Multi-entity normalization

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11010359-B2
Application number	US-201916407974-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 9, 2019
Priority date	Mar 15, 2013
Publication date	May 18, 2021
Grant date	May 18, 2021

Abstract

In accordance with aspects of the disclosure, systems and methods are provided for normalizing data representing entities and relationships linking the entities including defining one or more graph rules describing searchable characteristics for the data representing the entities and relationships linking the entities, applying the one or more graph rules to the data representing the entities and the relationships linking the entities, identifying one or more matching instances between the one or more graph rules and the data representing the entities and the relationships linking the entities, and performing one or more actions to update the one or more matching instances between the one or more graph rules and the data representing the entities and the relationships linking the entities.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A computer-implemented method, comprising:
retrieving data from a plurality of data providers, wherein the data represents entities and relationships between the entities;
defining a plurality of rules for a graph model, the graph model defining a plurality of data patterns and the relationships between the entities including dependencies between the entities;
searching the data using the plurality of rules, the searching including comparing the plurality of data patterns in the rules to a structure associated with the data;
in response to determining that at least a portion of the structure associated with the data matches at least one of the plurality of data patterns in the rules, assessing whether the data includes one or more interrelationship errors that result in a violation of at least one of the plurality of rules, wherein the one or more interrelationship errors include a wrong dependency relationship;
in response to determining that the data includes one or more interrelationship errors, correcting, using the at least one rule, the interrelationship errors in the structure to generate corrected data and corrected structure of the data, wherein the correcting includes automatic correction of the graph model; and
generating an updated graph model that includes the corrected data and the corrected structure of the data.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the entities represent computing objects in a network and wherein determining that the data includes one or more interrelationship errors includes detecting whether any of the computing objects includes an orphan entity.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein detecting whether any of the computing objects includes an orphan entity includes detecting an extraneous IP address associated with computing objects without an assigned parent computing object.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the entities represent data objects in a network and wherein determining that the data includes one or more interrelationship errors includes detecting whether the data objects violate a licensing model or a service model associated with the graph model.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining that the data includes one or more interrelationship errors includes detecting whether a cluster of the entities includes a predefined number of members based at least in part on the plurality of rules.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the entities represent data objects in a network and wherein determining that the data includes one or more interrelationship errors includes detecting whether any of the data objects are connected to a physical computer system entity through a direct relationship and a two relationship model with a virtual system entity.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein generating the corrected data and the corrected structure of the data includes:
suggesting candidate corrections to modify the structure to adhere to at least one valid pattern defined in at least one of the plurality of rules; and
modifying the structure using the suggested candidate corrections.

8. A computer program product including instructions recorded on a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium and comprising instructions that, when executed by at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to:
retrieve data from a plurality of data providers, wherein the data represents entities and relationships between the entities;
define a plurality of rules for a graph model, the graph model defining a plurality of data patterns and the relationships between the entities including dependencies between the entities;
search the data using the plurality of rules, the search including comparing the plurality of data patterns in the rules to a structure associated with the data;
in response to determining that at least a portion of the structure associated with the data matches at least one of the plurality of data patterns in the rules, assess whether the data includes one or more interrelationship errors that result in a violation of at least one of the plurality of rules, wherein the one or more interrelationship errors include a wrong dependency relationship;
in response to determining that the data includes one or more interrelationship errors, correct, using the at least one rule, the interrelationship errors in the structure to generate corrected data and corrected structure of the data, wherein the correcting includes automatic correction of the graph model; and
generate an updated graph model that includes the corrected data and the corrected structure of the data.

9. The computer program product of claim 8 , wherein the entities represent computing objects in a network and wherein determining that the data includes one or more interrelationship errors includes detecting whether any of the computing objects includes an orphan entity.

10. The computer program product of claim 9 , wherein detecting whether any of the computing objects includes an orphan entity includes detecting an extraneous IP address associated with computing objects without an assigned parent computing object.

11. The computer program product of claim 8 , wherein the entities represent data objects in a network and wherein determining that the data includes one or more interrelationship errors includes detecting whether the data objects violate a licensing model or a service model associated with the graph model.

12. The computer program product of claim 8 , wherein determining that the data includes one or more interrelationship errors includes detecting whether a cluster of the entities includes a predefined number of members based at least in part on the plurality of rules.

13. The computer program product of claim 8 , wherein the entities represent data objects in a network and wherein determining that the data includes one or more interrelationship errors includes detecting whether any of the data objects are connected to a physical computer system entity through a direct relationship and a two relationship model with a virtual system entity.

14. The computer program product of claim 8 , wherein generating the corrected data and the corrected structure of the data includes:
suggesting candidate corrections to modify the structure to adhere to at least one valid pattern defined in at least one of the plurality of rules; and
modifying the structure using the suggested candidate corrections.

15. A computer implemented system including instructions recorded on a non-transitory computer-readable medium and executable by at least one processor, the system comprising at least one processor configured to:
retrieve data from a plurality of data providers, wherein the data represents entities and relationships between the entities;
define a plurality of rules for a graph model, the graph model defining a plurality of data patterns and the relationships between the entities including dependencies between the entities;
search the data using the plurality of rules, the search including comparing the plurality of data patterns in the rules to a structure associated with the data;
in response to determining that at least a portion of the structure associated with the data matches at least one of the plurality of data patterns in the rules, assess whether the data includes one or more interrelationship errors that result in a violation of at least one of the plurality of rules, wherein the one or more interrelationship errors include a wrong dependency relationship;
in response to determining that the data includes one or more interrelationship errors, correct, using the at least one rule

Assignees

• Bmc Software Inc

Inventors

• Kumar Ajoy
• Mueller Douglas
• George Josie

Classifications

• G06F16/23

  Updating · CPC title

• G06F16/9024

  Graphs; Linked lists (G06F16/9027 takes precedence) · CPC title

• G06F16/00

  Information retrieval; Database structures therefor; File system structures therefor · CPC title

• G06F16/215 Primary

  Improving data quality; Data cleansing, e.g. de-duplication, removing invalid entries or correcting typographical errors · CPC title