Forming Configuration Information about Components of Systems which Include Components for which Acquisition of Configuration Information is Restricted

A method in a system for forming configuration information about components of a system which includes a first component for which acquisition of configuration information is restricted, the method comprising:

• identifying the existence of the first component from configuration information about one or more other components except the first component;
• retrieving, from a storage storing pattern data for analogizing configuration information about a component for which acquisition of the configuration information is restricted, the pattern data being associated with a set of one or more conditions and one or more attribute values, such pattern data that configuration information about a component related to the first component, among the one or more other components, satisfies the set of conditions;
• and
• forming analogized configuration information about the first component using one or more attribute values associated with the retrieved pattern data.