Analyzing data and providing recommendations

• US 8,768,892 B2
• Filed: 09/29/2008
• Issued: 07/01/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 09/29/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Myerson, Neal Robert, Justus, Darren C., Connolly, Brian David, Holostov, Vladimir
• Primary Examiner(s): Mamillapalli, Pavan
• Application Number:
  US12/239,820
• Publication Number:
  US 20100082512A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,101 Days
• Field of Search: 707/686, 707/776, 700/104
• US Class Current: 707/686
• CPC Class Codes: G06N 5/04 Inference or reasoning models

Abstract

Aspects of the subject matter described herein relate to analyzing data and providing recommendations regarding computing assets. In aspects, data is collected from computing assets and aggregated in a data repository. A data analyzer analyzes the data to determine problems associated with the computing assets. Work done to identify a problem with one computing asset may be used to identify problems with or provide recommendations for other computing assets controlled by the same or different entities. When a problem is identified in a computing asset, a recommendation may be proactively provided to an entity associated with the computing asset.

Claims

1. A method implemented at least in part by a computer, the method comprising:

accessing data stored in a data repository, the data related to at least first and second computing assets, the data derived from a plurality of data providers associated with the computing assets, the data aggregated in the data repository;

analyzing a first portion of the data to determine a recommendation to provide to a first entity associated with a first data provider, the recommendation related to a problem the first computing asset associated with the first entity is experiencing;

receiving code that is capable of detecting the problem, if it exists, in further computing assets having data stored in the data repository, the data including a second portion of the data received from a second data provider;

executing the code to determine that the second computing asset has the problem, said executing including scanning the data stored in the data repository with the received code; and

proactively providing the recommendation to an entity associated with the second computing asset prior to the entity requesting assistance with respect to the problem by sending a message to the entity if the problem is found using the second portion of the data received from the second data provider, the message including or referencing a configuration file to apply to the second computing asset to apply the recommendation.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving the data from a plurality of data collectors that receive the data from the data providers;

aggregating the data into the data repository; and

maintaining a history of previously-received data in the data repository.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the data repository is hosted off-premise from premises controlled by entities associated with the data providers.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the recommendation comprises a configuration action to take on a computing asset to address the problem.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the data comprises country information that indicates a country associated with a computing asset and wherein the recommendation comprises a configuration action that will bring a computing asset into compliance with laws associated with the country.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the data comprises configuration information associated with a computing asset.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the data comprises performance information associated with a computing asset.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing a comparison of features of similarly-purposed computing assets.

9. In a computing environment, a system, comprising:

a data aggregator operable to aggregate data derived from a plurality of data providers, the data related to operation of computing assets, the plurality of data providers obtaining information used to derive the data from the computing assets;

a data repository operable to store aggregated data from the data aggregator and to provide access to the aggregated data, the data repository being off-premise from at least one of the data providers;

a data analyzer implemented in a computer operable to examine the aggregated data and to identify, using the aggregated data, a computing asset, if any, that has a problem;

a recommendation module operable to determine a recommendation that indicates an action to take to address the problem; and

a notification module operable to proactively provide the recommendation to an entity associated with the computing asset prior to the entity requesting assistance with respect to the problem;

the data analyzer receiving code that is generated in response to identifying that the computing asset has the problem and is capable of automatically detecting the problem, if it exists, in further of the computing assets having data stored in the data repository.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the notification module being operable to proactively provide the recommendation to an entity associated with the computing asset, comprises the notification module being operable to provide the recommendation prior to the entity requesting assistance with respect to the problem for the computing asset.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein the data repository resides on an apparatus that hosts the recommendation module.

12. The system of claim 9, wherein the recommendation module is further operable to leverage data in the data repository related to other computing assets to determine the recommendation based on a profile of the computing asset, the other computing assets having the profile.

13. The system of claim 9, wherein the problem relates to the computing asset violating a law of a country in which the computing asset resides.

14. The system of claim 9, wherein the problem relates to a configuration of the computing asset.

15. The system of claim 9, wherein the problem relates to a performance of the computing asset.

16. The system of claim 9, further comprising a configuration comparer that provides a comparison of features of similarly-purposed computer assets.

17. The system of claim 9, wherein the notification module is operable to proactively provide the recommendation to another entity associated with at least one of the further of the computing assets by automatically sending a message to the other entity if the problem is found using a portion of the aggregated data received from a data provider associated with the at least one of the further of the computing assets, the message including or referencing a configuration file to apply to the at least one of the further of the computing assets to apply the recommendation.

18. A computer storage medium having computer-executable instructions, which when executed perform actions, comprising:

obtaining data regarding a first computing asset, the data regarding the first computing asset related to an operation of the first computing asset;

sending data to a data repository, the data sent to the data repository derived from the data regarding the first computing asset, the data repository aggregating data from a plurality of computing assets, the data repository and the first computing asset being on different networks; and

receiving a recommendation relating to a problem of the first computing asset prior to assistance being requested with respect to the problem of the first computing device, the recommendation indicating an action to address the problem, the problem identified at least in part by analyzing data associated with a second computing asset and generating code to identify the problem in data aggregated at the data repository.

19. The computer storage medium of claim 18, wherein the data sent to the data repository comprises the data regarding the first computing asset.

20. The computer storage medium of claim 18, further comprising:

extracting the data sent to the data repository from the data regarding the first computing asset.