Automated logging of system configurations

• US 20040044693A1
• Filed: 08/27/2002
• Published: 03/04/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 08/27/2002
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: LSI Logic Corporation (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: LSI Logic Corporation (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Inventors: So, David Jr., Slutz, Mark, Gygi, Carl, Hadley, Andrew
• Application Number:
  US10/230,842
• Publication Number:
  US 20040044693A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 707/200
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/2358 Change logging, detection, and notification replication G06F16/27
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/71 Version control security arrangements therefor G06F21/57; Configuration management

Abstract

Disclosed is a system and method for determining the configuration of a personal computer and storing the configuration for further use, such as administrative analyses. The configuration of a personal computer may be stored locally or in a database located on a network and shared with a plurality of other personal computers.

Claims

1. A method for storing the configuration of a personal computer comprising:

determining at least a portion of the current configuration of said personal computer automatically;

reading a configuration file containing an old configuration of said computer;

comparing said current configuration to said old configuration to determine any changes; and

if any changes exist, creating an alert and updating said configuration file with said current configuration.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein said current configuration comprises at least a portion of the hardware configuration of said personal computer.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein said current configuration comprises at least a portion of the software configuration of said personal computer.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein said current configuration comprises at least a portion of the firmware configuration of said personal computer.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein said configuration file is located on a second computer connected to said personal computer by a network.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein said alert comprises sending an email.

7. The method of claim 5 wherein said configuration file comprises a record in a database.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein said configuration file is accessible to a second computer connected to said personal computer by a network.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein said method is executed during a startup sequence of said personal computer.

10. A personal computer with an automatically updated configuration file comprising:

a local storage device comprising a configuration file comprising at least a portion of a stored configuration of said personal computer; and

a software program adapted to determine at least a portion of the current configuration of said personal computer automatically, read a configuration file containing an old configuration of said computer, compare said current configuration to said old configuration to determine any changes, and if any changes exist, create an alert and update said configuration file with said current configuration.

11. The personal computer of claim 10 wherein said current configuration comprises at least a portion of the hardware configuration of said personal computer.

12. The personal computer of claim 10 wherein said current configuration comprises at least a portion of the software configuration of said personal computer.

13. The personal computer of claim 10 wherein said current configuration comprises at least a portion of the firmware configuration of said personal computer.

14. The personal computer of claim 10 wherein said configuration file is accessible to a second computer connected to said personal computer by a network.

15. The personal computer of claim 10 wherein said method is executed during a startup sequence of said personal computer.

16. A system for automatically maintaining and storing configuration information about a plurality of personal computers comprising:

a storage device comprising a configuration database comprising a record for each of said plurality of personal computers, each of said records comprising at least a portion of the configuration of said personal computer, said storage device connected to a network;

said plurality of personal computers adapted to determine at least a portion of the current configuration of said personal computer automatically and communicate said configuration to said configuration database;

at least one analysis device capable of comparing said current configuration of said personal computer with an old configuration that was stored in said configuration database; and

at least one administrative device capable of recalling said records from said configuration database.

17. The system of claim 16 wherein at least one of said personal computers is said analysis device.

18. The system of claim 17 wherein each of said personal computers is said analysis device.

19. The system of claim 16 wherein said administrative device is also said analysis device.

20. The system of claim 16 wherein said current configuration comprises at least a portion of the hardware configuration of said personal computer.

21. The system of claim 16 wherein said current configuration comprises at least a portion of the software configuration of said personal computer.

22. The system of claim 16 wherein said current configuration comprises at least a portion of the firmware configuration of said personal computer.

23. The system of claim 16 wherein said alert comprises sending an email.

24. The system of claim 16 wherein said personal computer executes said determining at least a portion of said configuration during a startup sequence of said personal computer.