Patent ID: 8195797

Claim:
A method for interfacing the event monitoring and reporting of a host computer, a local network of information technology devices, a community of network users, and a global information technology community, comprising the steps of: downloading a local network monitoring software program from an online source onto a host computer system associated with said local network, said monitoring software program pre-configured with algorithms and parameters for automatic asset and configuration discovery of information technology devices associated with said local network from said host computer utilizing preexisting platform management systems and protocols on said information technology devices without the use of a client side agent associated to said local network monitoring software; initiating an inventory of a plurality of information technology devices associated with a local network of information technology devices from said host computer; determining a change in the operational status of said plurality of said information technology devices associated with said local network from said host computer; monitoring for changes in said operational status of said plurality of said information technology devices associated with said local network from said host computer; displaying information relating changes in said operational status of said information technology devices associated with said local network on said host computer; associating changes to said operational status of said plurality of said information technology devices with a plurality of products from a set of product vendors; and associating changes to said operational status with a plurality of advertisements presented in association with plurality of products.