Method for managing mainframe overhead during detection of sensitive information, computer readable storage media and system utilizing same

• US 8,745,053 B2
• Filed: 03/01/2011
• Issued: 06/03/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/01/2011
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Xbridge Systems, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Xbridge Systems, Inc.
• Inventors: Bolton, Benjamin R., Sagawa, James M., Casey, Martin D., Narkiewicz, Jan D., Fichaud, Pierre R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Corrielus, Jean M
• Application Number:
  US13/038,275
• Publication Number:
  US 20120226689A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,190 Days
• Field of Search: 707/755, 707/736, 707/708, 726/27, 726/22, 711/117
• 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 in the analysis of data including sensitive information and arranged in a plurality of records included in a plurality of data sets on a mainframe system, comprising:

receiving an indication of names of data sets for analysis and a limitations relating to the analysis that includes a maximum number of threads concurrently running on the mainframe system;

querying the mainframe system for a plurality of the named data sets to create a plurality of respective threads;

determining the number of threads concurrently running on the mainframe system;

querying the mainframe system for an additional named data set if the number of threads concurrently running on the mainframe system is not greater than the maximum number;

analyzing the data arranged in the plurality of records that correspond to the named data sets to infer structure in the plurality of records to identify fields including the sensitive information;

storing a redrive position;

halting the analysis of the data arranged in the plurality of records at a data set position in accordance with the limitations before analyzing all the data arranged in the plurality of records;

resuming the analysis at the redrive position in accordance with the limitations, wherein the redrive position including a data set position in the plurality of records prior to the data set position where the analysis was halted; and

analyzing the identified fields for sensitive information.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the limitations comprise a schedule window, and said halting the analysis is responsive to a first time being outside the schedule window, and said resuming the analysis is responsive to a second time being inside the schedule window.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein storing a redrive position comprises periodically storing a redrive position.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

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

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

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the limitations comprise a maximum number of records to be analyzed, and said halting the analysis reading is responsive to a first number of records analyzed exceeding the maximum number of records to be analyzed.

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

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

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the limitations comprise a maximum number of hits per scan, and said halting the analysis is responsive to a first number of hits exceeding the maximum number of hits per scan.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the limitations comprise a minimum time delay, and said halting the analysis is responsive to a first time delay shorter than the minimum time delay, and said resuming the analysis is responsive to a second time delay that exceeds the minimum time delay.

10. One or more non-transitory computer readable storage media encoded with executable instructions when executed by one or more processing units causes the one or more processing unit to control resource usage in the analysis of data including sensitive information and arranged in a plurality of records included in a plurality of data sets on a mainframe system, comprising:

receiving an indication of names of data sets for analysis and a limitations relating to the analysis that includes a maximum number of threads concurrently running on the mainframe system;

querying the mainframe system for a plurality of the named data sets to create a plurality of respective threads;

determining the number of threads concurrently running on the mainframe system;

querying the mainframe system for an additional named data set if the number of threads concurrently running on the mainframe system is not greater than the maximum number;

analyzing the data arranged in the plurality of records that correspond to the named data sets to infer structure in the plurality of records to identify fields including the sensitive information;

storing a redrive position;

halting the analysis of the data arranged in the plurality of records at a data set position in accordance with the limitations before analyzing all the data arranged in the plurality of records;

resuming the analysis at the redrive position in accordance with the limitations, the redrive position including a data set position in the plurality of records prior to the data set position where the analysis was halted; and

analyzing the identified fields for sensitive information.

11. The non-transitory computer readable storage media of claim 10, wherein the limitations comprise a schedule window, and said halting the analysis is responsive to a first time being outside the schedule window, and said resuming the analysis is responsive to a second time being inside the schedule window.

12. The non-transitory computer readable storage media of claim 10, wherein the limitations comprise a maximum number of records to be analyzed, and said halting the analysis is responsive to a first number of records analyzed exceeding the maximum number of records to be analyzed.

13. The non-transitory computer readable storage media of claim 10, wherein the limitation comprises a media type.

14. The non-transitory computer readable storage media of claim 13, wherein the media type is selected from the group consisting of hard disks, virtual tape, tape, hierarchic data, IMB, DB2 and Unix file systems.

15. A system for controlling resource usage in the analysis of data sensitive information and arranged in a plurality of records included in a plurality of data sets on a mainframe system comprising:

at least one processing unit coupled to a memory, wherein the memory is encoded with computer executable instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor unit causes the at least one processing unit to;

receive an indication of names of data sets for analysis and limitations relating to the analysis that includes a maximum number of threads concurrently running on the mainframe system;

query the mainframe system for a plurality of the named data sets to create a plurality of respective threads;

determine the number of threads concurrently running on the mainframe system;

query the mainframe system for an additional named data set if the number of threads concurrently running on the mainframe system is not greater than the maximum number;

analyze the data arranged in the plurality of records that correspond to the named data sets to infer structure in the plurality of records to identify fields including the sensitive information;

store a redrive position;

halt the analysis of the data arranged in the plurality of records at a data set position in accordance with the limitations before analyzing all the data arranged in the plurality of records;

resume the analysis at the redrive position in accordance with the limitations, the redrive position including a data set position in the plurality of records prior to the data set position where the analysis was halted; and

analyze the identified fields for sensitive information.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the limitations comprise a schedule window, and said halting the analysis is responsive to a first time being outside the schedule window, and said resuming the analysis 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:

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

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

18. The system of claim 15, wherein the limitations comprise a maximum number of records to be analyzed, and said instructions further cause the at least one processing unit to halting the analysis responsive to a first number of records analyzed exceeding the maximum number of records to be analyzed.

19. The system of claim 15, wherein said instructions further cause the at least one processing unit to analyze on a non-mainframe system.

20. A method for controlling resource usage in the analysis of data including sensitive information and arranged in a plurality of records included in a plurality of data sets on a mainframe system, comprising:

receiving an indication of names of data sets for analysis and a limitation relating to the analysis that includes a maximum number of threads concurrently running on the mainframe system;

querying the mainframe system for a plurality of the named data sets to create a plurality of respective threads;

determining the number of threads concurrently running on the mainframe system;

querying the mainframe system for an additional named data set if the number of threads concurrently running on the mainframe system is not greater than the maximum number;

analyzing the data arranged in the plurality of records that correspond to the named data sets to infer structure in the plurality of records to identify fields including the sensitive information; and

analyzing the identified fields for sensitive information so as to permit an assessment of the risk of unauthorized access to the sensitive information.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein said analyzing the data is performed on a non-mainframe system.

22. One or more non-transitory computer readable storage media encoded with instructions executable by one or more processing units of a computing system controlling resource usage in the analysis of data including sensitive information and arranged in a plurality of records included in a plurality of data sets on a mainframe system, the instructions comprising instructions for:

receiving an indication of names of data sets for analysis and a limitation relating to the analysis that includes a maximum number of threads concurrently running on the mainframe system;

querying the mainframe system for a plurality of the named data sets to create a plurality of respective threads;

determining the number of threads concurrently running on the mainframe system;

querying the mainframe system for an additional named data set if the number of threads concurrently running on the mainframe system is not greater than the maximum number;

analyzing the data arranged in the plurality of records that correspond to the named data sets to infer structure in the plurality of records to identify fields including the sensitive information; and

analyzing the identified fields for sensitive information so as to permit an assessment of the risk of unauthorized access to the sensitive information.

23. The non-transitory computer readable storage media of claim 22, wherein said analyzing the data is performed on a non-mainframe system.