INFORMATION MANAGEMENT INVENTORY

• US 20100145921A1
• Filed: 03/27/2009
• Published: 06/10/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/08/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bank of America Corp.
• Original Assignee: Bank of America Corp.
• Inventors: Campbell, Edward W., Wilson, Richard M., Stanley, Eric B.
• Granted Patent: US 8,768,894 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 707/706
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/27 Replication, distribution or synchronisation of data between databases or within a distributed database system; Distributed database system architectures therefor

Abstract

An information management inventory in which information is managed electronically in a network of distributed servers including a structured data environment. Agent software may be loaded on a first server, which may be a local server, and the first server may be scanned with the agent software to identify data stores located on the first server. The information related to a first data store may be compiled with the agent software, and the information may be provided to a second server, which may be a data accumulation server. The information may be metadata about the first data store, and histories of changes to the data stores may be tracked in the second data store. Apparatus, computer readable medium systems, and computer program products are also provided.

Claims

1. A method of managing information electronically in a network of distributed servers including a structured data environment, the method comprising:

loading agent software on a first server;

scanning the first server with the agent software to identify data stores located on the first server;

compiling information related to a first data store with the agent software; and

providing the information to a second server.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising storing the information related to the first data store in a second data store located on the second server.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the second data store is a common location where information relating to a plurality of data stores is stored.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the information relating to the first data store is metadata.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein the information relating to the first data store includes the location of the first data store, the operational status of the first data store, the structure of the data store, characteristics of the content of the first data store, or combinations thereof.

6. The method of claim 3, further comprising periodically scanning the first server with the agent software to identify data stores that have changed since a previous scanning event, and providing information relating to changes to the first data store to the second server.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising storing versions of the changes made to the information relating to the first data store in the second data store.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the information relating to the first data store and the changes relating to the first data store are metadata.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising maintaining a history of the changes relating to the first data store with data management software.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising organizing the information and changes relating to the first data store with the data management software.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising reporting on the information and changes relating to the first data store with the data management software.

12. An apparatus for managing information electronically in a network of distributed servers including a structured data environment, the apparatus comprising:

means for loading agent software on a first server;

means for scanning the first server with the agent software to identify data stores located on the first server;

means for compiling information related to a first data store with the agent software; and

means for providing the information to a second server.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, further comprising means for storing the information related to the first data store in a second data store located on the second server.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the second data store is a common location where information relating to a plurality of data stores is stored.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the information relating to the first data store is metadata.

16. The apparatus of claim 14, further comprising means for periodically scanning the first server with the agent software to identify data stores that have changed since a previous scanning event, and providing information relating to changes to the first data store to the second server.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, further comprising means for storing versions of the changes made to the information relating to the first data store in the second data store.

18. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the information relating to the first data store and the changes relating to the first data store are metadata.

19. The apparatus of claim 18, further comprising means for maintaining a history of the changes relating to the first data store with data management software.

20. The apparatus of claim 19, further comprising means for organizing the information and changes relating to the first data store with the data management software.

21. The apparatus of claim 20, further comprising means for reporting on the information and changes relating to the first data store with the data management software.

22. A computer readable storage medium encoded with a data structure for managing information electronically in a network of distributed servers including a structured data environment, the data structure comprising:

a first data store in which object data resides, the first data store being located on a first server;

a second data store in which object data resides, the second data store being located on a second server; and

a third data store in which metadata relating to the first and second data stores is stored, the third data store being located on a third server,

wherein agent software locally scans for data stores and extracts metadata about identified data stores on the first and second servers before sending the metadata to the third server.

23. The computer readable memory system of claim 22, wherein the third data store includes metadata relating to changes to the first and second data stores since a previous scanning event.

24. The computer readable memory system of claim 22, wherein the third data store includes metadata relating to versions of the changes made to the information relating to the first and second data stores.

25. The computer readable memory system of claim 22, wherein the third data store includes metadata relating to a history of the changes relating to the first and second data stores.

26. A computer program product for managing information electronically in a network of distributed servers including a structured data environment, the computer program product including a computer readable storage medium having a computer program stored therein, the computer program comprising:

instructions for scanning the first server with agent software loaded on the first server to identify data stores located on the first server;

instructions for compiling metadata related to a first data store with the agent software; and

instructions for providing the metadata to a second server.

27. The computer program product of claim 26, further comprising instructions for storing the metadata related to the first data store in a second data store located on the second server.

28. The computer program product of claim 27, wherein the second data store is a common location where metadata relating to a plurality of data stores is stored.

29. The computer program product of claim 28, further comprising instructions for periodically scanning the first server with the agent software to identify data stores that have changed since a previous scanning event, and providing information relating to changes to the first data store to the second server.

30. An apparatus configured to manage information electronically in a network of distributed servers including a structured data environment, the apparatus comprising:

a computer readable storage medium including computer readable program code stored therein;

a processor operatively coupled to the computer readable storage medium and configured to execute the computer readable program code to;

scan the first server with the agent software loaded on the first server to identify data stores located on the first server;

compile information related to a first data store with the agent software; and

provide the information to a second server.

31. The apparatus of claim 30, wherein the processor is further configured to periodically scan the first server with the agent software to identify data stores that have changed since a previous scanning event, and provide information relating to changes to the first data store to the second server.

32. An apparatus configured to manage information electronically in a network of distributed servers including a structured data environment, the apparatus comprising:

a computer readable storage medium including computer readable program code stored therein;

a processor operatively coupled to the computer readable storage medium and configured to execute the computer readable program code to;

store metadata related to a first data store located on a first server in a second data store located on a second server; and

store versions of the changes made to the metadata relating to the first data store in the second data store,

wherein the second data store is a common location where information relating to a plurality of data stores is stored.

33. The apparatus of claim 32, wherein the processor is further configured to maintain a history of the changes relating to the first data store with data management software.

34. The apparatus of claim 33, wherein the processor is further configured to organize the information and changes relating to the first data store with the data management software.

35. An apparatus for managing information comprising:

a data accumulation server;

a network;

a plurality of local servers in communication with the data accumulation server via the network; and

agent software loaded onto the plurality of local servers to identify data stores on the local servers, compile information about identified data stores, and provide the information relating to the data stores to the data accumulation server via the network.