Automated Monitoring Agent Deployment via Service Account

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Current monitoring solutions for computing systems are inefficient and prone to errors when deploying monitoring agents across host computing nodes in large enterprise networks, making it difficult to collect log data and maintain network performance.

Innovation Solution

A system with a central monitoring device and deployment server that automates the deployment of monitoring agents across host computing nodes, reducing user input requirements and ensuring high accuracy and consistency through a monitoring manager that determines necessary parameters and re-triggers deployments as needed.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If traditional manual deployment methods are used for monitoring agents, then user control and customization are maintained, but deployment complexity and error rates increase significantly

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedeployment accuracyVSAvoiddeployment process complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system enables self-service deployment through automated agent installation across computing nodes. The monitoring server automatically discovers nodes, pushes deployment packages, and configures agents without requiring manual intervention at each node, thereby reducing deployment complexity while maintaining accuracy through systematic automation

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

A deployment server acts as an intermediary between the monitoring server and target computing nodes. This intermediary component handles the complex deployment logistics, including package distribution, installation coordination, and status tracking, thereby simplifying the overall deployment process while ensuring reliable execution

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Productivity

If automated deployment is implemented across distributed computing nodes, then deployment speed and consistency improve, but system complexity and resource requirements increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedeployment speedVSAvoidsystem architecture complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The deployment system is segmented into distinct functional components: a monitoring server for orchestration, a deployment server for execution, and agent components at each computing node. This segmentation allows parallel deployment operations across multiple nodes simultaneously, improving productivity while managing complexity through clear separation of concerns

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The deployment server provides universal functionality by handling deployment operations across diverse computing nodes through a standardized interface. It can deploy agents to different operating systems and node types using the same core mechanisms, thereby improving deployment speed across the enterprise network without proportionally increasing system complexity

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

3Measurement precision

If comprehensive user input parameters are required for deployment, then deployment precision is maintained, but user effort and operational complexity increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedeployment parameter accuracyVSAvoiduser input effort

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The system implements feedback mechanisms where the deployment server automatically collects node information, determines appropriate deployment parameters, and validates configurations before execution. This feedback loop ensures deployment precision is maintained through automated verification while reducing user effort by eliminating manual parameter specification

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The monitoring server performs preliminary actions by pre-configuring deployment packages with necessary parameters before distribution. Agent installation scripts are prepared in advance with embedded configuration data, allowing precise deployment without requiring users to manually input parameters during the deployment process

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

4Reliability

If deployment failures are not automatically handled, then system resources are conserved, but monitoring coverage and reliability deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemonitoring agent deployment reliabilityVSAvoiddeployment retry time

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The deployment system implements periodic retry mechanisms where failed agent installations are automatically re-attempted at scheduled intervals. This periodic action ensures that transient failures do not permanently compromise monitoring coverage, thereby improving deployment reliability while the systematic retry approach manages time loss through efficient resource utilization during retry attempts

Inventive Principle:

Principle #19Periodic action

Data Source

PatentUS11645186B2Remote deployment of monitoring agents on computing systems

Publication Date: 2023.05.09 BANK OF AMERICA CORP

AI summary

User input is obtained at a central monitoring device to deploy a monitoring agent at a host computing node. Based on the user input, a job is identified to be executed by a deployment server to deploy the monitoring agent at the host computing node. An execution time window is identified to execute the job at the host computing node. The deployment server is accessed using a service account that does not require human intervention and the execution of the job is triggered within the execution time window to cause the deployment server to deploy the monitoring agent at the host computing node.