Tool for managing computer resources and infrastructures and networks

1. A method for operating a network of interconnected items of physical equipment the method comprising:

registering, by an infrastructure management apparatus, each of a network of interconnected items of physical equipment as a resource in a first data structure, with an equipment identifier and a first sequence of dated values of at least one of a processing, storage, or transmission capacity of the equipment defining a global, utilizable capacity of the resource;

registering, by the infrastructure management apparatus, a plurality of virtual units in a second data structure, with an identifier of the unit and a second sequence of dated values of a processing, storage, or transmission capacity of the virtual unit defining a global utilizable capacity of the unit, the registering further comprising generating a third data structure in which a virtual unit identifier is associated with a group of resource identifiers and the corresponding sequences of dated capacity values, the first, second and third data structures thereby defining a virtual infrastructure object corresponding to a virtual unit identifier and a correlation between the first and second sequences of dated values of the at least one of the processing, storage or transmission capacity; and

maintaining, by the infrastructure management apparatus, requested rights and capacities for users as a function of time in response to a received re-provisioning or reservation request; and

dynamically reconfiguring, by the infrastructure management apparatus, the virtual infrastructure object in relation to the requested rights and capacities, comprising at least one of reconfiguring the content of the third data structure or reconfiguring the content of the first data structure.

2. The method as recited in claim 1 , further comprising determining, by the infrastructure management apparatus, when one of the requested capacities exceeds the global utilizable capacity of one of the virtual units, and only reconfiguring the virtual infrastructure object when the one of the requested capacities is determined to exceed the global utilizable capacity of the one of the virtual units.

3. The method as recited in claim 1 , further comprising maintaining, by the infrastructure management apparatus, for one or more of the virtual units, an instance of a virtual infrastructure object for every time period corresponding to at least one of a nonzero processing, storage, or transmission capacity of the one or more virtual units.

4. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein the first or second data structure further comprises a list of non-functional attributes related to the resource or unit identifier, the said list comprising one or more attributes relating to security, performance, geographical location, financial cost, energy cost, ownership, reliability, or performance monitoring.

5. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein the registering each of the network of interconnected items of physical equipment is performed by a physical infrastructure management computing device of the infrastructure management apparatus, the registering the plurality of virtual units is performed by a virtual infrastructure management computing device of the infrastructure management apparatus, and the physical infrastructure management computing device, the virtual infrastructure management computing device, and at least some of the items of physical equipment of the network are mutually synchronized.

6. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein each item of physical equipment comprises a plurality of nodes of the network and network links linking these nodes together, and each item of physical equipment has at least one of a transmission, storage and digital data processing capacity.

7. An infrastructure management apparatus, comprising memory comprising programmed instructions stored in the memory and one or more processors configured to be capable of executing the programmed instructions stored in the memory to:

register each of a network of interconnected items of physical equipment as a resource in a first data structure, with an equipment identifier and a first sequence of dated values of at least one of a processing, storage, or transmission capacity of the equipment defining a global, utilizable capacity of the resource;

register a plurality of virtual units in a second data structure, with an identifier of the unit and a second sequence of dated values of a processing, storage, or transmission capacity of the virtual unit defining a global utilizable capacity of the unit;

generate a third data structure in which a virtual unit identifier is associated with a group of resource identifiers and the corresponding sequences of dated capacity values, the first, second and third data structures thereby defining a virtual infrastructure object corresponding to a virtual unit identifier and a correlation between the first and second sequences of dated values of the at least one of the processing, storage or transmission capacity; and

maintain requested rights and capacities for users as a function of time in response to a received re-provisioning or reservation request; and

dynamically reconfigure the virtual infrastructure object in relation to the requested rights and capacities, comprising at least one of reconfiguring the content of the third data structure or reconfiguring the content of the first data structure.

8. The infrastructure management apparatus as recited in claim 7 , wherein the one or more processors are further configured to be capable of executing the programmed instructions stored in the memory to determine when one of the requested capacities exceeds the global utilizable capacity of one of the virtual units, and only reconfiguring the virtual infrastructure object when the one of the requested capacities is determined to exceed the global utilizable capacity of the one of the virtual units.

9. The infrastructure management apparatus as recited in claim 7 , wherein the one or more processors are further configured to be capable of executing the programmed instructions stored in the memory to maintain, for one or more of the virtual units, an instance of a virtual infrastructure object for every time period corresponding to at least one of a nonzero processing, storage, or transmission capacity of the one or more virtual units.

10. The infrastructure management apparatus as recited in claim 7 , wherein the first or second data structure further comprises a list of non-functional attributes related to the resource or unit identifier, the said list comprising one or more attributes relating to security, performance, geographical location, financial cost, energy cost, ownership, reliability, or performance monitoring.

11. The infrastructure management apparatus as recited in claim 7 , wherein the each of the network of interconnected items of physical equipment is registered by a physical infrastructure management computing device of the infrastructure management apparatus, the plurality of virtual units is registered by a virtual infrastructure management computing device of the infrastructure management apparatus, and the physical infrastructure management computing device, the virtual infrastructure management computing device, and at least some of the items of physical equipment of the network are mutually synchronized.

12. The infrastructure management apparatus as recited in claim 7 , wherein each item of physical equipment comprises a plurality of nodes of the network and network links linking these nodes together, and each item of physical equipment has at least one of a transmission, storage and digital data processing capacity.

13. A non-transitory computer readable medium having stored thereon instructions for operating a network of interconnected items of physical equipment, comprising executable code which when executed by a processor, causes the processor to perform steps comprising:

registering each of a network of interconnected items of physical equipment as a resource in a first data structure, with an equipment identifier and a first sequence of dated values of at least one of a processing, storage, or transmission capacity of the equipment defining a global, utilizable capacity of the resource;

registering a plurality of virtual units in a second data structure, with an identifier of the unit and a second sequence of dated values of a processing, storage, or transmission capacity of the virtual unit defining a global utilizable capacity of the unit;

generating a third data structure in which a virtual unit identifier is associated with a group of resource identifiers and the corresponding sequences of dated capacity values, the first, second and third data structures thereby defining a virtual infrastructure object corresponding to a virtual unit identifier and a correlation between the first and second sequences of dated values of the at least one of the processing, storage or transmission capacity; an

maintaining requested rights and capacities for users as a function of time in response to a received re-provisioning or reservation request; and

dynamically reconfiguring the virtual infrastructure object in relation to the requested rights and capacities, comprising at least one of reconfiguring the content of the third data structure or reconfiguring the content of the first data structure.

14. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 13 , wherein the executable code when executed by the processor, further causes the processor to perform at least one additional step comprising determining when one of the requested capacities exceeds the global utilizable capacity of one of the virtual units, and only reconfiguring the virtual infrastructure object when the one of the requested capacities is determined to exceed the global utilizable capacity of the one of the virtual units.

15. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 13 , wherein the executable code when executed by the processor, further causes the processor to perform at least one additional step comprising maintaining, for one or more of the virtual units, an instance of a virtual infrastructure object for every time period corresponding to at least one of a nonzero processing, storage, or transmission capacity of the one or more virtual units.

16. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 13 , wherein the first or second data structure further comprises a list of non-functional attributes related to the resource or unit identifier, the said list comprising one or more attributes relating to security, performance, geographical location, financial cost, energy cost, ownership, reliability, or performance monitoring.

17. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 13 , wherein the registering each of the network of interconnected items of physical equipment is performed by a physical infrastructure management computing device, the registering the plurality of virtual units is performed by a virtual infrastructure management computing device, and the physical infrastructure management computing device, the virtual infrastructure management computing device, and at least some of the items of physical equipment of the network are mutually synchronized.

18. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 13 , wherein each item of physical equipment comprises a plurality of nodes of the network and network links linking these nodes together, and each item of physical equipment has at least one of a transmission, storage and digital data processing capacity.