Network Asset Evaluation via Communication Relationship Heuristics
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current asset management systems face challenges in accurately grouping IT assets, leading to suboptimal management and decision-making, especially in large enterprises with tens of thousands of assets, due to manual processes and lack of meaningful information for administrators.
Innovation Solution
A method for evaluating system assets by identifying critical interfaces through a heuristic focusing on specific attributes of communications relationships between network devices and applications, including a reference group heuristic to determine non-intermediated communication relationships, and assessing migration scenarios with cost information units.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If manual grouping of IT assets is used, then administrators can create groups based on organization-specific criteria, but the process becomes increasingly difficult and infeasible as the number of assets grows to tens of thousands
Solution Approach 1:
The system automatically performs asset grouping by analyzing communication relationships between network devices. The evaluation module autonomously identifies critical interfaces and groups assets without requiring manual administrator intervention, allowing the system to self-manage the complexity of large-scale asset organization
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces manual mechanical grouping processes with automated computational analysis. The evaluation module uses algorithms to analyze communication data and automatically determine asset groupings, substituting human manual operations with automated mechanical processing systems
2Ease of operation
If manual group definition is used, then administrators can control grouping based on simple criteria like OS type or physical location, but meaningful information for effective management is not produced
Solution Approach 1:
The system continuously monitors and analyzes actual communication relationships between network devices, using this feedback to dynamically identify critical interfaces and generate meaningful management information. The evaluation module processes communication data to provide actionable insights about asset relationships
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the parameters used for asset grouping from simple static attributes (OS type, location) to dynamic communication relationship parameters. The evaluation module analyzes communication patterns and identifies critical interfaces based on actual operational behavior, transforming grouping criteria to produce meaningful management information
3Extent of automation
If automated discovery tools are used to register assets, then registration can be performed automatically, but creating logical groups remains a manual task that requires administrator intervention
Solution Approach 1:
The evaluation module automatically performs the grouping function that previously required manual administrator creation. By analyzing communication relationships and identifying critical interfaces, the system self-generates logical groups without requiring administrators to manually define grouping structures
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the asset management function into distinct modules: one for automated asset discovery and registration, and another for automated group creation based on communication analysis. This segmentation allows each function to be optimized independently, with the grouping function automatically deriving logical groups from communication data
Data Source
AI summary
There is provided a method a method for evaluating the system assets of a network that includes the steps of identifying system assets of the network and applying a heuristic that focuses on specific attributes of the communications relationships between the system assets of a network.