Patent ID: 8453204

Claim:
A method, performed at a server having at least one processor, for determining current protection-software configurations for a plurality of hosts comprising: determining a current time indicator; determining for a target host a respective host type of a predefined set of host types; identifying a set of host descriptors corresponding to said respective host type from a predefined superset of host descriptors; sending a set of queries corresponding to said set of host descriptors to said target host to acquire current characterizing data elements from said target host; comparing said current characterizing data elements with prior characterizing data elements of said target host; where at least one current characterizing data element differs from a corresponding prior characterizing data element, updating a current protection-software configuration for said target host; where said current protection-software configuration differs from a prior protection-software configuration, setting a host-reconfiguration time indicator to equal said current time indicator and transmitting said current protection-software configuration to said target host; retaining said current characterizing data elements for subsequent use as prior characterizing data elements; and retaining said current protection-software configuration for subsequent use as prior protection-software configuration.