Software management system for network data processing systems

A method for providing a network planning service to a customer, the method comprising:

• a processor unit querying a plurality of computers in a network data processing system for configuration information for software programs in the plurality of computers in the network data processing system;
• the processor unit querying websites for vendors to obtain end of life dates for the software programs, release dates for replacement software programs for the software programs, and prerequisites for the replacement software programs for the software programs identified in the configuration information;
• the processor unit identifying at least one change to the plurality of computers based on the configuration information and a set of prerequisites for a plurality of replacement software programs in the replacement software programs for a plurality of software programs in the software programs;
• and
• the processor unit generating at least one upgrade plan to implement the at least one change to the plurality of computers in which a number of overlaps between life cycles for the plurality of replacement software programs and life cycles for the plurality of software programs in the software programs is increased.

A data processing system for planning upgrades to a network data processing system comprising:

• a bus;
• a storage device coupled to the bus;
• program code stored on the storage device;
• and
• a processor unit connected to the bus, wherein the processor unit is configured to execute the program code to identify configuration information for software programs for a plurality of computers in the network data processing system;
• obtain end of life dates for the software programs, release dates for replacement software programs for the software programs, and prerequisites for the replacement software programs for the software programs identified in the configuration information;
• identify at least one change to the plurality of computers based on the configuration information and a set of prerequisites in the prerequisites for each of a plurality of replacement software programs in the replacement software programs for a plurality of software programs in the software programs;
• and generate at least one upgrade plan to implement the at least one change to the plurality of computers in which a number of overlaps between life cycles for the plurality of replacement software programs and life cycles for the plurality of software programs in the software programs is increased.

A computer program product for planning upgrades to a network data processing system, the computer program product comprising:

• a computer recordable storage medium;
• program code, stored on the computer recordable storage medium, for identifying configuration information for software programs for a plurality of computers in the network data processing system;
• program code, stored on the computer recordable storage medium, for obtaining end of life dates for the software programs, release dates for replacement software programs for the software programs, and prerequisites for the replacement software programs for the software programs identified in the configuration information;
• program code, stored on the computer recordable storage medium, for identifying at least one change to the plurality of computers based on the configuration information and a set of prerequisites in the prerequisites for each of a plurality of replacement software programs for a plurality of software programs;
• and
• program code, stored on the computer recordable storage medium, for generating at least one upgrade plan to implement the at least one change to the plurality of computers in which a number of overlaps between life cycles for the plurality of replacement software programs and life cycles for the plurality of software programs in the software programs is increased.

A method for planning upgrades to a network data processing system, the method comprising:

• a processor unit identifying configuration information for hardware for a plurality of computers in the network data processing system;
• the processor unit obtaining end of life dates for the hardware, release dates for replacement hardware, and prerequisites for the replacement hardware for the hardware identified in the configuration information;
• the processor unit identifying at least one change to the plurality of computers based on the configuration information and a set of prerequisites in the prerequisites for each of a plurality of replacement hardware for a plurality of hardware in the hardware;
• and
• the processor unit generating at least one upgrade plan to implement the at least one change to the plurality of computers in which a number of overlaps between life cycles for the plurality of replacement hardware and life cycles for the plurality of hardware in the hardware is increased.