System and method for representing the information technology infrastructure of an organization

#This invention relates to information technology, and more particularly to a system and method for representing the information technology infrastructure of an organization.

#Organizations typically have a large number and variety of information technology elements, such as software applications, subsystems, and databases, which together make up the information technology system of the organization. Moreover, many of these information technology elements are used by various elements in the organization, such as sales, accounting, and engineering departments.

#Unfortunately, the relationships between the various information technology elements and their uses by different organizational elements, which together constitute the information technology infrastructure of the organization, are normally hidden from decision-makers. A time consuming review of source code may be undertaken to determine the relationships between the information technology elements and their usage in each organizational element. This review may reveal that the information technology infrastructure is quite complex and difficult to characterize or represent.

#For a more complete understanding of the present invention, and for further features and advantages, reference is now made to the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, where like reference numerals represent like parts, in which:

#FIG. 1 provides an overview of a system for representing the information technology infrastructure of an organization;

#FIG. 2 provides an example of a data file for use in the system;

#FIG. 1 provides an overview of a system 10 for representing the information technology infrastructure of an organization. System 10 includes a display device 20, a processing device 22, and an output device 50. Processing device 22 generates a hierarchical list 62 and a hierarchical graph 54, each of which represents the information technology infrastructure of the organization, and can be a personal computer (PC), a workstation, a mainframe, an integrated circuit (IC), or any other device that can electronically process data. Display device 20 displays hierarchical list 62 and/or hierarchical graph 54 and can be a cathode ray tube (CRT) display, a liquid crystal display (LCD), a flat-panel display (FPD), or any other device that can display an electronic image. Output device 50 generates a hard copy output 52 that presents hierarchical graph 54 and can be a laser printer, an ink jet printer, a fax machine, a plotter, or any other type of device that can generate a hard copy output of an electronic image.

#To generate hierarchical list 62 and hierarchical graph 54, processing device 22 includes a processor 24 and a memory 26. Memory 26 stores representations of the information technology elements of the organization, the organizational elements of the organization, and the relationships between the information technology elements and the organizational elements. The information technology elements, the organizational elements, and the relationships between them form the information technology infrastructure of the organization. Memory 26 can be random access memory (RAM), a hard drive, a diskette, a CD-ROM, another type of magnetic or optical storage device, or any other volatile or non-volatile memory.

#Memory 26 includes a computer program 42 and a database 46, which processor 24 uses in generating hierarchical list 62 and hierarchical graph 54. Computer program 42, executable by processor 24, includes a data collection module 32, a data importation module 34, a data entry module 36, an interactive display module 38, and an output module 40. Database 46 includes data files 48, each of which contains data representing the information technology elements, the organizational elements, and the relationships between them for an information technology infrastructure. Database 46 can have any type, format, or arrangement of information, as described above with respect to memory 26. Also, data files 48 may be one or more flat files, relational files, or other suitable arrangement of information.