Automated Device Inactivity Management via Linked Employee Records
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Solution Overview
Problem
Managing computing devices within an organization is complex and time-consuming, particularly when it comes to checking the status and activity of devices, as existing methods often require manual intervention and lack efficient automation, leading to resource inefficiencies and potential losses due to inactive devices.
Innovation Solution
A computing system that utilizes centralized organizational data to automatically check device inactivity and configure devices based on employee records, implementing device policies to determine valid inactivity periods and trigger actions such as notifications or reconfiguration, thereby streamlining device management and enhancing resource utilization.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If manual management methods are used to check device status and activity, then flexibility and control are maintained, but time consumption and resource efficiency deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The system pre-configures device policies with status check criteria and automation rules in advance. When a device is added or assigned to an employee, the system automatically executes pre-defined status check operations without requiring manual initiation, thereby reducing time consumption while maintaining control through pre-established policies
Solution Approach 2:
The device management system performs self-service by automatically monitoring and checking the status and activity of computing devices without human intervention. The system uses automated scripts and tools to gather device information, evaluate policies, and trigger appropriate actions, freeing administrators from manual checking tasks while maintaining oversight
2Productivity
If automated device management systems are implemented, then time efficiency and resource utilization improve, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The automated management system is segmented into distinct functional modules: device discovery module, policy evaluation module, status checking module, and action execution module. Each module handles specific tasks independently, making the overall complex system manageable through clear separation of concerns while maintaining high productivity through coordinated automation
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements universal device policies that can be applied across multiple device types and employees. A single policy framework handles diverse scenarios (device addition, reassignment, inactivity detection) through multi-functional rules, reducing the need for separate management mechanisms for each scenario and simplifying the overall system structure
3Reliability
If frequent device status checks are performed, then device inactivity is detected promptly, but system resource consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs device status checks periodically based on defined intervals and triggers rather than continuously. Status checking is activated periodically or event-driven (e.g., when a device is assigned, when policy changes occur), reducing continuous computational overhead while maintaining reliable detection of device inactivity through timed assessments
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically adjusts checking parameters such as check intervals and monitoring intensity based on device activity patterns and policy requirements. For active devices, checking frequency is reduced to conserve resources, while for devices showing inactivity patterns or high-security requirements, checking frequency is increased, optimizing the balance between detection reliability and resource consumption
Data Source
AI summary
Methods, systems, devices, and tangible non-transitory computer readable media for checking computing device inactivity are provided. The disclosed technology can access, based on a device policy, organizational data associated with activity of a user's computing device. Based on the device policy and the organizational data, a valid inactivity time period including continuous organization approved time periods of valid inactivity beginning at a most recent time the computing device was active and ending a predetermined amount of time after the most recent time can be determined. Based on the device policy and the organizational data, a determination of whether inactivity criteria associated with inactivity of the computing device are satisfied is made. Satisfying the inactivity criteria can include the computing device being inactive after the valid inactivity time period. Furthermore, indications associated with the computing device's inactivity can be generated if the inactivity criteria are satisfied.