Patent ID: 7987445

Claim:
A method for comparing a configuration diagram to an actual system, comprising: utilizing a computer to perform: receiving first information regarding a configuration diagram, wherein the configuration diagram comprises a plurality of nodes, wherein the configuration diagram graphically represents a first system comprising a first plurality of components, wherein two or more of the plurality of nodes represent hardware devices in the first system, wherein the configuration diagram further comprises links between the two or more nodes representing hardware devices, wherein the links represent types of physical connections between the hardware devices in the first system, wherein the configuration diagram further comprises one or more program nodes that correspond to programs in the first system, and wherein the one or more program nodes are displayed proximate to respective nodes representing hardware devices on which the corresponding programs are deployed, wherein the first system does not correspond to an actual system; receiving second information regarding an actual system, wherein the actual system comprises a second plurality of components comprising one or more hardware devices and one or more programs; wherein said receiving second information regarding the actual system comprises: querying the actual system to determine the second plurality of components; and receiving the second information regarding the actual system in response to said querying; analyzing the first and second information to determine differences and/or matches between the configuration diagram and the actual system; and displaying an indication of the differences and/or matches on a display device.