Virtual systems management

A method for automatic management of a virtualization environment in a computer network, the method comprising:

• providing a virtualization environment that has a virtualization layer, network resources and virtual assets, the virtual assets including at least one software instantiations of equipment objects in the virtualization environment, the virtualization layer managing the virtual assets;
• providing a controller coupled to the virtualization environment over a network;
• performing one or more functions by the controller that communicates with the virtualization layer from the group of functions consisting of
• (1) identification and management of network resources and virtual assets,
• (2) provisioning of virtual assets in response to network workflow demands,
• (3) receiving a Knowledge Block that specifies parameters that send an alert message to an administrator of the network in response to an alert condition and determines one or more reallocation parameters to be considered with a performance measurement in producing the deployment of the assets and wherein the Knowledge Block specifies parameters that detect operational degradation of a member of the virtualization environment which is halted and removed,
• (4) automatic dynamic deployment of virtual assets across the computer network based on the reallocation parameters,
• (5) performance measurement and reporting of resources and virtual assets, and
• (6) planning and forecasting of resource demands and virtual asset utilization of the virtualization environment;
• wherein such functions are carried out without regard to processors, operating systems, virtualization platforms, and application software of the virtualization environment.

An apparatus that performs automatic management of a virtualization environment in a computer network comprising:

• a virtualization environment that has a virtualization layer, network resources and virtual assets, the virtual assets including at least one software instantiations of equipment objects in the virtualization environment, the virtualization layer managing the virtual assets;
• an operating system of the apparatus that supports the virtualization environment in communication with the apparatus over the computer network;
• and
• a Virtual Mapping layer that determines an inventory of network resources and virtual assets available to the virtualization environment, wherein the Virtual Mapping layer determines the inventory without regard to processors, operating systems, virtualization platforms, and application software of the virtualization environment;
• and
• a controller that communicates with the virtualization layer and provisions the virtual assets from among the available inventory, thereby establishing a provisioned virtualization environment, determines real time performance metrics for the provisioned virtualization environment, receives a Knowledge Block that specifies parameters that send an alert message to an administrator of the network in response to an alert condition and determines one or more reallocation parameters to be considered with the real time performance metrics in producing the reallocation of assets and wherein the Knowledge Block specifies parameters that detect operational degradation of a member of the available inventory which is halted and removed from the available inventory, automatically determines for the provisioned virtualization environment, a reallocation of the virtual assets in response to the reallocation parameters and the real time performance metrics and initiates the reallocation of the virtual assets in the provisioned virtualization environment.