METHOD FOR MANAGING MAINFRAME OVERHEAD DURING DETECTION OF SENSITIVE INFORMATION, COMPUTER READABLE STORAGE MEDIA AND SYSTEM UTILIZING SAME

• US 20120226689A1
• Filed: 03/01/2011
• Published: 09/06/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 03/01/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Xbridge Systems, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Xbridge Systems, Inc.
• Inventors: Casey, Martin D., Bolton, Benjamin R., Sagawa, James M., Narkiewicz, Jan D., Fichaud, Pierre R.
• Granted Patent: US 8,745,053 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 707/736
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/2457 with adaptation to user needs

Abstract

Examples of methods, systems, and computer-readable media for managing mainframe overhead during detection of sensitive information are described using multiple techniques. The techniques may include manipulating a scan definition, defining scan parameters and limitations, utilizing user-supplied scan filters, and using a redrive operation. The redrive operation may include halting one or more analysis requests associated with scan definitions, storing a redrive position for each analysis request, and resuming the servicing of analysis requests at the redrive position for each request.

Claims

1. A method for controlling resource usage for data arranged in a plurality of records on a mainframe system for sensitive information, comprising:

receiving an indication of data set names for analysis and a limitation;

beginning to read the data arranged in the plurality of records that correspond to the data set names;

applying structure to ones of the plurality of records to identify fields;

periodically storing a redrive position corresponding to a location of analysis in the plurality of records for one or more of the data set names;

halting the reading at a location in the plurality of records in accordance with the limitation before reading all requested records;

resuming the reading at the redrive position;

analyzing the fields for sensitive information.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the limitation comprises a schedule window, and said halting the reading is responsive to a first time being outside the schedule window, and said resuming the reading is responsive to a second time being inside the timing window.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the limitation is received from a user remotely located from the mainframe system.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

halting the reading as a result of a system failure; and

resuming the reading at the redrive position upon receiving a user resume command.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the limitation comprises a maximum number of concurrently running threads of a first type, and wherein a request for a new thread is rejected or queued if it exceeds the maximum number of concurrently running threads of the first type, and wherein running threads of a first type in excess of the maximum number of concurrently running threads of a first type are halted.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the limitation comprises a maximum number of records to be analyzed, and said halting the reading is responsive to a first number of records analyzed exceeding the maximum number of records to be analyzed.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the analyzing is performed on a non-mainframe system.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein said halting the reading is responsive to receiving a user halt command, and wherein said resuming the reading is responsive to receiving a user resume command.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the limitation comprises a maximum number of hits per scan, and said halting the reading is responsive to a first number of hits exceeding the maximum number of hits per scan.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the limitation comprises a minimum time delay, and said halting the reading is responsive to a first time delay shorter than the minimum time delay, and said resuming the reading is responsive to a second time delay that exceeds the minimum time delay.

11. One or more computer readable storage media encoded with instructions executable by one or more processing units of a computing system controlling resource usage for data arranged in a plurality of records on a mainframe system for sensitive information, the instructions comprising instructions for:

receiving an indication of data set names for analysis and a limitation;

beginning to read the data arranged in the plurality of records that correspond to the data set names;

applying structure to ones of the plurality of records to identify fields;

periodically storing a redrive position corresponding to a location of analysis in the plurality of records for one or more of the data set names;

halting the reading at a location in the plurality of records in accordance with the limitation before reading all requested records;

resuming the reading at the redrive position;

analyzing the fields for sensitive information.

12. The storage media of claim 11, wherein the limitation comprises a schedule window, and said halting the reading is responsive to a first time being outside the schedule window, and said resuming the reading is responsive to a second time being inside the timing window.

13. The storage media of claim 11, wherein the limitation comprises a maximum number of concurrently running threads of a first type, and wherein a request for a new thread is rejected or queued if it exceeds the maximum number of concurrently running threads of the first type, and wherein running threads of a first type in excess of the maximum number of concurrently running threads of a first type are halted.

14. The storage media of claim 11, wherein the limitation comprises a maximum number of records to be analyzed, and said halting the reading is responsive to a first number of records analyzed exceeding the maximum number of records to be analyzed.

15. A system for controlling resource usage for data arranged in a plurality of records on a mainframe system for sensitive information, comprising:

at least one processing unit coupled to a memory, wherein the memory is encoded with computer executable instructions that, when executed, cause the at least one processing unit to receive an indication of data set names for analysis and a limitation;

begin to read the data arranged in the plurality of records that correspond to the data set names;

apply structure to ones of the plurality of records to identify fields;

periodically store a redrive position corresponding to a location of analysis in the plurality of records for one or more of the data set names;

halt the reading at a location in the plurality of records in accordance with the limitation before reading all requested records;

resume the reading at the redrive position;

analyze the fields for sensitive information.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the limitation comprises a timing window, and said halting the reading is responsive to a first time being outside the schedule window, and said resuming the reading is responsive to a second time being inside the schedule window.

17. The system of claim 15, wherein the instructions further cause the at least one processing unit to:

store the redrive position corresponding to the location in the plurality of records before a halt occurs,

halt the reading as a result of a system failure; and

resume the reading at the redrive position upon receiving a user resume command.

18. The system of claim 15, wherein the limitation comprises a maximum number of concurrently running threads of a first type, and wherein a request for a new thread is rejected or queued if it exceeds the maximum number of concurrently running threads of the first type, and wherein running threads of a first type in excess of the maximum number of concurrently running threads of a first type are halted.

19. The system of claim 15, wherein the limitation comprises a maximum number of records to be analyzed, and said halting the reading is responsive to a first number of records analyzed exceeding the maximum number of records to be analyzed.

20. The system of claim 15, wherein the analyzing is performed on a non-mainframe system.