Patent ID: 8712973
Filing Date: 2014-04-29
Classification: H04L

Abstract:
1. A method for resolving conflicting details in configuration reports comprising: receiving by a computer a plurality of configuration reports, the received reports reflecting configuration states or configuration state changes about a single configurable item, the configurable item having a plurality of reported configurable elements, the configuration reports being received from a plurality of different sources and being of unknown correctness regarding actual states of the single configurable item and its one or more installed elements; assigning by a computer a weight value to each reported single configurable element which conflicts with another reported single configurable element in the configuration reports using one or more computer-based weighting rules, wherein the rules comprise a determination of a likelihood of correctness of each conflicting reported element actually being present and enabled in the configurable item, and wherein the conflict comprises at least one element detail selected from the group consisting of revision level, version level, patch level, capacity, license status, age, percentage of capacity used, percentage of capacity unused, installation date, and removal date, and excluding operational fault status; resolving by a computer each conflict by selecting by a computer only one of each of the conflicting elements having greater assigned likelihood of correctness weight values and preferences; and creating by a computer a new configuration report for the selected single configurable item by producing a report containing only the single selected configurable elements having the greater likelihood of being present and enabled in the configurable item, and omitting non-selected configurable elements.