Configuration Comparator for ERP Process Variation Detection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Comparing configurations of large software systems, such as ERP systems, is complex and time-consuming due to numerous configuration settings, and mere comparison does not accurately reflect differences in system operations, as irrelevant settings can obscure the fact that systems may implement the same processes despite different settings.
Innovation Solution
The system employs a configuration comparator that extracts and abstracts configuration settings using an adaptation catalog and encoded logic to represent processes, allowing for a comparison at a process level by filtering out non-influential settings and applying scoping information to identify and compare implemented processes between systems.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If all configuration settings are compared between systems, then a complete comparison is achieved, but the comparison becomes complex and time-consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the configuration settings into two distinct categories: process-affecting settings and non-process-affecting settings. This segmentation allows the comparison to focus only on the relevant process-affecting settings, thereby reducing comparison time while maintaining accuracy in identifying true process differences.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts and filters out non-process-affecting configuration settings from the comparison process. By removing these irrelevant settings, the comparison becomes more efficient and focuses solely on the settings that actually influence system processes, resolving the contradiction between completeness and time consumption.
2Measurement precision
If all configuration settings are compared, then no setting is overlooked, but irrelevant settings obscure true process differences
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts only the process-affecting configuration settings from the full configuration set, removing non-process-affecting settings that would otherwise obscure true process differences. This extraction improves the signal-to-noise ratio by eliminating irrelevant information while preserving all meaningful process differences.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies different quality standards to different types of configuration settings. Process-affecting settings are analyzed with high scrutiny to detect true differences, while non-process-affecting settings are filtered out entirely. This local quality approach ensures that the comparison focuses its analytical resources on the settings that matter most for process differentiation.
3Quantity of substance
If configuration settings are compared without abstraction, then detailed settings are captured, but the comparison does not reflect true system operation differences
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary layer of process abstraction between the raw configuration settings and the comparison analysis. This intermediary process-level representation translates detailed configuration settings into meaningful process operations, allowing the comparison to capture both the quantity of configuration details and the precision of process-level differences.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the configuration comparison into two levels: detailed configuration setting level and abstracted process level. By performing comparison at both levels, the system captures the full quantity of configuration details while simultaneously achieving process-level accuracy through the abstracted process representations.
Data Source
AI summary
The present subject mater relates computer system configuration and, more particularly, to system configuration comparison to identify process variation. Various embodiments described herein include one or more of systems, methods, software, and data structures to retrieve configuration information from a first system and a second system, apply a set of rules to the configuration information to identify process variants implemented in each of the first and second systems, and output a representation of process variant implementation differences between the first and second systems.