Centralized control of software for administration of a distributed computing environment
AssigneeInternational Business Machines Corporation
InventorJonathan D. Champlin
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Multiple subroutines in one program, or a series of programs provide centralized network administration. The administrative program monitors communications software for consistency at both server and client locations, monitors logs, objects and files at server and/or client locations and assures that investigative measures be undertaken, either by providing automatic updates or by flagging monitored features for administrative follow-up.
Claims16
A control facility for providing network administration for a network comprising at least one server location and a plurality of client locations associated with each of said at least one server, comprising:
- at least one processing component for gathering stored software program information, including at least one of program version, access levels, operability information, program security data, e-mail template version, and user-designated address list information, from said locations on said network and for evaluating the content of said program information;
- at least one storage component associated with said at least one processing component for storing program information gathered from said locations;
- at least one communication component for effecting communication from said at least one processing component along said network in response to said evaluating;
- and
- further comprising a response generating component for generating a response based upon the evaluating of the content of information gathered from at least one of said network locations for delivery by said communication component.
A network comprising:
- at least one server network location;
- a plurality of client network locations, each associated with one of said at least one server locations;
- and
- an administrative control facility for gathering and evaluating the content of stored software program information gathered from one or more of said at least one server location and said plurality of client network locations,
- wherein said administrative control facility comprises:
- at least one processing component for gathering information about said network, including at least one of program versions, access levels, operability information, program security data, e-mail template versions, and user-designated address list information, and for evaluating the content of said information;
- at least one storage component associated with said at least one processing component;
- at least one communication component for effecting communication from said at least one processing component along said network based on said evaluating.
A method for providing administration of a network comprising at least one server network location and a plurality of client network locations, each associated with a server network location comprising the steps of:
- gathering and evaluating software program information from at least one of said network locations, wherein said information comprises at least one of program version, access levels, operability information, program security data, email template version, and user-designated address list information;
- storing program information gathered from said locations;
- effecting communication from said at least one processing component along said network in response to said evaluating;
- and
- preparing a response based upon an evaluation of the content of said information gathered from at least one of said network locations.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.