Patent ID: 7506051
Filing Date: 2009-03-17
Classification: G06F,H04L

Abstract:
1. A computer implemented method in a data processing system for conducting an inventory of the data processing system, the computer implemented method comprising: launching a basic input output system comprising an inventory process during a boot process for the data processing system, wherein the basic input output system initiates the inventory process, wherein the inventory process collects a hardware inventory of components in the data processing system, wherein the data processing system is one in a plurality of data processing systems in a network; responsive to launching the basic input output system during the boot process of the data processing system, identifying, by the initiated inventory process, hardware components in the data processing system to form an inventory prior to the launching of an operating system; and sending a report comprising the inventory to a listener server on the network using a communications interface, prior to launching the operating system, wherein a format type of the report is type in a group consisting of extensible mark up language, hypertext markup language, text in a flat file, and simple network management protocol, and wherein the listener server collects and receives the report from each data processing system on the network, wherein the listener server is a default listener server, and wherein the identifying and sending are performed according to settings stored on each data processing system.