On-demand service reconciliation, audit, and alert

• US 7,941,466 B2
• Filed: 05/04/2009
• Issued: 05/10/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 07/28/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Christiance, Kenneth D., Thomas, James H., Maharg, Mark A., Hewett, Michael S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Truong; Cam Y
• Assistant Examiner(s): Arjomandi; Noosha
• Application Number:
  US12/435,066
• Publication Number:
  US 20090217143A1
• Time in Patent Office: 736 Days
• Field of Search: 707/805, 725/11, 715/255, 714/6
• US Class Current: 707/805
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99933 Query processing, i.e. searching
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99936 Pattern matching access

Abstract

An audit tool (AT) operates in cooperation with an audit tool manager (ATM), a policy file (PF) and a query file (QF) in order to provide a real time display of usage within an on-demand service system. The ATM identifies the data to be gathered. Using the ATM, the user identifies comparison points, maps the comparison points to audit controls, defines policies and develops SQL queries to report transactions and record quantities. The AT gathers data, displays the gathered data, and compares the data points, and alerts the user to a discrepancy. The AT displays the compared data points side by side so that real time visual verification can be made, and the AT also alerts the user to discrepancies.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a computer having a processor and a computer readable memory, the computer operably coupled to a computer readable storage device, and operably coupled by a network to an on demand service system that bills for a plurality of resources actually used;

first program instructions to identify at least two separate points in the on-demand service system where a data item is accessible;

second program instructions to identify an originating point in the on-demand service system of the data item;

third program instructions to identify a last point in the on-demand service system where the data item appears;

fourth program instructions to gather, using a SQL query, a plurality of values from each separate point in the on-demand service system where the data item is accessible;

fifth program instructions to display the plurality of values side by side on a graphical user interface so that a real time visual verification is enabled;

sixth program instructions to determine if the plurality of values complies with an audit policy; and

seventh program instructions to display an alert in response to a determination that a discrepancy exists with the compliance of the plurality of values with the audit policy;

wherein the first through the seventh program instructions are stored on the computer readable storage device for running by the processor via the computer readable memory;

wherein the discrepancy is that one or more of the plurality of values are not equal;

wherein the separate points of the on-demand service system where the data item is accessible comprise;

at least one server log file and at least one database; and

wherein a data integrity of the on-demand service system is validated in response to a determination that a discrepancy does not exist.

2. A computer program product comprising:

a computer readable storage device;

first program instructions to identify at least two separate points in an on-demand service system that bills for a plurality of resources that are actually used and where a data item is accessible;

second program instructions to identify an originating point in the on-demand service system of the data item;

third program instructions to identify a last point in the on-demand service system where the data item appears;

fourth program instructions to gather, using a SQL query, a plurality of values from each separate point in the on-demand service system where the data item is accessible;

fifth program instructions to display the plurality of values side by side on a graphical user interface so that a real time visual verification is enabled;

sixth program instructions to determine if the plurality of values complies with an audit policy; and

seventh program instructions to display an alert in response to a determination that a discrepancy exists with a compliance of the plurality of values with the audit policy;

wherein the first through the seventh program instructions are stored on the computer readable storage device;

wherein the discrepancy is that one or more of the plurality of values are not equal;

wherein the separate points of the on-demand service system where the data item is accessible comprise;

at least one server log file and at least one database; and

wherein a data integrity of the on-demand service system is validated in response to a determination that a discrepancy does not exist.