Software and hardware component audit and inventory management system

• US 20010056386A1
• Filed: 06/21/2001
• Published: 12/27/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 06/23/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Original Assignee: Assetmetrix Inc.
• Inventors: OʼHalloran, Steve, Norrie, Ross
• Granted Patent: US 7,548,878 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/28
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/2289 by configuration test
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/203 Inventory monitoring

Abstract

A system for computer device component audit and inventory management operates in a data network and includes an inventory agent installed on a target computer device for detecting and compiling software and hardware inventory data associated with the target device. An inventory-commence message is deployed through an electronic message handling system, operable on the data network, which requests inventory data from the inventory agent which then compiles the inventory data into executable language statements for incorporation into a host database accessible by a client. Multiple reports may be generated regarding the inventory data. Fees may not be charged for aggregate inventory data. The system provides a client with the ability to remotely request, compile, analyze and report inventory data from target devices that do not necessarily have access to the data network at the time of the inventory request.

Claims

1. An inventory agent for use in a target device accessible to a data network, the inventory agent comprising:

a receiver for receiving an inventory-commence message from a client computer through the data network;

a detector for detecting inventory associated with the target device; and

a transmitter for transmitting to a host unit through the data network an inventory-data message including inventory data associated with the target device.

2. An inventory agent as claimed in

claim 1

wherein the receiver compares the identity of the inventory-commence message with the identity of the inventory agent.

3. An inventory agent as claimed in

claim 2

wherein the inventory agent terminates the inventory request if the identity of the inventory-commence message is not associated with the identity of the inventory agent.

4. An inventory agent as claimed in

claim 1

wherein the inventory agent is unaccessible to the data network at time of transmission of the inventory-commence message and wherein the inventory agent receives the inventory-commence message upon re-access to the data network.

5. An inventory agent as claimed in

claim 1

wherein the inventory-commence message, inventory detection, and inventory-data message require no involvement by a user of the target device.

6. An inventory agent as claimed in

claim 1

wherein the inventory agent is remotely installed on the target device through the data network.

7. An inventory agent as claimed in

claim 1

wherein the inventory agent saves compiled inventory data directly to a file in executable language statements for incorporation into a database.

8. An inventory agent as claimed in

claim 7

wherein the executable language statements include Structure Query Language (SQL) statements.

9. A host unit, for use in a host computer, for use in a component audit and inventory management system accessible to a data network, the host computer comprising a computer processor, memory, and user interface, the host unit comprising:

a transmitter for transmitting, via the data network, an inventory-commence message to a client computer, the inventory-commence message for activating an inventory agent installed on a target device; and

a receiver for receiving, via the data network, an inventory-data message from the inventory agent, the inventory-data message including inventory data associated with the target device.

10. A host unit as claimed in

claim 9

wherein the inventory data contained within the inventory-data message is stored within a database.

11. A host unit as claimed in

claim 9

wherein the host unit is programmed to establish an account with the client computer, the account being characterized as a group of data relating to inventory assets.

12. A host unit as claimed in

claim 9

wherein first and second inventory data are deliverable by the host unit to the client computer, the first inventory data comprising inventory data not identified with a particular target device.

13. A host unit as claimed in

claim 9

wherein the host unit is programmed to calculate the age of the target device.

14. A host unit as claimed in

claim 9

wherein the host unit is programmed to predict replacement and disposal rates for specified target devices.

15. A host unit as claimed in

claim 9

wherein the host unit is programmed to analyze the migration from one target device system to another target device system and wherein the analysis is remotely accessible by the client computer via the data network.

16. A computer program product comprising a memory having computer-readable code embodied therein for detecting and compiling inventory data associated with a target device comprising:

code for receiving an inventory-commence message from a client computer through a data network;

code for detecting inventory associated with the target device; and

code for transmitting to a host unit through the data network an inventory-data message including inventory data associated with the target device.

17. A system for remote component audit and inventory management for operation in a data network comprising:

a host unit for use in a host computer, the host computer comprising a processor, memory, and user interface;

a client computer for requesting inventory information;

a target device characterized as a source of inventory data; and

an inventory agent for installation on the target device and for receiving an inventory-commence message via the data network from the client computer and for detecting inventory data associated with the target device and for sending an inventory-data message including the inventory data via the data network to the host unit.

18. A system for remote component audit and inventory management as claimed in

claim 17

wherein the host unit, client computer, and target device at least intermittently access at least one message handling system operable within the data network wherein the at least one message handling system is used to transmit the inventory-commence message and inventory-data message.

19. A system for remote component audit and inventory management as claimed in

claim 17

wherein the at least one message handling system includes an electronic mail system.

20. A system for remote component audit and inventory management as claimed in

claim 17

wherein the inventory-commence message, inventory detection, and inventory-data message are undetectable by a user of the target device.

21. A system for remote component audit and inventory management as claimed in

claim 17

wherein the inventory agent saves compiled inventory data associated with the target device to a file in executable language statements for incorporation into a database associated with the host unit.

22. A system for remote component audit and inventory management as claimed in

claim 17

wherein first and second inventory data are deliverable by the host unit to the client computer, the first inventory data comprising inventory data not identified with a particular target device.

23. A method for component audit and inventory management for operation in a data network comprising the steps of:

sending, by a client computer to a target device via the data network, an inventory-commence message capable of activating an inventory agent installed within the target device;

detecting, by the inventory agent, inventory data associated with the target device; and

delivering, by the inventory agent to a host unit via the data network, an inventory-data message including the inventory data associated with the target device.

24. A method for component audit and inventory management as claimed in

claim 23

wherein the inventory-commence message detects the absence of an installed inventory agent on the target device and, where no inventory agent is installed, instructs the host unit to install an inventory agent on the target device.

25. A method for component audit and inventory management as claimed in

claim 23

wherein the client computer sends, via the data network, a request to the host unit for inventory data pertaining to a target device and wherein the host unit, in response to the request, generates and sends an inventory-commence message to the client computer via the data network for distribution to a target device.

26. A method for component audit and inventory management as claimed in

claim 23

wherein the inventory-commence message includes a pulse number for identifying inventory data with a particular date and time associated with the generation of the pulse number.

27. A method for component audit and inventory management as claimed in

claim 23

wherein the target device is only intermittently accessible to the data network.

28. A method for component audit and inventory management as claimed in

claim 23

wherein first and second inventory data are deliverable by the host unit to the client computer, the first inventory data comprising inventory data not identified with a particular target device.

29. A method for component audit and inventory management as claimed in

claim 28

wherein no fee is chargable for providing the first inventory data.

30. A method for component audit and inventory management as claimed in

claim 23

wherein the host unit is programmable to analyze the inventory data to provide information associated with characteristics of specified target devices and wherein the analyzed inventory data is remotely accessible by a client computer.

31. A method for component audit and inventory management as claimed in

claim 23

wherein an Internet portal is accessible by the client computer via the host unit.

32. A method for component audit and inventory management for operation in a target device accessible to a data network comprising the steps of:

receiving an inventory-commence message from a client computer through the data network;

detecting inventory associated with the target device; and

transmitting to a host unit through the data network an inventory-data message including inventory data associated with the target device.