Patent ID: 8285720

Claim:
A method of operating a profile group managing server for managing a computer information database, comprising: receiving, at said profile group managing server, from one or more computers in a set of computers, for inclusion in the computer information database, computer profile data from the set of computers; determining, by said profile group managing server, a multiple node tree structure of groups for the set of computers in which each node is a group level and a top level is a root, based upon primary grouping criteria that correspond to selected computer profile data; including, in a database mapping table, fields for the primary grouping criteria that correspond to ranges of values of computer profile data of interest that are utilized as the primary grouping criteria to assign the computers to groups, and including in those fields, in respective table records, high and low values for the computer profile data of interest, the table further including, in the records, information that identifies the groups to which the computers that satisfy the primary grouping criteria are assigned, said primary grouping criteria being ranges that extend between a selected high and a selected low value as follows: wherein said ranges are inclusive and include the high value, the low value, and values therebetween, wherein said values therebetween include all values that are less than the high value, but greater than the low value, wherein said ranges are inclusive and include the high value and the values therebetween, wherein said values therebetween include all values that are less than the high value, but greater than the low value, wherein said ranges are inclusive and include the low value and the values therebetween, wherein said values therebetween include all values that are less than the high value, but greater than the low value, or wherein said ranges are inclusive and only include values therebetween, wherein said values therebetween include all values that are less than the high value, but greater than the low value; specifying, in the respective table records, information that identifies groups to which the computers that satisfy the primary grouping criteria are assigned; and manipulating the computer profile data from the database and producing for a selected group level, reports that contain summaries of certain or all of the attributes of the computers that are in the selected group level or below in the multiple node tree structure.