Resolving problems in a business process utilizing a situational representation of component status

Problems are resolved in a business process that includes application programs that run on an Information Technology (IT) infrastructure having IT components. A symptom is generated that identifies a problem in the business process. Selected application programs and/or IT components in the IT infrastructure that may cause the problem in the business process are identified, based on the symptom. A respective situation for a respective selected application program and/or IT component is obtained. The respective situation is one of a set of component-independent predefined situation categories that is associated with a respective selected application program and/or IT component. The respective situations provide the status of the selected application programs and/or IT components in a common situation format that includes the associated one of the component-independent predefined situation categories. The respective situations that are obtained are analyzed to identify at least one problem in the selected application programs and/or IT components that may cause the problem in the business process.