Management of securable computing resources

A system, comprising:

• multiple computing resources, wherein each of the multiple computing resources comprises multiple ports;
• multiple cables respectively insertable into one of the multiple ports of one of the multiple computing resources;
• multiple locking elements corresponding respectively to the multiple cables, each of which is configured to assume a locked condition in which one of the multiple cables is locked to one of the multiple computing resources or prevented from insertion into one of the multiple computing resources and an unlocked condition in which one of the multiple cables is removable from one of the multiple computing resources or permitted to be inserted into one of the multiple computing resources;
• and a controller configured to define rules for a first set of users and for a second set of users, the controller comprising a hardware management console (HMC) and a service element (SE),
• the rules for the first set of users being associated with respective IDs of each of the users of the first set of users and establishing criteria associated with each user of the first set of users for causing each of the multiple locking elements to respectively assume one of the locked and unlocked conditions,
• and the rules for the second set of users being associated with respective IDs of each of the users of the second set of users and establishing criteria associated with each user of the second set of users for causing each of the multiple locking elements to respectively assume one of the locked and unlocked conditions,
• wherein:
• the first set of users are users of the HMC and the rules for the first set of users establish criteria associated with each user of the first set of users for setting forth times when one or more of the first set of users are authorized to plug or unplug one or more cables relative to one or more computing resources,
• and the second set of users are users of the SE and the rules for the second set of users establish criteria associated with each user of the second set of users for defining techniques, resources and tools used by the second set of users to initialize, configure, customize and maintain hardware, including the input/output (I/O) resources, of one or more computing resources.

A method of operating a system, the method comprising:

• defining rules for a first set of users of computing resources into which cables are insertable and for a second set of users of the computing resources into which the cables are insertable,
• the rules for the first set of users establishing criteria associated with each user of the first set of users for causing locking elements to each assume one of a locked condition in which the locking element locks a corresponding cable into a corresponding computing resource or prevents insertion of the corresponding cable into the corresponding computing resource and an unlocked condition in which the locking element unlocks the corresponding cable from the corresponding computing resource or permits insertion of the corresponding cable into the corresponding computing resource, and
• the rules for the second set of users establishing criteria associated with each user of the second set of users for causing locking elements to each assume one of a locked condition in which the locking element locks a corresponding cable into a corresponding computing resource or prevents insertion of the corresponding cable into the corresponding computing resource and an unlocked condition in which the locking element unlocks the corresponding cable from the corresponding computing resource or permits insertion of the corresponding cable into the corresponding computing resource;
• associating the rules for the first set of users with respective IDs of each of the users of the first set of users;
• and
• associating the rules for the second set of users with respective IDs of each of the users of the second set of users,
• wherein:
• the defining and the associating are executed by a hardware management console (HMC) and a service element (SE),
• the first set of users are users of the HMC and the rules for the first set of users establish criteria associated with each user of the first set of users for setting forth times when one or more of the first set of users are authorized to plug or unplug one or more cables relative to one or more computing resources, and
• the second set of users are users of the SE and the rules for the second set of users establish criteria associated with each user of the second set of users for defining techniques, resources and tools used by the second set of users to initialize, configure, customize and maintain hardware, including the input/output (I/O) resources, of one or more computing resources.