Automated Change Audit System for IT Infrastructure
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current IT management systems face challenges in ensuring the reliability, availability, and security of IT infrastructure due to unauthorized changes, which can lead to financial loss, disruptions, and compliance issues, with 80% of unplanned downtime caused by human errors and poor change management practices.
Innovation Solution
An automated change audit system providing a triad of preventive, detective, and corrective controls that include independent change monitoring, reconciliation, and reporting across heterogeneous data processing nodes, ensuring that changes are authorized, intended, and conform to policies, thereby mitigating risks and maintaining compliance with regulatory requirements.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If automated change monitoring and reconciliation controls are implemented, then system reliability and security are improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary change monitoring system that acts as a mediator between IT operations and management. This system automatically monitors changes, reconciles them with authorized change requests, and provides reports without requiring manual intervention, thereby improving reliability while managing complexity through automation rather than manual processes
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements feedback mechanisms by continuously monitoring actual changes against authorized change requests and providing real-time reconciliation reports. This feedback loop enables automatic detection of unauthorized changes and provides continuous improvement data, enhancing reliability through ongoing verification and control
2Object-affected harmful factors
If comprehensive change controls are implemented across heterogeneous data processing nodes, then security and compliance are improved, but ease of operation deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The change monitoring system is designed to universally monitor multiple types of data processing nodes (databases, servers, network devices) through a single integrated platform. This multi-functional approach provides comprehensive security coverage across heterogeneous systems while consolidating operations into one manageable interface, improving security without proportionally increasing operational complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs self-service by automatically monitoring changes, comparing them against authorized requests, and generating compliance reports without requiring manual audit processes. This automation reduces the operational burden on staff while maintaining comprehensive security controls, making the system easier to operate despite its comprehensive monitoring capabilities
3Loss of information
If independent change monitoring and reconciliation are performed, then loss of information is reduced, but productivity decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The change monitoring operates continuously in the background, providing ongoing information accuracy without interrupting change implementation processes. The system performs reconciliation and verification actions continuously but non-intrusively, ensuring information accuracy is maintained while productivity is preserved through non-blocking monitoring operations
Data Source
AI summary
Embodiments of the present invention provide methods and systems for automated change audit of an enterprise's IT infrastructure, including independent detection of changes, reconciliation of detected changes and independent reporting, to effectuate a triad of controls on managing changes within the IT infrastructure, preventive controls, detective controls and corrective controls.