Estimating a result of configuration change(s) in an enterprise

A method, which is implemented by a computing system, comprising:

• gathering enterprise information, which includes:
• configuration information indicating first configuration changes that are associated with first machines in a designated enterprise,
• ticket information regarding a volume of support tickets that are received with regard to the first configuration changes that are associated with the first machines in the designated enterprise, and
• performance information regarding performance of the first machines in the designated enterprise in response to the first configuration changes that are associated with the first machines in the designated enterprise;
• combining the enterprise information with anonymized information that is received from a plurality of enterprises to provide combined information, the anonymized information including:
• anonymized configuration information indicating second configuration changes that are associated with second machines in the plurality of enterprises,
• anonymized ticket information regarding a volume of support tickets that are received with regard to the second configuration changes that are associated with the second machines in the plurality of enterprises, and
• anonymized performance information regarding performance of the second machines in the plurality of enterprises in response to the second configuration changes that are associated with the second machines in the plurality of enterprises;
• determining an actual impact of one or more third configuration changes in at least one enterprise based at least in part on the combined information, the actual impact including:
• an actual change to performance of third machines in the at least one enterprise as a result of the one or more third configuration changes, and
• an actual change to a volume of support tickets that are received with regard to the one or more third configuration changes in the at least one enterprise;
• generating an estimate of a net financial result of implementing the one or more third configuration changes in the designated enterprise based at least in part on the actual impact of the one or more third configuration changes in the at least one enterprise;
• and
• based on the generated estimate of the net financial result, increasing efficiency of a processor-based system, which is configured to perform systems management operations for the designated enterprise that includes the first machines, by causing the processor-based system to modify at least one third configuration change of the one or more third configuration changes for implementation in the designated enterprise, wherein the at least one third configuration change includes at least one of:
• deploying software on at least one of the first machines in the designated enterprise,
• changing hardware on at least one of the first machines in the designated enterprise,
• changing one or more security settings associated with at least one of the first machines in the designated enterprise, or
• changing one or more compliance settings associated with at least one of the first machines in the designated enterprise.

A computer program product comprising a computer-readable storage medium having instructions recorded thereon for enabling a processor-based system to perform operations, the operations comprising:

• gather enterprise information, which includes:
• configuration information indicating first configuration changes that are associated with first machines in a designated enterprise,
• ticket information regarding a volume of support tickets that are received with regard to the first configuration changes that are associated with the first machines in the designated enterprise, and
• performance information regarding performance of the first machines in the designated enterprise in response to the first configuration changes that are associated with the first machines in the designated enterprise;
• combine the enterprise information with anonymized information that is received from a plurality of enterprises to provide combined information, the anonymized information including:
• anonymized configuration information indicating second configuration changes that are associated with second machines in the plurality of enterprises,
• anonymized ticket information regarding a volume of support tickets that are received with regard to the second configuration changes that are associated with the second machines in the plurality of enterprises, and
• anonymized performance information regarding performance of the second machines in the plurality of enterprises in response to the second configuration changes that are associated with the second machines in the plurality of enterprises;
• determine an actual impact of one or more third configuration changes with regard to a first subset of the first machines in the designated enterprise, the actual impact including:
• an actual change to performance of the first subset of the first machines in the designated enterprise as a result of the one or more third configuration changes, and
• an actual change to a volume of support tickets that are received in response to the one or more third configuration changes with regard to the first subset of the first machines in the designated enterprise;
• infer a predictive impact of the one or more third configuration changes with regard to a second subset of the first machines in the designated enterprise by using an adaptive algorithm to analyze the combined information, the predictive impact including:
• a predicted change to performance of the second subset of the first machines in the designated enterprise as a result of the one or more third configuration changes, and
• a predicted change to a volume of support tickets that are received in response to the one or more third configuration changes with regard to the second subset of the first machines in the designated enterprise;
• generate an estimate of a net financial result of implementing the one or more third configuration changes with regard to the second subset of the first machines in the designated enterprise based at least in part on the actual impact of the one or more third configuration changes with regard to the first subset of the first machines in the designated enterprise and further based at least in part on the predictive impact of the one or more third configuration changes with regard to the second subset of the first machines in the designated enterprise;
• and
• based on the generated estimate of the net financial result, increase efficiency of a computing system, which is configured to perform systems management tasks for the designated enterprise that includes the first machines, by causing the computing system to modify at least one third configuration change of the one or more third configuration changes for implementation with regard to the second subset of the first machines in the designated enterprise, wherein the at least one third configuration change includes at least one of:
• deployment of software on at least one of the first machines in the second subset,
• changing hardware on at least one of the first machines in the second subset,
• changing one or more security settings associated with at least one of the first machines in the second subset, or
• changing one or more compliance settings associated with at least one of the first machines in the second subset.