Automatic Reconciliation Of Discrepancies In Asset Attribute Values

• US 20120117039A1
• Filed: 01/09/2012
• Published: 05/10/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 07/09/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Oracle International Corporation (Oracle Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Oracle International Corporation (Oracle Corporation)
• Inventors: Apte, Umesh Madhav, Alonzo, Jason Aron, Yee, John Leong
• Granted Patent: US 8,671,122 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 707/694
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/04 Trading; Exchange, e.g. stocks, commodities, derivatives or currency exchange

Abstract

Discrepancies in two sets of asset data for an organization are identified and automatically reconciled. One set of asset data may be compiled using automatic physical discovery software while the other set is from a financial system of the organization. Automatic reconciliation is performed according to user-configurable rules and corresponding user-configurable actions.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method comprising:

storing first asset information which is compiled through automatic discovery, wherein the first asset information is obtained using a first technique;

storing second asset information, wherein the second asset information is obtained using a second technique, different from the first technique;

displaying on a computer screen a first option to enable or disable automatic execution of a first action when a first rule is satisfied;

receiving first input on said first option;

using a computer processor, checking if the first rule is satisfied by comparing a first attribute in the first asset information with a second attribute in the second asset information to find an exception, wherein an exception occurs when a first attribute value in the first asset information does not match a corresponding second attribute value in the second asset information;

when the first action is enabled by said first input, checking if a restriction is satisfied and performing the first action to alter the second asset information for said exception, in response to finding the first rule is satisfied and the restriction is not satisfied; and

when the first action is enabled by said first input and the restriction is satisfied, not performing the first action for the exception.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein:

the first action is to delete the second attribute value associated with the second asset information.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein:

the restriction is satisfied when an IP address of a device in the first asset information is within a range of IP addresses.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

logging all actions automatically executed on the second asset information.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein:

when automatic execution is enabled for the first action by said input, execution of the action is automatic without requiring user authorization when the first rule is satisfied.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein:

during operation the corresponding second attribute value is compared to the first attribute value during automatic execution, and the corresponding second attribute value in the second repository does not match the first attribute value, and after the automated update an altered second attribute value in the second repository matches the first attribute value.

7. A computer-implemented method comprising:

providing a first repository with first asset information comprising dynamic physical asset information;

providing a second repository with second asset information comprising static financial asset information, wherein a technique of obtaining the second asset information is different from a technique of obtaining the first asset information;

displaying on a computer screen an option to enable or disable automatic execution of a first action when the first rule is satisfied;

receiving input on said option;

using a computer processor to compare the first asset information with the second asset information to find an exception, wherein an exception occurs when the first rule is satisfied when a first attribute value in the first repository does not match a corresponding second attribute value in the second repository;

when the first rule is satisfied, not performing the first action if the first action is disabled by said input; and

when the first rule is satisfied, automatically performing the first action for the exception if at least the first action is enabled by said input;

wherein the first action comprises performing an automated update to the second attribute in the second repository and not modifying the first repository.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein:

the first action is to update a second attribute value associated with the second asset information with a first attribute value found in the first asset information.

9. The method of claim 7 wherein:

the first action is to delete an attribute value from the second asset information.

10. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium comprising instructions to one or more processors to:

store first asset information which is compiled through automatic discovery, wherein the first asset information is obtained using a first technique;

store second asset information, wherein the second asset information is obtained using a second technique, different from the first technique;

display on a computer screen a first option to enable or disable automatic execution of a first action when a first rule is satisfied;

receive first input on said first option;

check if the first rule is satisfied by comparing a first attribute in the first asset information with a second attribute in the second asset information to find an exception, wherein an exception occurs when a first attribute value in the first asset information does not match a corresponding second attribute value in the second asset information;

when the first action is enabled by said first input, check if a restriction is satisfied and performing the first action to alter the second asset information for said exception, in response to finding the first rule is satisfied and the restriction is not satisfied; and

when the first action is enabled by said first input and the restriction is satisfied, not perform the first action for the exception.

11. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 10 wherein:

the first action is to delete the second attribute value associated with the second asset information.

12. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 10 wherein:

the restriction is satisfied when an IP address of a device in the first asset information is within a range of IP addresses.

13. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 10 further comprising instructions to:

log all actions automatically executed on the second asset information.

14. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 10 further comprising instructions to:

when automatic execution is enabled for the first action by said input, execute the action automatically without requiring user authorization when the first rule is satisfied.

15. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 10 wherein:

during operation the corresponding second attribute value is compared to the first attribute value during automatic execution, and the corresponding second attribute value in the second repository does not match the first attribute value, and after the automated update an altered second attribute value in the second repository matches the first attribute value.

16. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium comprising instructions to one or more processors to:

provide a first repository with first asset information comprising dynamic physical asset information;

provide a second repository with second asset information comprising static financial asset information, wherein a technique of obtaining the second asset information is different from a technique of obtaining the first asset information;

display on a computer screen an option to enable or disable automatic execution of a first action when the first rule is satisfied;

receive input on said option;

compare the first asset information with the second asset information to find an exception, wherein an exception occurs when the first rule is satisfied when a first attribute value in the first repository does not match a corresponding second attribute value in the second repository;

when the first rule is satisfied, not perform the first action if the first action is disabled by said input; and

when the first rule is satisfied, automatically perform the first action for the exception if at least the first action is enabled by said input;

wherein the first action comprises performing an automated update to the second attribute in the second repository and not modifying the first repository.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 16 wherein:

the first action is to update a second attribute value associated with the second asset information with a first attribute value found in the first asset information.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 16 wherein:

the first action is to delete an attribute value from the second asset information.