Methods, systems, and computer program products for implementing data asset management activities

• US 8,676,962 B2
• Filed: 06/29/2007
• Issued: 03/18/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 06/29/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Yarter, Lawrence C.
• Primary Examiner(s): TOWFIGHI, AFSHAWN M
• Application Number:
  US11/771,448
• Publication Number:
  US 20090006149A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,454 Days
• Field of Search: 709223-226, 707 1- 10
• US Class Current: 709/224
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/00 Administration; Management
• 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: G06Q 10/0639 Performance analysis of employees; Performance analysis of enterprise or organisation operations
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06395 Quality analysis or management
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/20 for managing network security; network security policies in general filtering policies H04L63/0227

Abstract

Methods, systems, and computer program products for implementing data asset management activities are provided. A method includes defining authorization and authentication permissions for accessing network entities of an organization, defining rules for conducting audits and audit response activities with respect to the network entities, and executing an audit of the network entities by applying the rules to events occurring at the network entities during the audit. The method also includes generating a summary of results of the audit.

Claims

1. A method for implementing data asset management activities, comprising:

defining, via an application executing on a computer processor, authorization and authentication permissions for accessing network entities of an organization;

defining, via the application, rules for conducting audits and audit response activities with respect to the network entities, the rules including criteria for identifying a non-compliance;

defining, via the application, a data pattern;

implementing, via the application, a probe on the network devices, the probe discovering data patterns, structured and unstructured, from the events occurring on the network entities;

executing, via the application, an audit of the network entities by applying the rules to events occurring at the network entities and the data patterns during the audit; and

generating, via the application, a summary of results of the audit.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the authorization and authentication permissions and the rules are defined for a data domain.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

identifying an event as non-compliant when execution of the audit indicates a value that is out of a specified range, the range designated by the criteria.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the response activities include defining conditions for generating a notification of non-compliance and specifying network entities to be notified of a non-compliance.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

storing aggregated audit results in a data warehouse; and

searching the data warehouse to identify gaps in compliance as defined by business policies and regulations.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

generating and implementing a simplification strategy for remedying any identified gaps, the simplification strategy including at least one of;

additional restrictive controls over a data asset; and

authorizing use of a data asset for a specified purpose.

7. A system for implementing data asset management activities, comprising:

a host system; and

a data steward rules engine executing on the host system, the data steward rules engine implementing a method, comprising;

defining authorization and authentication permissions for accessing network entities of an organization;

defining rules for conducting audits and audit response activities with respect to the network entities, the rules including criteria for identifying a non-compliance;

defining a data pattern;

implementing a probe on the network devices, the probe discovering data patterns, structured and unstructured, from the events occurring on the network entities;

executing an audit of the network entities by applying the rules to events occurring at the network entities and the data patterns during the audit; and

generating a summary of results of the audit.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the authorization and authentication permissions and the rules are defined for a data domain.

9. The system of claim 7, wherein the data steward rules engine further implements:

identifying an event as non-compliant when execution of the audit indicates a value that is out of a specified range, the range designated by the criteria.

10. The system of claim 7, wherein the response activities include defining conditions for generating a notification of non-compliance and specifying network entities to be notified of a non-compliance.

11. The system of claim 7, wherein the data steward rules engine further implements:

storing aggregated audit results in a data warehouse;

searching the data warehouse to identify gaps in compliance as defined by business policies and regulations; and

generating and implementing a simplification strategy for remedying any identified gaps, the simplification strategy including at least one of;

additional restrictive controls over a data asset; and

authorizing use of a data asset for a specified purpose.

12. A computer program product for implementing data asset management activities, the computer program product including instructions for implementing a method, the method comprising:

defining authorization and authentication permissions for accessing network entities of an organization;

defining rules for conducting audits and audit response activities with respect to the network entities, the rules including criteria for identifying a non-compliance;

defining a data pattern;

implementing a probe on the network devices, the probe discovering data patterns, structured and unstructured, from the events occurring on the network entities;

executing an audit of the network entities by applying the rules to events occurring at the network entities and the data patterns during the audit; and

generating a summary of results of the audit.

13. The computer program product of claim 12, wherein the authorization and authentication permissions and the rules are defined for a data domain.

14. The computer program product of claim 12, further comprising instructions for implementing:

identifying an event as non-compliant when execution of the audit indicates a value that is out of a specified range, the range designated by the criteria.

15. The computer program product of claim 12, wherein the response activities include defining conditions for generating a notification of non-compliance and specifying network entities to be notified of a non-compliance.

16. The computer program product of claim 12, further comprising instructions for implementing:

storing aggregated audit results in a data warehouse; and

searching the data warehouse to identify gaps in compliance as defined by business policies and regulations.

17. The computer program product of claim 16, further comprising instructions for implementing:

generating and implementing a simplification strategy for remedying any identified gaps, the simplification strategy including at least one of;

additional restrictive controls over a data asset; and

authorizing use of a data asset for a specified purpose.