IT automation filtering and labeling system and appliance

• US 7,814,190 B2
• Filed: 03/21/2007
• Issued: 10/12/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 03/21/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Quest Software, Inc.
• Original Assignee: KACE Networks, Inc. (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Inventors: Kacin, Martin, Kloba, David
• Primary Examiner(s): Coulter; Kenneth R
• Application Number:
  US11/689,478
• Publication Number:
  US 20070226249A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,301 Days
• Field of Search: 709/223, 709/245, 718/102, 718/100
• US Class Current: 709/223
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/45512 Command shells

Abstract

A method of managing information technology (IT) tasks within an enterprise network is described. The method comprises receiving a user input specifying a filter definition, associating a table with the filter definition, and automatically evaluating entities of the network to determine which entities meet the filter definition. A label is assigned to any entity that meets the filter definition, and an IT task is caused to be executed with respect to an entity having the label assigned to it.

Claims

1. A system for assigning labels to entities in an enterprise network, the system comprising:

a memory for storing a plurality of filter definitions, each filter definition associated with a label;

an interface that receives data about entities in the enterprise network; and

a filtering engine that applies the plurality of filter definitions to the entities, and, for an entity that meets a filter definition, assigns the label associated with the filter definition to the entity, receives updated data about the labeled entity, automatically re-evaluates the labeled entity to determine whether it still meets a filter definition associated with its label, and responsive to the labeled entity no longer meeting the filter definition, removes its label.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising an application layer including a module for causing an IT task to be executed with respect to an entity based on having a label assigned to it.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the module comprises a security module for causing a security task to be performed.

4. The system of claim 2, wherein the module comprises a helpdesk module for causing a helpdesk task to be performed.

5. The system of claim 1, further comprising an interface module for generating browser-executable code representing a graphical user interface.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the browser-executable code is customized for an entity based on at least one label assigned to the entity.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the interface is configured to receive data from a plurality of sources.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the interface is configured to receive data from a plurality of agents, each residing on an entity of the plurality of entities.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the interface is configured to receive data from an entity in accordance with an SNMP protocol.

10. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a deployment module for carrying out deployment tasks on the enterprise network;

a security module for carrying out security tasks on the enterprise network; and

an inventory module for carrying out inventory tasks on the enterprise network.

11. The system of claim 10, further comprising a database for storing deployment, security, and inventory data through which the deployment module, security module, and inventory module can share data.

12. A computer program product for managing information technology (IT) tasks in an enterprise network comprising a plurality of entities, the product including a computer-readable medium and comprising computer program code encoded on the medium for:

receiving a user input specifying a filter definition;

associating a label with the filter definition;

automatically evaluating the plurality of entities to determine which entities meet the filter definition;

assigning the label to any entity of the plurality of entities that meets the filter definition; and

with respect to an entity having the label assigned to it;

causing an IT task to be executed;

receiving updated data about the labeled entity;

automatically re-evaluating the labeled entity to determine whether it still meets the filter definition; and

responsive to the labeled entity no longer meeting the filter definition, removing its label.

13. The computer program product of claim 12, wherein the user input comprises a physical location criterion.

14. The computer program product of claim 12, wherein the user input comprises a software criterion.

15. The computer program product of claim 12, further comprising computer program code for, prior to associating the label with the filter definition, receiving a user input specifying the label.

16. The computer program product of claim 12, wherein the entity comprises a user of the enterprise network.

17. The computer program product of claim 12, wherein an entity of the plurality of entities comprises a device, and the computer program code for evaluating comprises computer program code for evaluating data about the device provided by an agent residing on the device.

18. The computer program product of claim 12, wherein the user input comprises a hardware criterion.

19. The computer program product of claim 12, wherein an entity of the plurality of entities comprises a device, and the computer program code for evaluating comprises computer program code for evaluating data about the entity provided agentlessly in accordance with an SNMP protocol.

20. The computer program product of claim 12, wherein the computer program code for evaluating comprises computer program code for evaluating real-time data about at least one entity of the plurality of entities.

21. The computer program product of claim 12, wherein the entities comprise devices on the enterprise network, and the computer program code for evaluating comprises computer program code for evaluating data collected during a scan of the enterprise network.

22. The computer program product of claim 12, wherein the entity comprises a user, and the IT task comprises providing a user interface to the user customized at least in part based on the label assigned to the user.

23. The computer program product of claim 12, wherein the IT task comprises distributing software to be installed on the entity.

24. The computer program product of claim 12, wherein the IT task comprises deploying a script to be executed on the entity.

25. The computer program product of claim 12, wherein the medium comprises a memory associated with an IT automation appliance that further comprises computer program code for performing at least one of, within the enterprise network:

a security task, a helpdesk task, an inventory task, a software or patch deployment task, and a task to manage agents on the enterprise network.

26. The computer program product of claim 12, further comprising computer program code for receiving enterprise directory information about the plurality of entities, and wherein the code for evaluating comprises code for evaluating the received enterprise directory information.

27. A method of managing information technology (IT) tasks within an enterprise network comprised of a plurality of entities, the method comprising:

receiving a user input specifying a filter definition;

associating a label with the filter definition;

automatically evaluating the plurality of entities to determine which entities meet the filter definition;

assigning the label to any entity of the plurality of entities that meets the filter definition; and

with respect to an entity having the label assigned to it;

causing an IT task to be executed;

receiving updated data about the labeled entity;

automatically re-evaluating the labeled entity to determine whether it still meets the filter definition; and

responsive to the labeled entity no longer meeting the filter definition, removing its label.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein an entity of the plurality of entities comprises a device, and evaluating comprises evaluating data about the device provided by an agent residing on the device.

29. The method of claim 27, wherein an entity of the plurality of entities comprises a device, and evaluating comprises evaluating data about the entity provided agentlessly in accordance with an SNMP protocol.

30. The method of claim 27, wherein evaluating comprises evaluating real-time data about at least one entity of the plurality of entities.

31. The method of claim 27, wherein the entity comprises a user, and the IT task comprises providing a user interface to the user customized at least in part based on the label assigned to the user.