Method and System for Performing Inventory Scan

A computer program product comprising a computer useable medium having a computer readable program, wherein the computer readable program, when executed on a computing device, causes the computing device to perform an inventory scan method on at least one target data processing system for ascertaining the presence therein of one or more prerequisite resources, wherein the one or more prerequisite resources are resources necessary for execution, by the target data processing system, of predetermined activities, the method comprising:

• sending, to a target data processing system, a request of performing a selected activity of the predetermined activities;
• associating, with the request, at least one signature of at least one prerequisite resource different from the prerequisite resources required for performing the selected activity, wherein the signature includes information used by the target data processing system to locate where the prerequisite resource is to be searched;
• receiving, from the target data processing system, a result of the search of the prerequisite resource;
• and
• updating information indicating presence or non-presence of the prerequisite resource in the target data processing system.

An apparatus, comprising:

• a processor;
• and
• a memory coupled to the processor, wherein the memory comprises instructions which, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to:
• send, to a target data processing system, a request of performing a selected activity from a set of predetermined activities;
• associate, with the request, at least one signature of at least one prerequisite resource different from prerequisite resources required for performing the selected activity, wherein the signature includes information used by the target data processing system to locate where the prerequisite resource is to be searched;
• receive, from the target data processing system, a result of the search of the prerequisite resource;
• and
• update information indicating presence or non-presence of the prerequisite resource in the target data processing system.