Automated Configuration Data Analysis System for Software Applications

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Solution Overview

Problem

System administrators face significant challenges in troubleshooting and optimizing complex computer systems due to the manual intensity and increased complexity of analyzing multiple configuration settings across various software applications and components, which diminishes the effectiveness of manual administration processes as the number of integrated products and configuration settings grows.

Innovation Solution

A computer-implemented system and method for analyzing configuration data that retrieves and evaluates configuration items with relationships, providing a user interface to display evaluations of these relationships, allowing for automated data collection and comparison across disparate software applications, and dynamically expanding to cover new products and architectures, thereby reducing manual effort and increasing efficiency.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If manual administration processes are used to analyze configuration data, then administrators can examine system settings, but the time and effort required increases exponentially as the number of configuration settings grows

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveconfiguration data analysis accuracyVSAvoidtime to gather and analyze configuration data

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces manual mechanical analysis processes with an automated computer-implemented system that retrieves, parses, and analyzes configuration data from multiple software applications programmatically, eliminating the need for administrators to manually examine each configuration setting

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The system enables self-service configuration analysis by automatically gathering configuration data from specified software applications, evaluating relationships between configuration items, and generating analysis results without requiring continuous human intervention or manual data collection

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

2Loss of information

If administrators manually examine configuration data from multiple sources, then they can identify system behaviors, but the complexity of the task increases as the number of integrated products increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecompleteness of configuration data collectionVSAvoidcomplexity of analyzing multiple applications

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of informationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements a universal analysis system capable of handling configuration data from multiple different software applications and data sources through a single integrated platform, using standardized retrieval and evaluation mechanisms that work across diverse application types

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

The system introduces an intermediary analysis layer that sits between multiple configuration data sources and the administrator, automatically retrieving data from various applications, normalizing the data formats, evaluating relationships between configuration items, and presenting unified analysis results

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Reliability

If comprehensive configuration data is collected from all software applications, then complete system analysis is achieved, but the manual effort and time required increases significantly

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesystem configuration analysis reliabilityVSAvoidefficiency of configuration data analysis

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces manual configuration analysis with automated computer-implemented processes that retrieve configuration data programmatically from software applications, evaluate relationships between configuration items, and generate analysis results, significantly improving productivity while maintaining reliability

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The system implements feedback mechanisms where configuration data is retrieved, analyzed for relationship violations or anomalies, and results are presented to administrators who can then adjust analysis parameters or investigate specific issues, creating an iterative improvement cycle

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Data Source

PatentUS8296732B2Computer-implemented systems and methods for analyzing product configuration and data

Publication Date: 2012.10.23 SAS INSTITUTE INC

AI summary

Computer-implemented systems and methods are provided for analyzing configuration data associated with a plurality of software applications. For example a system and method can be configured to receive configuration data about the software applications, wherein the configuration data about the software applications includes configuration items that have relationships with other configuration items. An interface display screen is provided to the user, wherein the user interface display screen is configured to display an evaluation of the retrieved configuration data.