Determining a state of a network

A method of determining a state of a network of computing devices, the method comprising:

• obtaining a set of exemplar data signatures resulting from a scan of one or more exemplar computing devices, each data signature in the set of exemplar data signatures being generated by applying a hash function to binary data from a file in a set of files accessible to the one or more exemplar computing devices;
• transmitting the set of exemplar data signatures to the computing devices over the network;
• receiving state data from the computing devices over the network;
• processing the state data to extract state bitmaps for the computing devices, the state bitmaps indicating a presence or absence of each data signatures in the set of exemplar data signatures;
• and
• using the state bitmaps to update a database representing the state of the network, the database comprising data records indicating which files are present in each of the computing devices.

A method of generating a set of exemplar data signatures for use in determining a state of a network of computing devices, the method comprising:

• initiating an installation of a predefined operating system on a virtual computing device;
• during the installation, determining whether a set of primary files for the operating system have been extracted;
• responsive to the extraction of the set of primary files, pausing the installation;
• copying data stored on a virtual storage device for the virtual computing device to a prepared volume of data storage;
• generating the set of exemplar data signatures by parsing a file-system data file for the prepared volume of data storage to obtain data locations for a plurality of files and applying a hash function to binary data read from the obtained data locations.

A client computing device comprising:

• a network interface to communicatively couple the client computing device to at least one network;
• at least one volume of data storage comprising a plurality of files;
• a memory comprising computer program code for a system agent;
• at least one processor configured to execute the computer program code for the system agent to:
• apply a hash function to binary data read from the plurality of files to generate a set of data signatures;
• receive, at the network interface, a set of exemplar data signatures;
• generate a state bitmap by comparing the set of generated data signatures with the set of exemplar data signatures;
• and
• transmit, from the network interface, state data generated from the state bitmap.

A server computing device comprising:

• a database interface to access a database representing a state of a network;
• data storage to store a set of exemplar data signatures resulting from a scan of one or more exemplar computing devices, each data signature being generated by applying a hash function to binary data representing a file;
• a memory comprising computer program code for a network server;
• at least one processor configured to execute the computer program code for the network server to:
• instruct a transmission of the set of exemplar data signatures to one or more computing devices coupled to the network;
• obtain state data communicated from the computing devices over the network;
• process the state data to extract state bitmaps for the computing devices, the state bitmaps indicating a presence or absence of each of the set of exemplar data signatures;
• and
• update data records for the database using the state bitmaps, the data records indicating which files are present in each of the computing devices coupled to the network.

A network computer system comprising:

• a plurality of client computing devices, each client computing device comprising:
• a data storage device comprising a plurality of files and a file-system data file;
• and
• a system agent operating at a kernel level to:
• parse the file-system data file to obtain data locations for the plurality of files;
• and
• generate a set of file hashes from binary data located at the obtained data locations;
• a server computing device communicatively coupled to the plurality of client computing devices over one or more networks, the server computing device comprising:
• a first data interface to access a set of exemplar file hashes;
• and
• a second data interface to access a state database, each record in a set of state records in the state database identifying one of the plurality of client computing devices and a file hash, the state records indicating the presence of one or more files across the network computer system;
• wherein each client computing device is configured to:
• receive the set of exemplar file hashes;
• compare the set of exemplar file hashes with the generated set of file hashes;
• and
• transmit data to the server computing device based on the comparison, the data comprising a compressed state bitmap indicating matches between the set of exemplar file hashes and the generated set of file hashes, and
• wherein the server computing device is configured to:
• obtain a set of state bitmaps from data received from the plurality of client computing devices;
• and
• use the set of state bitmaps to update the set of state records in the state database.