Infrastructure Trending Tool for Enterprise Compliance

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Solution Overview

Problem

Large enterprises face challenges in manually tracking and maintaining consistency of computing devices' operating systems and applications across their infrastructure, leading to data inconsistencies and compliance issues with enterprise standards.

Innovation Solution

A system that proactively queries computing devices within a networked environment to collect machine information, generates infrastructure trending data, and provides visual representations and recommendations for improving compliance with enterprise standards through an electronic data collection script and graph-based analysis.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If manual tracking of computing devices is used, then flexibility in individual device management is maintained, but data consistency and compliance monitoring become vulnerable and tedious

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedata consistencyVSAvoidtracking effort

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The system enables computing devices to automatically report their own software inventory data through executed scripts, eliminating the need for manual tracking. Each device self-services by collecting and transmitting its own information, ensuring data consistency without human intervention.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The manual mechanical process of tracking and recording software inventory is replaced with an automated electronic system that uses scripts to query devices and a server to collect, store, and analyze data, substituting human labor with computational automation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

2Adaptability or versatility

If individual computing devices are upgraded based on business needs, then device functionality is optimized, but enterprise-wide compliance with standards becomes difficult to maintain

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedevice upgrade flexibilityVSAvoidcompliance assurance

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The system continuously collects software inventory data from all devices and provides feedback through compliance reports that identify which devices meet or violate enterprise standards. This feedback loop enables organizations to maintain compliance while allowing individual upgrade flexibility.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The standardized data collection script serves multiple functions: it collects software inventory information, tracks compliance status, identifies upgrades needed, and generates reports. This universal tool handles both the flexibility of individual device management and the requirements of enterprise-wide compliance.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

3Reliability

If comprehensive software inventory data is collected from all devices, then compliance monitoring is improved, but data collection complexity and processing burden increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecompliance monitoringVSAvoiddata collection system complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The data collection process is segmented into standardized scripts that run independently on each computing device. Each script handles only the collection and transmission of its local software inventory data, simplifying the overall system architecture while enabling comprehensive enterprise-wide monitoring.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

4Measurement precision

If frequent data collection is performed to ensure current compliance status, then compliance accuracy is improved, but system resource consumption and processing time increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecompliance accuracyVSAvoiddata processing time

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs data collection and compliance analysis at periodic intervals rather than continuously, balancing the need for accurate compliance information with the consumption of system resources. This periodic execution allows compliance accuracy to be maintained while controlling processing time and resource usage.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #19Periodic action

Data Source

PatentUS9806969B2Infrastructure trending tool

Publication Date: 2017.10.31 BANK OF AMERICA CORP

AI summary

Embodiments of the invention are directed to systems, methods and computer program products for use in providing infrastructure trending within a network environment. The apparatus proactively queries computing devices within the networked environment and generates infrastructure trending data. An exemplary apparatus is configured to execute an electronic data collection script on one or more computing devices within a networked environment; store the collected machine information in a storage location, whereby the machine information can be accessed, via the storage location, for use in providing infrastructure trending data; receive a request to display an infrastructure trend associated with the network environment; in response to receiving the request, analyze the collected machine information; and generate at least one graph based on the collected machine information, wherein the at least one graph displays the infrastructure trend associated with the network environment.