ERP License Compliance Analysis via Automated Data Extraction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Large enterprises face challenges in efficiently tracking and managing ERP software licenses across numerous computing devices and users, leading to potential misuse or mismanagement due to complex licensing models and the sheer scale of their networks.
Innovation Solution
A software application dynamically analyzes license data using specific compliance criteria to identify non-compliant scenarios, such as unauthorized access or inactive users, and provides recommendations for improving compliance, allowing for centralized license data consolidation and periodic updates.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If manual tracking methods are used to monitor ERP software license usage across the enterprise network, then license compliance can be monitored, but the process becomes complex, time-consuming, and unworkable when dealing with large quantities of ERP clients and users
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary software application that acts as a mediator between the ERP system and the license management process. This application automatically collects usage data from the ERP system, compares it against license entitlements, and generates compliance reports, eliminating the need for manual tracking while ensuring reliable compliance monitoring across large networks
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces manual mechanical tracking processes with an automated electronic system that interfaces directly with the ERP system. The software application automatically extracts usage data, processes it through compliance logic, and generates reports, substituting human effort with automated computational processes that are both faster and more reliable
2Measurement precision
If comprehensive license tracking is implemented across all ERP clients and users, then accurate compliance data can be obtained, but the system complexity and difficulty of tracking increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the license tracking functionality from the complex ERP system environment and implements it as a separate, dedicated software application. This extracted component focuses solely on collecting usage data, comparing it with license entitlements, and generating compliance reports, thereby simplifying the overall system architecture while maintaining precise compliance measurement
Solution Approach 2:
The software application implements self-service by automatically interfacing with the ERP system to collect usage data, performing compliance comparisons against stored license entitlements, and generating reports without requiring external intervention. The system serves itself by autonomously managing the entire compliance tracking process
3Adaptability or versatility
If frequent updates to license allocation are made to accommodate enterprise changes, then license flexibility improves, but the difficulty of tracking all changes efficiently increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements continuous license compliance monitoring through the software application, which continuously or periodically collects usage data from the ERP system, compares it against license entitlements, and updates compliance status. This continuous action ensures that frequent license allocation changes are automatically detected and tracked without increasing manual effort
Solution Approach 2:
The software application establishes a feedback loop by continuously monitoring ERP system usage, comparing it with license entitlements, and generating compliance reports that provide feedback on license status. This feedback mechanism automatically detects changes in license allocation and usage patterns, enabling efficient tracking of frequent updates
Data Source
AI summary
An example embodiment may involve a software application executable on a computing device of a computational instance of a remote network management platform associated with a managed network. The managed network may contain an enterprise resource planning (ERP) system comprised of computing devices of the managed network on which ERP software is executable. The managed network may be granted a number of authorizations to access the ERP system and capabilities thereof. The ERP system may store user-related data for individual users of the managed network who access the ERP system. The software application may communicate with one or more of the ERP clients to access the user-related data, use a set of compliance criteria to identify, within the user-related data, a set of users, and store in memory an indication identifying the set of users as a potential source of non-compliance with the number of authorizations.