Network resource location detection probe apparatus and method

• US 20010029534A1
• Filed: 01/18/2001
• Published: 10/11/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 01/18/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ivanti, Inc. (Ivanti Software, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Centennial Software Limited (Ivanti Software, Inc.)
• Inventors: Spinks, John, Stephens, Glenn M.
• Granted Patent: US 7,640,334 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/224
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/105 Arrangements for software license management or administration, e.g. for managing licenses at corporate level
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/06 Management of faults, events, alarms or notifications
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/00 Arrangements for monitoring or testing data switching networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/06 Generation of reports
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0811 by checking connectivity

Abstract

Mechanisms for network device information collection and change detection are disclosed. An apparatus in accordance with the present invention may include a reporting module hosted on a PC connected to a network. The reporting module may be capable of querying an intelligent network infrastructure device, such as a switch, a router, or a hub, to obtain end point connection information corresponding to the PC. The apparatus may also include a correlation module capable of associating the end point connection information acquired by the PC to a location identifier corresponding to the physical location at which the PC is actually installed at the physical site of the network. The reporting module may transmit the end point connection information to a central database. The reporting module may also include an update module capable of detecting changes in end point connection information corresponding to PCs connected to the network, which may be occasioned by movement of the PCs from one location to another on the network or removal of the PCs from the network. The reporting module may also include an inventory module capable of detecting other network devices, such as printers or scanners, connected to the network and local to a PC or workstation connected to the network. The correlation module may also include a matching module capable of matching software license records to the software installed on devices connected to the network to determine whether the organization has sufficient software licenses to cover actual software installations on the network. Moreover, the correlation module may include a device recognition module capable of identifying the nomenclature of devices connected to the network.

Claims

1. An apparatus for physical detection and tracking of devices on a computer network, the apparatus comprising:

a processor, for executing executable data structures;

a memory device operably connected to the processor for storing the executable data structures and associated operational data structures, the executable and operational data structures comprising;

a reporting module configured to query a network infrastructure device and obtain end point connection information corresponding to a first network device; and

a correlation module configured to associate the end point connection information corresponding to the first network device to a location identifier corresponding to a physical location.

2. The apparatus of

claim 1

, wherein the end point connection information comprises a port number of the network infrastructure device.

3. The apparatus of

claim 1

, wherein the reporting module further comprises a communication module configured to transmit the end point connection information to a central database.

4. The apparatus of

claim 1

, wherein the reporting module further comprises an update module configured to detect a change of end point connection information corresponding to the first network device.

5. The apparatus of

claim 1

, wherein the reporting module further comprises an inventory module configured to detect a second network device local to the first network device and obtain end point connection information corresponding to the second network device.

6. The apparatus of

claim 1

, further comprising a monitoring module configured to receive end point connection information from the reporting module.

7. The apparatus of

claim 1

, wherein the correlation module further comprises a device recognition module configured to identify the nomenclature of the first network device based on product recognition records.

8. The apparatus of

claim 1

, wherein the reporting module further comprises an inventory module configured to detect and transmit software and hardware configuration information corresponding to the first network device.

9. The apparatus of

claim 1

, wherein the reporting module further comprises an inventory module configured to detect and transmit software and hardware configuration information corresponding to a second network device.

10. An article of manufacture comprising a computer-readable memory containing data structures for programming a computer, the data structures comprising:

a reporting module configured to query a network infrastructure device and obtain end point connection information corresponding to a first network device; and

a correlation module configured to associate the end point connection information corresponding to the first network device to a location identifier corresponding to a physical location.

11. The article of

claim 10

, wherein the end point connection information comprises a port number of the network infrastructure device.

12. The article of

claim 11

, wherein the reporting module further comprises a communication module configured to transmit the end point connection information to a central database.

13. The article of

claim 12

, wherein the reporting module further comprises an update module configured to detect a change of end point connection information corresponding to the first network device.

14. The article of

claim 13

, wherein the reporting module further comprises an inventory module configured to detect a second network device local to the first network device and obtain end point connection information corresponding to the second network device.

15. The article of

claim 14

, further comprising a monitoring module configured to receive end point connection information from the reporting module.

16. The article of

claim 15

, wherein the correlation module further comprises a device recognition module configured to identify the nomenclature of the first network device based on product recognition records.

17. The article of

claim 16

, wherein the inventory module is further configured to detect and transmit software and hardware configuration information corresponding to the first network device.

18. The article of

claim 16

, wherein the inventory module is further configured to detect and transmit software and hardware configuration information corresponding to the second network device.

19. A method for physical detection and tracking of devices on a computer network, the method comprising:

querying a network infrastructure device to obtain end point connection information corresponding to a first network device;

reporting the end point connection information to a central database; and

associating the end point connection information corresponding to the first network device to a location identifier corresponding to a physical location.

20. The method of

claim 19

, wherein the end point connection information comprises a port number of the network infrastructure device.

21. The method of

claim 19

, wherein the central database comprises device records storing end point connection information corresponding to network devices.

22. The method of

claim 19

, further comprising detecting a change of end point connection information corresponding to the first network device and updating the central database to reflect the change.

23. The method of

claim 19

, further comprising detecting a second network device local to the first network device and obtaining end point connection information corresponding to the second network device.

24. The method of

claim 19

, further comprising identifying a nomenclature of the first network device based on product recognition records stored in the central database.

25. The method of

claim 19

, further comprising detecting software and hardware configuration information corresponding to the first network device.

26. The method of

claim 25

, further comprising transmitting the software and hardware configuration information corresponding to the first network device to the central database.

27. The method of

claim 19

, further comprising detecting software and hardware configuration information corresponding to a second network device.