IoT Inventory Automation via MID Server Discovery
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Solution Overview
Problem
Managing inventory of network devices, particularly in enterprise environments, is challenging due to the rise of IoT devices, which require efficient detection and integration with existing systems, and existing methods lack automation and comprehensive data management.
Innovation Solution
A method involving a Management Instrumentation Discovery (MID) server that obtains discovery messages from network devices, including identifiers, locations, and capabilities, to automatically modify an inventory data store, enabling controllers to utilize these devices and manage workflows based on sensor data, with graphical user interfaces for monitoring and control.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If manual inventory management methods are used, then implementation simplicity is maintained, but productivity and automation extent deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The inventory management system performs automated discovery of network devices, sensors, and assets without requiring manual intervention. The MID server automatically detects devices on the network, extracts their identifiers and capabilities, and populates the inventory data store autonomously, allowing the system to serve itself in the discovery and registration process.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces manual mechanical inventory management processes with an automated electronic discovery system. The MID server uses electronic discovery messages and automated data processing to substitute human-operated manual inventory tracking, thereby increasing productivity while establishing comprehensive automation.
2Measurement precision
If comprehensive device detection is implemented, then measurement precision improves, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The MID server implements a universal discovery mechanism that can detect and register multiple types of devices (network devices, sensors, assets) through a single automated process. The system uses standardized discovery messages and a unified data structure to handle diverse device types, improving detection precision without proportionally increasing system complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the parameter of device detection from manual identification to automated electronic discovery. By transforming device identifiers into machine-readable formats and using automated parsing of discovery messages, the system achieves high detection precision while managing complexity through standardized parameters and data structures.
3Loss of information
If real-time inventory updates are performed, then information freshness improves, but loss of time in processing increases
Solution Approach 1:
The inventory management system performs continuous automated discovery and updates the inventory data store in real-time as new devices are detected on the network. The MID server continuously monitors for discovery messages and immediately processes them, maintaining information freshness without significant processing delays through uninterrupted automated operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary automated registration of devices as they are discovered, rather than waiting for manual entry. By pre-populating the inventory data store with discovered device information immediately upon detection, the system maintains up-to-date inventory information while minimizing the time lag between device deployment and inventory recording.
Data Source
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AI summary
Improving automated discovery of inventory, includes obtaining a discovery message from a network device, wherein the discovery message identifies an identifier, a location, and one or more capabilities of the network device, wherein the discovery message is detected by a management instrumentation discovery (MID) server, automatically modifying a data structure of an inventory data store to include the identifier, the location, and the one or more capabilities based on the discovery message, wherein the inventory data store identifies enterprise assets and configurations of the enterprise assets, and providing the modified data structure of the inventory data store to a controller such that the network device is usable by the controller.