Consistent structured data hash value generation across formats and platforms

An information handling system, comprising:

• one or more processors;
• a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium coupled to the one or more processors;
• and
• a plurality of instructions, encoded in the computer-readable storage medium and configured to cause the one or more processors to
• identify a first set and a second set of data segments within a first set and a second set of structured data,
• for each of the data segments within each set of data segments,
• converting the data segment into a normalized data segment that is expressed in a standardized data format,
• apply a hash algorithm to the normalized data segment to produce a data segment hash value,
• obtain a standardized identifier for the normalized data segment, and
• generate a pair corresponding to the data segment, the pair including a first value and a second value, wherein the first value includes the standardized identifier and the second value includes the data segment hash value,
• use the standardized identifier for each normalized data segment to sort each pair corresponding to each data segment within each set of data segments in a standardized order,
• assemble an aggregate hash code for each set of data segments to produce a first and a second aggregate hash code, each aggregate hash code comprising each pair sorted according to the standardized order for each of the normalized data segments in the corresponding first or second set of data segments,
• compare corresponding data segment hash values within the first and second aggregate hash codes to determine a similarity coefficient between the first set and the second set of structured data;
• and
• convey the similarity coefficient to a storage location at the information handling system or to an application, module, service, or system requesting the similarity coefficient.

A non-transitory computer readable storage medium having program instructions encoded therein, wherein the program instructions are executable to:

• identify, at an information handling system, a first set and a second set of data segments within a first set and a second set of structured data;
• for each of the data segments within each set of data segments,
• convert the data segment into a normalized data segment that is expressed in a standardized data format,
• apply a hash algorithm to the normalized data segment to produce a data segment hash value,
• obtain a standardized identifier for the normalized data segment, and
• generate a pair corresponding to the data segment, the pair including a first value and a second value, wherein the first value includes the standardized identifier and the second value includes the data segment hash value;
• use the standardized identifier for each normalized data segment to sort each pair corresponding to each data segment within each set of data segments in a standardized order;
• assemble an aggregate hash code for each set of data segments to produce a first and a second aggregate hash code, each aggregate hash code comprising each pair sorted according to the standardized order for each of the normalized data segments in the corresponding first or second set of data segments;
• compare corresponding data segment hash values within the first and second aggregate hash codes to determine a similarity coefficient between the first set and the second set of structured data;
• and
• convey the similarity coefficient to a storage location at the information handling system or to an application, module, service, or system requesting the similarity coefficient.