APPARATUS, SYSTEM, AND METHOD FOR ENFORCING POLICY REQUIREMENTS ASSOCIATED WITH A SERVICE

• US 20100132050A1
• Filed: 11/21/2008
• Published: 05/27/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 11/21/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Xerox Corporation (Xerox Holdings Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Xerox Corporation (Xerox Holdings Corp.)
• Inventors: Moore, John A.
• Granted Patent: US 8,185,962 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 726/28
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0637 Strategic management or analysis, e.g. setting a goal or target of an organisation; Planning actions based on goals; Analysis or evaluation of effectiveness of goals
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/5019 Ensuring fulfilment of SLA
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/5067 Customer-centric QoS measurements
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/5083 wherein the managed service relates to web hosting

Abstract

A computer-readable medium having stored thereon a plurality of instructions including instructions that when executed by a processor enable a service provider to track and enforce policy requirements associated with a provided service of the service provider. The application software configured to provide notification of the policy requirements and to trigger an intentional degradation of the provided service as a function of time when a user fails to comply with at least one of the policy requirements.

Claims

1. A method for providing a service to a user, comprising:

determining if the user of the provided service is complying with at least one policy requirement;

degrading the provided service to the user if the at least one policy requirement is not complied with;

notifying the user of the degradation of the provided service;

continuing degradation of the provided service to the user until the user complies with the at least one policy requirement; and

restoring the provided service to the user after the user complies with the at least one policy requirement.

2. A method for providing a service to a user according to claim 1, further comprising monitoring the service provided to the user, wherein monitoring includes monitoring a web-based provided service.

3. A method for providing a service to a user according to claim 1, further comprising providing a compliance schedule associated with the provided service to the user.

4. A method for providing a service to a user according to claim 1, wherein the step of continuing degradation is performed as a function of time.

5. A method for providing a service to a user according to claim 1, wherein the step of continuing degradation is performed as a function of a service attribute.

6. A method for providing a service to a user according to claim 1, wherein the step of degrading comprises the step of restricting the availability of the provided service.

7. A method for providing a service to a user according to claim 1, wherein the step of degrading comprises restricting one of performance and accuracy of the provided service.

8. A method for providing a service to a user according to claim 7, wherein the step of restricting comprises reducing the accuracy of the provided service.

9. A method for providing a service to a user according to claim 1, wherein the step of degrading comprises restricting specific functions of the provided service.

10. A method for providing a service to a user according to claim 1, wherein the at least one policy requirement is selected from the group consisting of configuration management, account balance, and data synchronization.

11. A method for providing a service to a user according to claim 1, wherein the step of notifying the user is accomplished via one of emailing, texting and phoning.

12. A computer-readable medium having stored thereon a plurality of instructions including instructions that when executed by a processor cause the processor to enable a service provider to track and enforce policy requirements associated with a provided service of the service provider, the application software configured to provide notification of the policy requirements and to trigger an intentional degradation of the provided service as a function of time when a user fails to comply with at least one of the policy requirements.

13. A system for providing a web-based service, comprising:

a host system operatively connected to a network and adapted to process, store, and manage data related to a web-based service configured to enable access to one or more capabilities associated with the web-based service, wherein a user is required to comply with at least one service policy requirement as specified by a web-based service description associated with the web-based service, the host server includes at least one processer;

a data processing system including a computing device operable to connect to the network and configured to implement the web-based service; and

a web-based software application having a set of programmable instructions configured for execution by the processor to enable a service provider of the web-based service to track and enforce the at least one policy requirement associated with the web-based service, the web-based software application configured to provide notification of the at least one policy requirement and to trigger an intentional degradation of the web-based service as a function of time when a user fails to comply with the at least one policy requirement.

14. A system according to claim 13, wherein the web-based software application is configured to provide a compliance schedule associated with the web-based service to the user.

15. A system according to claim 13, wherein the web-based software application is configured to degrade the web-based service as a function of time.

16. A system according to claim 15, wherein the web-based software application is configured to restrict the availability of the web-based service.

17. A system according to claim 15, wherein the web-based software application is configured to restrict one of performance and accuracy of the web-based service.

18. A system according to claim 15, wherein the web-based software application is configured to reduce the accuracy of the web-based service.

19. A system according to claim 15, wherein the web-based software application is configured to restrict a specific function of the web-based service.