Systems and methods for an online marketplace for accessories of a remote monitoring and management product

• US 10,176,487 B2
• Filed: 12/07/2017
• Issued: 01/08/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 05/21/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ConnectWise, LLC
• Original Assignee: ConnectWise, LLC
• Inventors: Cheloff, Brett Alan, Goetschius, Chris
• Primary Examiner(s): Misiaszek, Amber A
• Application Number:
  US15/835,149
• Publication Number:
  US 20180096374A1
• Time in Patent Office: 397 Days
• Field of Search: 705 711- 742
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0206 Price or cost determination based on market factors
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/08 Auctions

Abstract

Systems and methods of the present disclosure facilitate providing a marketplace for accessories of a remote monitoring and management product. In some embodiments, the system may be configured to create a first user account for a first user with a first number of points, and a second user account for a second user with a second number of points. The system may obtain a first RMM accessory item (e.g., a monitor, a data view, an antivirus definition, a search, a report, a script, a system component, a plugin, a probe, or a definition) and a corresponding price. Responsive to receiving an indication of interest, the system may transmit the first RMM accessory item to the second user, add to the first number of points a first multiplier times the price, and subtract from the second number of points a second multiplier times the price.

Claims

1. A system to extend functionality of server-based remote monitoring and management, comprising:

one or more servers comprising one or more processors and memory forming a cloud computing environment;

a user module executed by the cloud computing environment to;

create a first user account for a developer of remote monitoring and management (“

RMM”

) accessory items;

create a second user account linked to a plurality of remote devices remotely monitored and managed via the cloud computing environment by an RMM product;

receive configuration information for the plurality of remote devices linked to the second user account for remote monitoring and management;

associate, in a database in the memory, the received configuration information with the second user account; and

an accessories module executed by the cloud computing environment to;

receive, from the developer associated with the first user account, a first RMM accessory item for the RMM product, the first RMM accessory item comprising at least one of a monitor, a data view, an antivirus definition, a search, a report, a script, a system component, a plugin, a probe, or a definition;

validate, responsive to receipt from the developer, the first RMM accessory item;

identify, based on the configuration information associated with the second user account in the database and a status value of the first RMM accessory item, the first RMM accessory item as available for the plurality of remote devices linked to the second user account for remote monitoring and management by the RMM product, the status value indicating a relationship between the first RMM accessory item and the RMM product; and

install, responsive to selection of the first RMM accessory item and based on the identification of the first RMM accessory item as available for the plurality of remote devices linked to the second user account for remote monitoring and management by the RMM product, the first RMM accessory item for the RMM product used to remotely monitor and manage the plurality of devices linked to the second user account, the installation configured to improve the performance of the plurality of remote devices monitored and managed by the RMM product.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the accessories module is configured to:

recommend, for the second user account, the first RMM accessory item based on a history of activity associated with the second user account.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the accessories module is configured to:

obtain, from the developer, a newer version of the first RMM accessory item; and

responsive to the obtaining the newer version, install the newer version for the RMM product associated for the second user account.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the first RMM accessory item comprises a remedy for a zero-day attack.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the first RMM accessory item comprises the script, and the accessories module is configured to:

receive, from a first remote device of the plurality of remote devices, a first performance metric of the first remote device prior to installation of the script;

install, responsive to the identification of the first RMM accessory item as compatible with the plurality of remote devices, the script on the first remote device;

receive, from the first remote device, a second performance metric of the device subsequent to the installation of the script; and

verify an improvement from the first performance metric to the second performance metric.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the accessories module is configured to:

validate, responsive to receipt from the developer, the first RMM accessory item to avoid introduction of malicious activity.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the accessories module is configured to:

receive, from the developer of the first RMM accessory item, a policy configured to indicate availability of the first RMM accessory item.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the accessories module is configured to:

initiate an electronic exchange between the first user account and the second user account response responsive to selection or installation of the first RMM accessory item.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the RMM product is configured to:

establish a connection with each of the plurality of devices to monitor a condition on each of the plurality of devices.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the RMM product is configured to:

initiate an action on at least one of the plurality of devices based on the installation of the first accessory item.

11. A method of extending functionality of server-based remote monitoring and management, comprising:

one or more servers comprising one or more processors and memory forming a cloud computing environment;

creating, by a user module executed by a cloud computing environment comprising one or more servers and memory, a first user account for a developer of remote monitoring and management (“

RMM”

) accessory items;

creating, by the user module, a second user account linked to a plurality of remote devices remotely monitored and managed via the cloud computing environment by an RMM product;

receiving, by the user module, configuration information for the plurality of remote devices linked to the second user account for remote monitoring and management;

associating, by the user module in a database in the memory, the received configuration information with the second user account;

receiving, by an accessories module executed by the cloud computing environment, from the developer associated with the first user account, a first RMM accessory item for the RMM product, the first RMM accessory item comprising at least one of a monitor, a data view, an antivirus definition, a search, a report, a script, a system component, a plugin, a probe, or a definition;

validating, by the accessories module responsive to receipt from the developer, the first RMM accessory item;

identifying, by the accessories module, based on the configuration information associated with the second user account in the database and a status value of the first RMM accessory item, the first RMM accessory item as available for the plurality of remote devices linked to the second user account for remote monitoring and management by the RMM product, the status value indicating a relationship between the first RMM accessory item and the RMM product; and

installing, responsive to selection of the first RMM accessory item and based on the identification of the first RMM accessory item as available for the plurality of remote devices linked to the second user account for remote monitoring and management by the RMM product, the first RMM accessory item for the RMM product used to remotely monitor and manage the plurality of devices linked to the second user account, the installation configured to improve the performance of the plurality of remote devices monitored and managed by the RMM product.

12. The method of claim 11, comprising:

recommending, for the second user account, the first RMM accessory item based on a history of activity associated with the second user account.

13. The method of claim 11, comprising:

obtaining, from the developer, a newer version of the first RMM accessory item; and

responsive to the obtaining the newer version, installing the newer version for the RMM product associated for the second user account.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein the first RMM accessory item comprises a remedy for a zero-day attack.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein the first RMM accessory item comprises the script, comprising:

receiving, from a first remote device of the plurality of remote devices, a first performance metric of the first remote device prior to installation of the script;

installing, responsive to the identification of the first RMM accessory item as compatible with the plurality of remote devices, the script on the first remote device;

receiving, from the first remote device, a second performance metric of the device subsequent to the installation of the script; and

verifying an improvement from the first performance metric to the second performance metric.

16. The method of claim 11, comprising:

validating, responsive to receipt from the developer, the first RMM accessory item to avoid introduction of malicious activity.

17. The method of claim 11, comprising:

receiving, from the developer of the first RMM accessory item, a policy configured to indicate availability of the first RMM accessory item.

18. The method of claim 11, comprising:

initiating an electronic exchange between the first user account and the second user account response responsive to selection or installation of the first RMM accessory item.

19. The method of claim 11, comprising:

establishing a connection with each of the plurality of devices to monitor a condition on each of the plurality of devices.

20. The method of claim 11, comprising:

initiating an action on at least one of the plurality of devices based on the installation of the first accessory item.