Methods and systems consistent with the present invention provide a data processing system having a business object model reflecting the data used during a business transaction. Consistent interfaces are generated from the business object model. These interfaces are suitable for use across industries, across businesses, and across different departments within a business during a business transaction.

Consistent set of interfaces derived from a business object model

Disclosed are systems and methods for model based provisioning of applications and servers (both physical and virtual) to execute provisioned applications in a reliable and repeatable manner. Several aspects of a complex application management including compliance, change tracking, monitoring, discovery, processing steps, CMDB integration are disclosed within a comprehensive hierarchy of definition templates forming a model. This model can then be used at provisioning time to instantiate a compliant instance of the provisioned application. This model can also be used at run-time for managing run-time aspects of the provisioned application. Additionally, the model based approach can help track applications even when or if applications drift from their intended design and policies for use.

Application blueprint and deployment model for dynamic business service management (BSM)

Automatic sorting and grouping of electronic mail items in an electronic mail system is provided. An automatic mail grouping property may be selected for electronic mail received, sent or stored in a variety of storage folders. For a given mail location (e.g., received mail, sent mail, or a given mail storage folder), a selected automatic grouping property causes mail to be displayed to a user in one or more categories that make location of specific mail items easier and more efficient. Visible dividers with optional headings may be provided between mail categories to quickly draw a user's attention to a given mail category and to separate large numbers of mail into logical groupings that make location of specific mail items more manageable.

Automatic Grouping of Electronic Mail

An improved user interface is provided for displaying selectable software functionality controls that are relevant to a selected object and that remain visibly available for use while the selected object is being edited. Upon selection of a particular object for editing, functionality available for editing the object is presented in a ribbon-shaped user interface above the software application workspace to allow the user ready and efficient access to functionality needed for editing the selected object. The display of relevant functionality controls is persisted until the user dismisses the display, selects another top-level functionality control or selects another object for editing.

User interface for displaying selectable software functionality controls that are relevant to a selected object

Methods and apparatus, including computer program products, to realize a software model are described. Process components are defined that characterize software implementing respective and distinct business processes and additionally define at least one process agent that enables communications between a business object associated with the corresponding process component and a business object associated with any other process component. Business Process Variant Types are also defined that associate one or more of the process agents for the corresponding process component so that selection of a process variant type causes the associated one or more process agents to be activated.

Software model business process variant types

The present invention provides a technique for the development of a software-based business solution using blueprint. A blueprint is a collection of artifacts that relate to an enterprise, and to the processes that an enterprise may perform. The blueprint may contain artifacts describing general business goals for a particular type of enterprise (e.g., a transportation company), as well as descriptions of processes typically performed by such an enterprise. The blueprint may be customized to fit a particular enterprise, and may be used as a basis to select and/or create software component, combine components into software applications, and deploy the applications on an infrastructure.

System and method for using blueprints to provide a software solution for an enterprise

The present invention provides a technique for the development of a software-based business solution using blueprint. A blueprint is a collection of artifacts that relate to an enterprise, and to the processes that an enterprise may perform. The blueprint may contain artifacts describing general business goals for a particular type of enterprise (e.g., a transportation company), as well as descriptions of processes typically performed by such an enterprise. The descriptions may provide sufficient detail to enable traceability between elements of the blueprint in the event of changes. The blueprint may be customized to fit a particular enterprise, and may be used as a basis to select and/or create software component, combine components into software applications, and deploy the applications on an infrastructure.

Edward S. Ferrara

Papers

System and method for using blueprints to provide a software solution for an enterprise

System and method for using blueprints to provide a traceable software solution for an enterprise