At  540 , the service desk notifies the users corresponding to the matched historical service request entries. In one embodiment, the user is notified of the computer resource outage based on user-specified parameters, such as by sending an email to the user and/or displaying an outage notification on the user&#39;s service desk home screen (e.g., window  200  shown in  FIG. 2 ). Processing ends at  560 . 
         [0041]      FIG. 6  illustrates information handling system  600 , which is a simplified example of a computer system capable of performing the computing operations described herein. Information handling system  600  includes one or more processors  610  coupled to processor interface bus  612 . Processor interface bus  612  connects processors  610  to Northbridge  615 , which is also known as the Memory Controller Hub (MCH). Northbridge  615  connects to system memory  620  and provides a means for processor(s)  610  to access the system memory. Graphics controller  625  also connects to Northbridge  615 . In one embodiment, PCI Express bus  618  connects Northbridge  615  to graphics controller  625 . Graphics controller  625  connects to display device  630 , such as a computer monitor. 
         [0042]    Northbridge  615  and Southbridge  635  connect to each other using bus  619 . In one embodiment, the bus is a Direct Media Interface (DMI) bus that transfers data at high speeds in each direction between Northbridge  615  and Southbridge  635 . In another embodiment, a Peripheral Component Interconnect (PCI) bus connects the Northbridge and the Southbridge. Southbridge  635 , also known as the I/O Controller Hub (ICH) is a chip that generally implements capabilities that operate at slower speeds than the capabilities provided by the Northbridge. Southbridge  635  typically provides various busses used to connect various components. These busses include, for example, PCI and PCI Express busses, an ISA bus, a System Management Bus (SMBus or SMB), and/or a Low Pin Count (LPC) bus. The LPC bus often connects low-bandwidth devices, such as boot ROM  696  and “legacy” I/O devices (using a “super I/O” chip). The “legacy” I/O devices ( 698 ) can include, for example, serial and parallel ports, keyboard, mouse, and/or a floppy disk controller. The LPC bus also connects Southbridge  635  to Trusted Platform Module (TPM)  695 . Other components often included in Southbridge  635  include a Direct Memory Access (DMA) controller, a Programmable Interrupt Controller (PIC), and a storage device controller, which connects Southbridge  635  to nonvolatile storage device  685 , such as a hard disk drive, using bus  684 . 
         [0043]    ExpressCard  655  is a slot that connects hot-pluggable devices to the information handling system. ExpressCard  655  supports both PCI Express and USB connectivity as it connects to Southbridge  635  using both the Universal Serial Bus (USB) the PCI Express bus. Southbridge  635  includes USB Controller  640  that provides USB connectivity to devices that connect to the USB. These devices include webcam (camera)  650 , infrared (IR) receiver  648 , keyboard and trackpad  644 , and Bluetooth device  646 , which provides for wireless personal area networks (PANs). USB Controller  640  also provides USB connectivity to other miscellaneous USB connected devices  642 , such as a mouse, removable nonvolatile storage device  645 , modems, network cards, ISDN connectors, fax, printers, USB hubs, and many other types of USB connected devices. While removable nonvolatile storage device  645  is shown as a USB-connected device, removable nonvolatile storage device  645  could be connected using a different interface, such as a Firewire interface, etcetera. 
         [0044]    Wireless Local Area Network (LAN) device  675  connects to Southbridge  635  via the PCI or PCI Express bus  672 . LAN device  675  typically implements one of the IEEE 802.11 standards of over-the-air modulation techniques that all use the same protocol to wireless communicate between information handling system  600  and another computer system or device. Optical storage device  690  connects to Southbridge  635  using Serial ATA (SATA) bus  688 . Serial ATA adapters and devices communicate over a high-speed serial link. The Serial ATA bus also connects Southbridge  635  to other forms of storage devices, such as hard disk drives. Audio circuitry  660 , such as a sound card, connects to Southbridge  635  via bus  658 . Audio circuitry  660  also provides functionality such as audio line-in and optical digital audio in port  662 , optical digital output and headphone jack  664 , internal speakers  666 , and internal microphone  668 . Ethernet controller  670  connects to Southbridge  635  using a bus, such as the PCI or PCI Express bus. Ethernet controller  670  connects information handling system  600  to a computer network, such as a Local Area Network (LAN), the Internet, and other public and private computer networks. 
         [0045]    While  FIG. 6  shows one information handling system, an information handling system may take many forms. For example, an information handling system may take the form of a desktop, server, portable, laptop, notebook, or other form factor computer or data processing system. In addition, an information handling system may take other form factors such as a personal digital assistant (PDA), a gaming device, ATM machine, a portable telephone device, a communication device or other devices that include a processor and memory. 
         [0046]    The Trusted Platform Module (TPM  695 ) shown in  FIG. 6  and described herein to provide security functions is but one example of a hardware security module (HSM). Therefore, the TPM described and claimed herein includes any type of HSM including, but not limited to, hardware security devices that conform to the Trusted Computing Groups (TCG) standard, and entitled “Trusted Platform Module (TPM) Specification Version 1.2.” The TPM is a hardware security subsystem that may be incorporated into any number of information handling systems, such as those outlined in  FIG. 7 . 
         [0047]      FIG. 7  provides an extension of the information handling system environment shown in  FIG. 6  to illustrate that the methods described herein can be performed on a wide variety of information handling systems that operate in a networked environment. Types of information handling systems range from small handheld devices, such as handheld computer/mobile telephone  710  to large mainframe systems, such as mainframe computer  770 . Examples of handheld computer  710  include personal digital assistants (PDAs), personal entertainment devices, such as MP3 players, portable televisions, and compact disc players. Other examples of information handling systems include pen, or tablet, computer  720 , laptop, or notebook, computer  730 , workstation  740 , personal computer system  750 , and server  760 . Other types of information handling systems that are not individually shown in  FIG. 7  are represented by information handling system  780 . As shown, the various information handling systems can be networked together using computer network  700 . Types of computer network that can be used to interconnect the various information handling systems include Local Area Networks (LANs), Wireless Local Area Networks (WLANs), the Internet, the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN), other wireless networks, and any other network topology that can be used to interconnect the information handling systems. Many of the information handling systems include nonvolatile data stores, such as hard drives and/or nonvolatile memory. Some of the information handling systems shown in  FIG. 7  depicts separate nonvolatile data stores (server  760  utilizes nonvolatile data store  765 , mainframe computer  770  utilizes nonvolatile data store  775 , and information handling system  780  utilizes nonvolatile data store  785 ). The nonvolatile data store can be a component that is external to the various information handling systems or can be internal to one of the information handling systems. In addition, removable nonvolatile storage device  645  can be shared among two or more information handling systems using various techniques, such as connecting the removable nonvolatile storage device  645  to a USB port or other connector of the information handling systems. 
         [0048]    While particular embodiments of the present disclosure have been shown and described, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that, based upon the teachings herein, that changes and modifications may be made without departing from this disclosure and its broader aspects. Therefore, the appended claims are to encompass within their scope all such changes and modifications as are within the true spirit and scope of this disclosure. Furthermore, it is to be understood that the disclosure is solely defined by the appended claims. It will be understood by those with skill in the art that if a specific number of an introduced claim element is intended, such intent will be explicitly recited in the claim, and in the absence of such recitation no such limitation is present. For non-limiting example, as an aid to understanding, the following appended claims contain usage of the introductory phrases “at least one” and “one or more” to introduce claim elements. However, the use of such phrases should not be construed to imply that the introduction of a claim element by the indefinite articles “a” or “an” limits any particular claim containing such introduced claim element to disclosures containing only one such element, even when the same claim includes the introductory phrases “one or more” or “at least one” and indefinite articles such as “a” or “an”; the same holds true for the use in the claims of definite articles.