System and method for remote systems management and reporting

• US 20040249919A1
• Filed: 06/04/2003
• Published: 12/09/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 06/04/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Electronic Data Systems Corporation (Perspecta, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Electronic Data Systems Corporation (Perspecta, Inc.)
• Inventors: Mattheis, Dirk
• Application Number:
  US10/455,749
• Publication Number:
  US 20040249919A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/223
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/65 Updates security arrangements therefor G06F21/57
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0816 the condition being an adaptation, e.g. in response to network events
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/082 the condition being updates or upgrades of network functionality
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0853 by actively collecting configuration information or by backing up configuration information
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0856 by backing up or archiving configuration information
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/045 for graphical visualisation of monitoring data
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/065 related to network devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0811 by checking connectivity
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/34 involving the movement of software or configuration parameters network booting or remote initial program loading [RIPL] G06F9/4416

Abstract

A system and method are presented for a low cost and efficient remote systems management tool. In exemplary embodiments of the present invention a system environment includes the installation of a small software component on each client device. These components work in conjunction with one or more distributed and/or centralized support servers to obtain software updates, and then execute a series of software modules. In contrast with conventional systems, since neither dedicated servers nor specialized scripting languages are required, a system according to an embodiment of the present invention can leverage industry standard technologies. Thus, in exemplary embodiments of the present invention support servers can be, for example, existing file/print servers running on a local area network or secure FTP servers which are hosted either inside or outside of an enterprise LAN environment. Additionally, such a system can be coded in readily available scripting languages. Thus, in an exemplary embodiment of the present invention designed to manage client devices running MS Windows™ systems, the system can be coded in, for example, WinBatch™.

Claims

1. A method of remote hardware and software management, comprising:

running management software on a client device which is connected to a computer network;

wherein the management software runs automatically in response to defined events to;

load software updates if available;

execute a series of plug-ins; and

acquire essential asset information.

2. The method of claim 1, where the management software loads software updates by:

determining the location of the client device;

locating a nearest distribution share on the computer network; and

loading software updates from the nearest distribution share.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the software updates include at least one of updates to the management software and updates to the plug-ins.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the management software loads software updates from the nearest distribution share via UNC and/or FTP.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the computer network is one of a company LAN, a company WAN, a company DUN, a VPN, the Internet, or analog remote services.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising sending the acquired essential asset information to a central server connected to the computer network.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the acquired essential asset information is automatically input by the central server to a database application and made available for reporting and/or management tasks.

8. The method of claim 6 wherein the essential asset information is sent via email to a dedicated internal address which can be accessed by the central server.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the management software selectively loads updated software as a function of the type of computer network the client device is connected to.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the defined events include one or more of a fixed time interval, logon, a change in connectivity, a time stamp of a software application being older than a defined value and an occurrence of a system defined parameter.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the management software has a modular structure, comprising a core and one or more plug-in modules.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein in operation the management software first executes an update function, and then executes the plug-ins in sequence.

13. The method of claim 2, wherein the management software selectively loads software updates from the nearest distribution share as a function of the client device'"'"'s operating system and IP address.

14. The method of claim 1, further comprising that if the client device is not connected to a computer network, after a predetermined time the management software displays a prompt on the client device advising a user to connect to a computer network.

15. The method of claim 2, wherein a distribution share can be any device able to share files via UNC and/or FTP.

16. A remote hardware and software management system, comprising:

a management software component installed on a plurality of client devices; and

one or more support servers;

wherein each of the client devices are connected over a computer network to one or more of the support servers,

and wherein the management software component on each client device automatically

locates a nearest support server;

loads updated software if available from the nearest support server; and

runs the updated software on the client device.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the plurality of client devices comprises one or more of desktop computers, laptop computers, workstations, servers or PDAs.

18. The system of claim 16, wherein the updated software comprises at least one of updates to a management software core and updates to plug-ins.

20. The system of claim 16, wherein when the management software component loads updated software from the nearest server, it selectively loads software specific to the client device.

21. The system of claim 16, wherein the computer network is one of a company LAN, a company WAN, a company DUN, a VPN, the Internet or analog remote services.

22. The system of claim 16, wherein the management software selectively loads different updated software from the nearest server depending upon the type of computer network over which the client device is connected to the nearest server.

23. The system of claim 16, wherein the management software selectively loads different updated software from the nearest server depending upon the type of client device and depending upon client device specific criteria.

24. The system of claim 16, wherein the one or more support servers can be distributed or centralized.

25. The system of claim 16, wherein a support server comprises at least one of existing file/print servers running on a LAN, secure FTP servers hosted inside a company LAN environment and secure FTP servers hosted outside a corporate LAN environment.

26. The system of claim 16, further comprising a master system server which distributes software to the one or more support servers.

27. The system of claim 16, wherein the management software additionally acquires essential asset information.

28. The system of claim 27, further comprising a database application running on a master system server, wherein the essential asset information is sent to the master system server and input to the database application for use in reporting and/or management tasks.

19. The system of claim 160, wherein the management software component has a modular structure, comprising a core with one or more plug-ins.