Enterprise Application Fingerprinting for Configuration Audit
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Solution Overview
Problem
Managing and tracking enterprise IT assets, including computer applications, is challenging due to frequent changes in ownership, physical locations, and dependencies between assets, leading to difficulties in configuration management and accurate inventorying, especially for licensing purposes.
Innovation Solution
A system and method for fingerprinting applications in an enterprise computing system, using defined fingerprints related to directory structures, memory data, and modification information to identify active applications, which includes a data store, processor, and fingerprint files to scan for specific application indicators, enabling accurate identification and management of applications.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If traditional asset tracking methods are used to manage enterprise IT assets, then the system is simple to implement, but the accuracy of application identification and inventorying is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments application identification into multiple independent fingerprint types (directory structure fingerprint, memory data fingerprint, modification information fingerprint). Each fingerprint type checks for different indicators of active applications, allowing the system to build accurate identification through cumulative evidence while maintaining modular, manageable complexity in each individual check.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the parameter of identification from simple presence/absence to a multi-parameter fingerprinting system. By evaluating multiple fingerprint parameters (directory structure, memory data, modification information) and their combinations, the system achieves higher measurement precision in determining application activity status.
2Measurement precision
If multiple fingerprints are searched to accurately identify active applications, then the identification precision is improved, but the searching time and system complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary actions by pre-defining multiple fingerprint types and their corresponding check criteria before the actual searching process. The system prepares the fingerprint framework in advance, organizing directory structure patterns, memory data indicators, and modification information criteria, so that during the actual search, the system can efficiently evaluate applications against these pre-established parameters without ad-hoc analysis.
3Measurement precision
If comprehensive fingerprinting is performed on all applications, then the inventory accuracy is improved, but the computational resources and processing complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies partial action by selectively performing different fingerprint checks based on the identification needs. The system can perform a basic directory structure fingerprint check for all applications, then apply more resource-intensive memory data and modification information fingerprints only to applications that require higher confidence levels or are suspected to be actively running, thus achieving accurate inventorying with optimized computational resource usage.
Data Source
AI summary
A system and computer implemented method for identifying active applications in an enterprise computing system is provided. The method includes defining a plurality of fingerprints for an application. A first fingerprint is related to a directory structure associated with the application. A second fingerprint is related to checking memory of at least some of the enterprise computing systems for data related to the application. The method includes searching the enterprise computing system for at least one fingerprint. The method includes when a fingerprint is found, identifying the application associated with the fingerprint as active.