Patent ID: 8769069

Claim:
A data collection apparatus, comprising: a storage configured to store application information collected from a server providing a service by running an application and includes detail information indicating a detail of the application and an update frequency which indicates a number of past updates of the application information; a processor coupled to the storage, the processor being configured to execute an operation including: collecting the application information from the server; identifying application information of an application in which an abnormality has occurred and application information affected by the abnormality and identifying application information other than data associated with the abnormality, from among the application information collected; sorting the application information collected, in order of the update frequency stored; converting the application information, collected, to a string, according to a certain condition; comparing, in the order determined in accordance with the sorting, all converted information including the detail information with all information of the application information, including the detail information collected in a previous point and stored, and extracting application information different from the application information collected in the previous point as a result of the comparing; excluding, from the application information other than data associated with the abnormality, information including the detail information of the application information; executing a subsequent comparing using a result of the excluding, and extracting application information different from the application information collected in the previous point as a result of the subsequent comparing; and sending the application information, extracted by one of the comparing and the subsequent comparing, to a data management apparatus which manages the application information.