RFID Discovery, Tracking, and Provisioning of Information Technology Assets

• US 20080291023A1
• Filed: 05/24/2007
• Published: 11/27/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 05/24/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: James, David C., Anderson, William L.
• Application Number:
  US11/753,552
• Publication Number:
  US 20080291023A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/572.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders

Abstract

Techniques for discovery, tracking, and provisioning of information technology (IT) assets are described. In one implementation, a detection region for radio frequency identifier (RFID) signals is monitored, and any RFID signals associated with IT assets within the detection region are sensed. A detected RFID signal is analyzed to obtain identifying information regarding the IT asset. The identifying information is formatted into an event record, and the event record is stored in a memory. In alternate embodiments, the event record may be further analyzed to determine whether the IT asset complies with a policy specification associated with the IT asset, and a notification of noncompliance may be issued if the IT asset does not comply with the policy specification.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

monitoring a detection region for radio frequency identifier (RFID) signals;

sensing an RFID signal associated with an information technology (IT) asset within the detection region;

analyzing the RFID signal to obtain identifying information regarding the IT asset; and

formatting the identifying information for storage.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein analyzing the RFID signal includes analyzing the RFID signal to obtain a provisioning policy associated with the IT asset.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising provisioning the IT asset in accordance with the provisioning policy.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

specifying one or more IT asset discovery specifications; and

determining whether the RFID signal satisfies the one or more IT asset discovery specifications.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

specifying one or more IT asset discovery specifications; and

determining whether one or more event records previously stored in the memory satisfies the one or more IT asset discovery specifications.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein formatting the identifying information includes formatting the identifying information into an event record, the method further comprising:

analyzing the event record to determine whether the IT asset complies with at least one policy specification associated with the IT asset; and

issuing a notification if the IT asset does not comply with the at least one policy specification.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

sensing a second RFID signal associated with a user badge within the detection region;

analyzing the second RFID signal to obtain second identifying information regarding the user badge; and

formatting the second identifying information for storage.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising determining a correlation between the RFID signal associated with the IT asset and the second RFID signal associated with the user badge.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

monitoring a second detection region for RFID signals;

sensing the RFID signal associated with the IT asset within the second detection region;

preparing a second event record indicating a presence of the IT asset within the second detection region; and

storing the second event record in a memory.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising determining a direction of travel of the IT asset based on the sensing of the RFID signal within the first and second detection regions.

11. The method of claim 9, further comprising determining a correlation between (1) movement of the RFID signal associated with the IT asset through the first and second detection regions and (2) movement of a second RFID signal associated with a user badge through the first and second detection regions.

12. A computer readable medium storing computer-executable instructions that, when executed, perform acts comprising:

detecting a radio frequency identifier (RFID) signal emitted by an RFID tag associated with an information technology (IT) asset;

extracting identifying information regarding the IT asset from the RFID signal; and

storing an event record including the identifying information in a memory.

13. The computer readable medium of claim 12, wherein the acts further comprise:

analyzing the event record to determine compliance of the IT asset with at least one policy specification; and

issuing a notification if the IT asset is not in compliance with the at least one policy specification.

14. The computer readable medium of claim 12, wherein the acts further comprise:

detecting a second RFID signal associated with a user badge;

extracting a second identifying information regarding the user badge from the second RFID signal; and

determining a correlation between the IT asset and the user badge.

15. The computer readable medium of claim 12, wherein the acts further comprise extracting a provisioning policy associated with the IT asset from the RFID signal.

16. The computer readable medium of claim 15, wherein the acts further comprise provisioning the IT asset in accordance with the provisioning policy.

17. A system, comprising:

a sensor configured to monitor a detection region for a radio frequency identifier (RFID) signal associated with an IT asset; and

a management component coupled to receive a detection signal from the sensor, the management component being configured to formulate an event record containing identifying information regarding the IT asset obtained from the detection signal.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the management component is further configured to:

analyze the event record to determine compliance of the IT asset with at least one policy specification; and

issue a notification if the IT asset is not in compliance with the at least one policy specification.

19. The system of claim 17, wherein the sensor is further configured to detect a second RFID signal associated with a user badge, and wherein the management component is further configured to determine a correlation between the IT asset and the user badge.

20. The system of claim 17, wherein the management component is further configured to:

extract a provisioning policy associated with the IT asset from the at least one RFID signal; and

provision the IT asset in accordance with the provisioning policy.