Patent ID: 7499865
Filing Date: 2009-03-03
Classification: G06Q

Abstract:
1. A method comprising: arranging or organizing one or more environment asset inventories of computing environment assets into two or more computing environments; disposing at least one collector interface in relation with at least two of said computing environments such that movement of an asset from one environment to another environment is detected, said collector interface being configured to cooperate with a self-managed computing system, and said two environments being selected from a group of one or more development environments, one or more test environments, and one or more production environments; establishing by an inventory scanner an initial computer-readable environment asset inventory for each of said environments, said inventory scanner being configured to cooperate with said self-managed computing system selected from a group of an autonomic computing system, an on-demand computing system, a utility computing system, and a grid computing system; receiving an asset movement report output from said collector interface responsive to detection of movement of an asset from a first environment to a second environment; modifying according to said movement reports two or more environment asset inventories, each environment asset inventory being associated with at least one of said first or second environments; accessing one or more backup copies of said first or second environment asset inventory; comparing said accessed backup copy with said modified first or second environment asset inventory; maintaining a history of each asset in each inventory; producing a history report regarding the life of an asset from first introduction into a monitored environment, throughout movements between environments, including removal from the monitored environments; generating a license inventory report containing locations and status of assets associated with one or more licenses, said report being receivable by a license management system; accessing one or more asset revision level indicators, wherein asset revision level indicators comprise one or more indicators selected from a version level, a patch level, and a service pack level; comparing said second environment asset inventory to said accessed revision level indicators to verify that all applicable patches and upgrades have been configured into said second environment; and generating a report detailing any discrepancies between a compared backup of an environment asset inventory and modified environment asset inventory including at least one discrepancy selected from a group of an asset, a location, a status, and a revision level indicator.