Systems and methods for expressing temporal relationships spanning lifecycle representations

An apparatus for expressing temporal relationships between lifecycle representations, comprising:

• a memory;
• and
• at least one processor coupled to the memory and operative to:
• obtain two or more lifecycle representations of at least two components of at least one computing system, wherein the at least two components comprise a first component and a second component;
• annotate the two or more lifecycle representations with at least one temporal relationship, wherein the at least one temporal relationship exists between two states in the lifecycle representations of the at least two components, wherein the at least one temporal relationship links a first state in the lifecycle representation of the first component with a second state in the lifecycle representation of the second component;
• and
• store the two or more annotated lifecycle representations as at least one deployment descriptor, wherein the at least one deployment descriptor is useable for managing the at least one computing system,
• wherein annotating the two or more lifecycle representations with at least one temporal relationship comprises establishing at least one pair-wise link between two or more lifecycle representations of two or more different managed resources.

A computer program product comprising a computer useable storage memory having computer useable program code for expressing temporal relationships between lifecycle representations, the computer program product including:

• computer useable program code for obtaining two or more lifecycle representations of at least two components of at least one computing system, wherein the at least two components comprise a first component and a second component;
• computer useable program code for annotating the two or more lifecycle representations with at least one temporal relationship, wherein the at least one temporal relationship exists between two states in the lifecycle representations of the at least two components, wherein the at least one temporal relationship links a first state in the lifecycle representation of the first component with a second state in the lifecycle representation of the second component, wherein annotating the two or more lifecycle representations with at least one temporal relationship comprises establishing at least one pair-wise link between two or more lifecycle representations of two or more different managed resources;
• and
• computer useable program code for storing the two or more annotated lifecycle representations as at least one deployment descriptor, wherein the at least one deployment descriptor is useable for managing the at least one computing system.