Utilizing signatures to discover and manage derelict assets of an information technology environment

A computer program product comprising a tangible, non-transitory computer readable storage medium having computer usable program code embodied therewith, the computer usable program code comprising:

• computer usable program code stored on a storage medium that is operable to be run by at least one processor, said computer usable code comprising:
• computer usable program code for analyzing a set of asset signatures, each associated with an asset, to discover derelict assets based on the asset signatures, wherein the asset represents a fundamental structural unit of an information technology (IT) environment;
• computer usable program code for performing a multi-stage screening process to discover derelict assets, where in a first stage, assets having a normal state are able to be changed to a suspect state based on results of analyzing the corresponding asset signature, wherein in a second stage assets having a suspect state are able to be selectively changed in state to a normal state or a derelict state;
• and
• computer usable program code for maintaining an asset management system record for each of the set of assets, where each record of the asset management system is a configuration item (CI), which indicates whether each of the set of assets is in a normal state, a suspect state, or a derelict state, wherein the asset management system periodically reclaims resources consumed by derelict assets, wherein each asset signature comprises data comprises a signature evaluation formula and a signature status formula, wherein the signature evaluation formula performs a point in time evaluation of the corresponding asset, wherein the signature status formula performs an evaluation of the corresponding asset over a time range, wherein asset state is determined when analyzing the set of asset signatures by combining results of both the signature evaluation formula and the signature status formula.

A system comprising:

• a processor;
• a volatile memory;
• a non-volatile memory;
• a bus connecting said processor, non-volatile memory, and volatile memory to each other, wherein the volatile memory comprises computer usable program code execute-able by said processor, said computer usable program code upon being processed by the processor:
• analyzing a set of asset signatures, each associated with an asset, to discover derelict assets based on the asset signatures, wherein the asset represents a fundamental structural unit of an information technology (IT) environment;
• performing a multi-stage screening process to discover derelict assets, where in a first stage, assets having a normal state are able to be changed to a suspect state based on results of analyzing the corresponding asset signature, wherein in a second stage assets having a suspect state are able to be selectively changed in state to a normal state or a derelict state;
• and
• maintaining an asset management system record for each of the set of assets, where each record of the asset management system is a configuration item (CI), which indicates whether each of the set of assets is in a normal state, a suspect state, or a derelict state, wherein the asset management system periodically reclaims resources consumed by derelict assets, wherein each asset signature comprises a signature evaluation formula and a signature status formula, wherein the signature evaluation formula performs a point in time evaluation of the corresponding asset, wherein the signature status formula performs an evaluation of the corresponding asset over a time range, wherein asset state is determined when analyzing the set of asset signatures by combining results of both the signature evaluation formula and the signature status formula.