Method and apparatus for a data confidence index

• US 10,528,718 B2
• Filed: 09/26/2014
• Issued: 01/07/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 09/27/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: PayPal, Inc. (PayPal Holdings, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: PayPal, Inc. (PayPal Holdings, Inc.)
• Inventors: Nandwani, Suneet, Zou, Jie
• Primary Examiner(s): Badawi, Sherief
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hoffler, Raheem
• Application Number:
  US14/498,772
• Publication Number:
  US 20150095296A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,929 Days
• Field of Search: 707694
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/44 Program or device authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/105 Multiple levels of security

Abstract

Techniques for providing a data confidence index are presented herein. In one embodiment, a method includes setting a default confidence index for a remote computing device, the confidence index indicating trustworthiness of data provided by the remote computing device, the remote computing device operating as part of a network of cooperating devices; applying a plurality of ordered rules for the remote computing device, respective rules comprising a rule pre-condition and a confidence index adjustment, respective rules considering one of a behavior of the remote computing device and a property of the remote computing device; and adjusting the confidence index for the remote computing device responsive to results of applying the plurality of ordered rules. A system and apparatus substantially perform steps of the disclosed method.

Claims

1. A computer system comprising:

a processor;

a memory device holding an instruction set executable on the processor to cause the computer system to perform operations comprising;

setting a default for a confidence index for a remote computing device, the confidence index indicating trustworthiness of data provided by the remote computing device, the remote computing device operating as part of a network of cooperating devices configured to provide network information services to a plurality of client devices;

applying a plurality of ordered rules for the remote computing device with respect to the remote computing device providing network information services to the plurality of client devices as part of the network of cooperating devices, respective rules comprising a rule pre-condition and a confidence index adjustment, respective rules considering a behavior of the remote computing device and a property of the remote computing device, wherein the behavior includes an operating status of the remote computing device with respect to providing network information services to one or more of the plurality of client devices in which the operating status includes two or more behaviors selected from a group of behaviors consisting of;

operating as a server, providing one or more network information services, operating as a cold cache, operating as warm cache, being allocated for a specific purpose in the network of cooperating devices, being managed by a network resource manager, having an error, being faulty, being flagged for disposal, and being at end of life;

adjusting the confidence index for the remote computing device responsive to results of the applying the plurality of ordered rules;

obtaining first data from the remote computing device in which the first data is provided by the remote computing device in response to a request for network services being received by the network of cooperating devices from a particular client device of the plurality of client devices;

obtaining second data from an other remote computing device of the network of cooperating devices in which the second data is provided by the other remote computing device in response to the request for network services from the particular client device;

considering the first data over the second data based on the confidence index for the remote computing device as compared to an other confidence index for the other remote computing device indicating that the first data is more trustworthy than the second data;

constructing requested data with respect to the request based on the first data instead of the second data based on the considering of the first data over the second data; and

providing the requested data to the particular client device as a response to the request for network services.

2. The computer system as in claim 1, wherein the operations further comprise disqualifying the remote computing device from participation in the network of cooperating devices in response to the confidence index falling below a confidence index threshold.

3. The computer system as in claim 1, wherein the operations further comprise modifying a state for the remote computing device based on the confidence index, the state selected from a group of states consisting of cold cache, warm cache, allocated, faulty, and end of life.

4. The computer system as in claim 3, wherein the operations further comprise disqualifying the remote computing device from participation in the network of cooperating devices in response to the modified state not matching a predefined state.

5. The computer system as in claim 1, wherein the operations further comprise receiving the plurality of ordered rules from a rules engine.

6. The computer system as in claim 1, wherein respective rules are applied in response to respective rule preconditions being satisfied.

7. The computer system as in claim 1, wherein the adjusting comprises:

setting the confidence index in response to at least one behavior comprising network activity, the property comprising a time of a physical scan, and a parameter comprising a database record indicating that the remote computing device is not in a disposed state;

increasing the confidence index in response to the parameter indicating a change in a state occurring within a threshold amount of time;

decreasing the confidence index in response to the parameter indicating missing identifying information; and

limiting the confidence index to no greater than a maximum confidence index and no less than a minimum confidence index.

8. A method comprising:

accepting a default confidence index for a remote computing device, the confidence index indicating trustworthiness of data provided by the remote computing device, the remote computing device operating as part of a network of cooperating devices configured to provide network information services to a plurality of client devices;

applying a plurality of ordered rules for the remote computing device with respect to the remote computing device providing network information services to the plurality of client devices as part of the network of cooperating devices, respective rules comprising a rule pre-condition and a confidence index adjustment, respective rules considering a behavior of the remote computing device and a property of the remote computing device, wherein the behavior includes an operating status of the remote computing device with respect to providing network information services to one or more of the plurality of client devices in which the operating status includes two or more behaviors selected from a group of behaviors consisting of;

operating as a server, providing one or more network information services, operating as a cold cache, operating as warm cache, being allocated for a specific purpose in the network of cooperating devices, being managed by a network resource manager, having an error, being faulty, being flagged for disposal, and being at end of life;

adjusting the confidence index for the remote computing device responsive to results of the applying the plurality of ordered rules;

obtaining first data from the remote computing device which the first data is provided by the remote computing device in response to a request for network services being received by the network of cooperating devices from a particular client device of the plurality of client devices;

obtaining second data from an other remote computing device of the network of cooperating devices in which the second data is provided by the other remote computing device in response to the request for network services from the particular client device;

considering the first data over the second data based on the confidence index for the remote computing device as compared to an other confidence index for the other remote computing device indicating that the first data is more trustworthy than the second data;

constructing requested data with respect to the request based on the first data instead of the second data based on the considering of the first data over the second data; and

providing the requested data to the particular client device as a response to the request for network services.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising disqualifying the remote computing device from participation in the network of cooperating devices in response to the confidence index falling below a confidence index threshold.

10. The method of claim 8, further comprising modifying a state for the remote computing device based on the confidence index, the state selected from a group of states consisting of:

cold cache, warm cache, allocated, faulty, and end of life.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising disqualifying the remote computing device from participation in the network of cooperating devices in response to the modified state not matching a predefined state.

12. The method of claim 8, further comprising receiving the plurality of ordered rules from a rules engine.

13. The method of claim 8, wherein respective rules are applied in response to respective rule preconditions being satisfied.

14. The method of claim 8, wherein the plurality of ordered rules is applied at a predetermined time interval.

15. The method of claim 8, wherein a property of the remote computing device is selected from a group of properties consisting of:

a time of a physical inventory scan, a physical location, a manufacturer, a model number, and an association with a data center.

16. A non-transitory machine-readable storage medium comprising instructions, which in response to being implemented by one or more machines, cause the one or more machines to perform operations comprising:

accepting a default confidence index for a remote computing device, the confidence index indicating trustworthiness of data provided by the remote computing device, the remote computing device operating as part of a network of cooperating devices configured to provide network information services to a plurality of client devices;

applying a plurality of ordered rules for the remote computing device with respect to the remote computing device providing network information services to the plurality of client devices as part of the network of cooperating devices, respective rules comprising a rule pre-condition and a confidence index adjustment, respective rules considering a behavior of the remote computing device and a property of the remote computing device, wherein the behavior includes two or more behaviors selected from a group of behaviors consisting of;

activity with respect to the network;

transmission of packets on a transmission medium of the network;

providing network services, being managed by a network resource manager, and an operating status of the remote computing device;

adjusting the confidence index for the remote computing device responsive to results of the applying the plurality of ordered rules;

obtaining first data from the remote computing device in which the first data is provided by the remote computing device in response to a request for network services being received by the network of cooperating devices from a particular client device of the plurality of client devices;

obtaining second data from an other remote computing device of the network of cooperating devices in which the second data is provided by the other remote computing device in response to the request for network services from the particular client device;

considering the first data over the second data based on the confidence index for the remote computing device as compared to an other confidence index for the other remote computing device indicating that the first data is more trustworthy than the second data;

constructing requested data with respect to the request based on the first data instead of the second data based on the considering of the first data over the second data; and

providing the requested data to the particular client device as a response to the request for network services.

17. The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of claim 16, wherein the operations further comprise disqualifying the remote computing device from participation in the network of cooperating devices in response to the confidence index falling below a confidence index threshold.

18. The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of claim 16, wherein the operations further comprise disqualifying the remote computing device from participation in the network of cooperating devices in response to the modified state not matching a predefined state.