Change Control Record Identifier Enforcement for Software Deployment

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Current change control systems lack the ability to prevent unintended or unauthorized actions during software changes, fail to ensure changes are made according to approved change control records, and do not provide real-time notifications for deviations from approved processes, leading to potential system damage and failed software rollouts.

Innovation Solution

Implementing a system that requires an approved change control record identifier for privileged user login, monitors and enforces the correct sequence of commands, and sends alerts for deviations, using a change control manager to validate each issued command against the approved change control record and enforcing a white list of supplemental commands with a deviation threshold.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If change control systems allow privileged users to perform software changes without strict validation, then ease of operation is improved, but reliability deteriorates due to unauthorized actions and deviations from approved processes

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveease of operationVSAvoidreliability

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary validation by requiring privileged users to input change control record identifiers before executing any commands. The system pre-validates these identifiers against approved change control records, ensuring that only authorized changes can proceed. This preliminary check prevents unauthorized actions before they occur, resolving the contradiction between ease of operation and reliability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system implements continuous feedback mechanisms by monitoring executed commands against the approved process defined in change control records. When deviations are detected, the system provides real-time alerts and warnings to users. This feedback loop ensures that reliability is maintained while allowing operational flexibility within approved boundaries.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

2Reliability

If the system implements strict validation of change control records and command monitoring, then reliability is improved, but device complexity increases due to additional validation layers and monitoring mechanisms

Engineering Contradiction:

ImprovereliabilityVSAvoiddevice complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system achieves reliability through multi-functional components that perform multiple tasks. The change control manager both validates change control record identifiers and monitors command execution, while the alerting mechanism serves both notification and compliance verification functions. This consolidation reduces overall system complexity while maintaining rigorous validation and monitoring for reliability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

3Manufacturing precision

If the system monitors and validates each command against approved change control records, then manufacturing precision is improved, but loss of time increases due to validation and monitoring overhead

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemanufacturing precisionVSAvoidloss of time

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary validation of change control record identifiers before command execution, ensuring that only pre-approved changes proceed. This upfront validation prevents the need for more time-consuming checks during execution, maintaining manufacturing precision while minimizing time loss.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

For commands that match the approved process exactly, the system skips detailed validation steps and allows rapid execution. The monitoring mechanism quickly verifies compliance without imposing significant time overhead, enabling the system to rush through validated commands while maintaining precision.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #21Skipping (Rushing through)

4Reliability

If the system provides real-time alerts for deviations from approved processes, then reliability is improved, but use of energy increases due to continuous monitoring and alerting mechanisms

Engineering Contradiction:

ImprovereliabilityVSAvoiduse of energy

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The system implements feedback-based monitoring that activates alerting mechanisms only when deviations from approved processes are detected. Rather than continuous high-energy alerting, the system uses energy-efficient event-driven notifications that provide reliability assurance only when needed, reducing overall energy consumption.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Data Source

PatentUS11170080B2Enforcing primary and secondary authorization controls using change control record identifier and information

Publication Date: 2021.11.09 INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINE CORPORATION

AI summary

Enforcing authorization controls for an approved software change on a target system is provided. A user is validated to perform a set of actions. The set of actions performed by the validated user is monitored to determine whether the set of actions conform to an approved process for the approved software change on the target system. A deviation from the approved process is detected based on determining that the set of actions do not conform to the approved process during the monitoring. In response to detecting the deviation from the approved process, an alert is sent regarding the deviation.