Managing configurations of distributed devices

• US 8,065,397 B2
• Filed: 12/26/2006
• Issued: 11/22/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 12/26/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: PTC Inc.
• Original Assignee: Axeda Acquisition Corp.
• Inventors: Taylor, John L., Rochte, Timothy A, Bhageshpur, Kiran
• Primary Examiner(s): Meky; Moustafa M
• Application Number:
  US11/616,136
• Publication Number:
  US 20080154957A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,792 Days
• Field of Search: 709/217, 709/220, 709200-203, 709218-219, 709221-227, 709/228, 707/999.107
• US Class Current: 709/220
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/4411 Configuring for operating with peripheral devices; Loading of device drivers
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/40 for the management of medical equipment or devices, e.g. scheduling maintenance or upgrades
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0803 Configuration setting
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/125 involving control of end-device applications over a network
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/303 Terminal profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/34 involving the movement of software or configuration parameters network booting or remote initial program loading [RIPL] G06F9/4416

Abstract

A method manages configurations of devices in a system that communicates information between a device type. The method includes building a defined configuration for a device type. The defined configuration includes a set of value requirements. An actual configuration having values associated with the device is compared to the defined configurations. The actual configuration and defined configuration are stored in a database of the enterprise. The method also includes determining, in the enterprise, if the values of actual configuration match the corresponding value requirements of the defined configurations. The method runs business logic associated with the device based on a result from the step of determining if the values of the actual configuration match the corresponding values of the defined configurations. The matched configurations are stored for subsequent use.

Claims

1. A method, performed at an enterprise, for managing a configuration of a device, comprising:

building a defined configuration for a device type, the defined configuration comprising value requirements;

comparing an actual configuration of the device to the defined configuration, the actual configuration and the defined configuration being stored in a database of the enterprise, the actual configuration having values associated with the device;

determining if the values match corresponding value requirements of the defined configuration;

associating the device with a first group of devices based on whether the values match the corresponding value requirements, each device in the first group of devices having at least one characteristic in common, the device being associated with the group automatically;

associating the device with at least one second group based on a dynamic group rule, the dynamic group rule instructing creation of the at least one second group in response to information received about the device that is consistent with at least one membership criterion of the dynamic group rule;

associating business logic with the device as a result of membership of the device in the first group and the at least one second group; and

running the business logic for the device, the business logic for performing functions relative to the device that are specific to the first group and to the at least one second group.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising collecting information from a device information source to obtain the actual configuration of the device.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein a function comprises sending a notification to the device.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the notification is an alert and sending the notification comprises sending the alert to a recipient comprising at least one of a user and a business system.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising determining a recipient of the notification based on the first group.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein building the defined configuration for the device type comprises setting at least one mandatory element in the defined configuration.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the mandatory element comprises a mandatory value requirement and determining if the values match corresponding value requirements comprises requiring a match of the actual configuration to the mandatory value requirement of the defined configuration.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein determining if the values of actual configuration match the corresponding value requirements comprises requiring a match if an elective value requirement of the defined configuration is present in the actual configuration.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein determining if the values match is repeated for each device in the first group.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the business logic is run for all devices in the first group.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein determining if the values match the corresponding values of the defined configuration occurs after receiving the actual configuration from the device.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein running the business logic comprises sending at least one of a software and configuration update to the device.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein determining if the values match the corresponding value requirements comprises using an expression containing at least one of a Boolean operator and numerical comparison operator to make a comparison between the values and the corresponding value requirements.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein building a defined configuration for a device type comprises building complex defined configurations to identify the value requirements.

15. A system for managing a configuration of a device associated with a monitor agent, the system comprising:

a server to communicate with the monitor agent, the monitor agent being configured to collect information from the device to obtain an actual configuration of the device; and

a database configured to store the actual configuration of the device and a defined configuration of a device type, the device type being associated with devices;

the defined configuration being built for the device type and stored in the database, the defined configuration comprising value requirements, and the actual configuration having values associated with the device;

wherein the server is configured to;

compare the actual configuration to the defined configuration,

determine whether the values match corresponding value requirements,

associate the device with a group of devices based on whether the values match the corresponding value requirements, each device in the group of devices having at least one characteristic in common, the device being associated with the group automatically,

associate the device with at least one second group based on a dynamic group rule, the dynamic group rule instructing creation of the at least one second group in response to information received about the device that is consistent with at least one membership criterion of the dynamic group rule;

associate business logic with the device as a result of membership of the device in the first group and the at least one second group; and

run the business logic for the device, the business logic for performing functions relative to the device that are specific to the first group and to the at least one second group.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the server is configured to collect information from a device information source to obtain the actual configuration of the device.

17. The system of claim 15, wherein the server is configured to run the business logic if a change is determined when the actual configuration of the device is compared to the defined configuration.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the business logic comprises sending a notification to at least one user, the notification comprising at least one of an alarm and an alert.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the alert is sent when the value requirements do not match the actual configuration.

20. The system of claim 15, wherein the server is configured to repeat comparison between values in the defined configuration and values of actual configuration for other devices in the group.

21. The system of claim 15, wherein the defined configuration comprises at least one mandatory value requirement, the actual configuration being compared to the mandatory value requirement.

22. The system of claim 15, wherein the defined configuration comprises an elective value requirement, a match being required if the elective value requirement is present in the actual configuration.

23. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing instructions for managing a configuration of a device, the instructions being executable by a processing device to perform operations comprising:

building a defined configuration for a device type, the defined configuration comprising value requirements;

comparing an actual configuration of the device to the defined configuration, the actual configuration and the defined configuration being stored in a database of the enterprise, the actual configuration having values associated with the device;

determining if the values match corresponding value requirements of the defined configuration;

associating the device with a first group of devices based on whether the values match the corresponding value requirements, each device in the first group of devices having at least one characteristic in common, the device being associated with the group automatically;

associating the device with at least one second group based on a dynamic group rule, the dynamic group rule instructing creation of the at least one second group in response to information received about the device that is consistent with at least one membership criterion of the dynamic group rule;

associating business logic with the device as a result of membership of the device in the first group and the at least one second group; and

running the business logic for the device, the business logic for performing functions relative to the device that are specific to the first group and to the at least one second group.