Systems, devices, and methods for software discovery using application id tags

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016259804-A1
Application number	US-201615056320-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Feb 29, 2016
Priority date	Mar 2, 2015
Publication date	Sep 8, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

Provided herein are methodologies, systems, and devices for facilitating software discovery within a server environment using an enterprise-specific application identifier tag file. Such enterprise-specific application identifier tag files can be created for applications from various vendors and can include enterprise-specific information not known to an application vendor. Once created, the enterprise-specific application identifier tag file is deployed within the server environment, and may be saved on a database associated with the server environment. The application identifier tag files can include a link to their corresponding application files and can facilitate in application/software discovery by allowing a user to determine application information by performing an enterprise-specific application identifier tag file query.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . In a server environment, a method of facilitating discovery of applications deployed on servers, the method comprising:
interacting with a user device to facilitate rendering a graphical user interface; receiving user input via the graphical user interface identifying enterprise information related to a deployment of an application file within a server environment, the enterprise information including at least one of: an enterprise-specific server location at which the application file resides within the server environment, an entity within the enterprise responsible for maintenance of the application file, or an entity within the enterprise responsible for maintenance of the server on which the application file is executed; creating an enterprise-specific application identifier tag file that includes the enterprise information; and creating an association between the enterprise-specific application identifier tag file and the application file to facilitate discovery of the application file in the server environment, and to facilitate identification of the enterprise-specific server location at which the application file resides, the entity within the enterprise responsible for maintenance of the application file, or the entity within the enterprise responsible for maintenance of the server on which the application file is executed, the enterprise-specific application identifier tag file being stored in a database associated with the server environment.

2 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising deploying the enterprise-specific application identifier tag file within a server of the server environment contemporaneously with deployment of the application file within the server environment.

3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the enterprise-specific application identifier tag file has a unique filename extension.

4 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising creating a soft link between the enterprise-specific application identifier tag file and the application file.

5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the enterprise-specific application identifier tag file is an XML-format file.

6 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
creating an application identifier tag query to search for the enterprise-specific application identifier tag file within the server environment; identifying the enterprise information related to the application file based on the application identifier tag query.

7 . The method of claim 6 , wherein the application identifier tag query is generated automatically.

8 . The method of claim 6 , wherein the enterprise-specific application identifier tag file has a unique filename extension, and the application identifier tag query is a filename extension query.

9 . The method of claim 6 , wherein the application identifier tag query discovers a plurality of enterprise-specific application identifier tag files associated with a plurality of application files from a plurality of vendors, the plurality of application files having disparate, developer-specific identifiers provided by the vendors which are incompatible with each other.

10 . The method of claim 6 , further comprising creating a query report including a list of enterprise-specific application identifier tag files created by a user.

11 . The method of claim 6 , further comprising creating a query report including a list of enterprise-specific application identifier tag files relating to a specific support group within the enterprise.

12 . A system for facilitating discovery of applications deployed on servers, the system comprising:
a server of a server environment programmed to:
interact with a user device to facilitate rendering a graphical user interface;
receive user input via the graphical user interface identifying enterprise information related to a deployment of an application file within the server environment, the enterprise information including at least one of: an enterprise-specific server location at which the application file resides within the server environment, an entity within the enterprise responsible for maintenance of the application file, or an entity within the enterprise responsible for maintenance of the server on which the application file is executed;
create an enterprise-specific application identifier tag file that includes the enterprise information; and
create an association between the enterprise-specific application identifier tag file and the application file to facilitate discovery of the application file within the server environment, and to facilitate identification of the enterprise-specific server location at which the application file resides, the entity within the enterprise responsible for maintenance of the application file, or the entity within the enterprise responsible for maintenance of the server on which the application file is executed, the enterprise-specific application identifier tag file being stored within a database associated with the server environment.

13 . The system of claim 12 , wherein the server is further programmed to deploy the enterprise-specific application identifier tag file within a server of the server environment contemporaneously with deployment of the application file within the server environment.

14 . The system of claim 12 , wherein the enterprise-specific application identifier tag file has a unique filename extension.

15 . The system of claim 12 , wherein the server is further programmed to create a soft link between the enterprise-specific application identifier tag file and the application file.

16 . The system of claim 12 , wherein the enterprise-specific application identifier tag file is an XML-format file.

17 . The system of claim 12 , wherein the server is further programmed to:
create an application identifier tag query to search for the enterprise-specific application identifier tag file within the server environment; identify the enterprise information related to the application file based on the application identifier tag query.

18 . The system of claim 17 , wherein the application identifier tag query is generated automatically.

19 . The system of claim 17 , wherein the enterprise-specific application identifier tag file has a unique filename extension, and the application identifier tag query is a filename extension query.

20 . The system of claim 17 , wherein the application identifier tag query discovers a plurality of enterprise-specific application identifier tag files associated with a plurality of application files from a plurality of vendors, the plurality of application files having disparate, developer-specific identifiers provided by the vendors which are incompatible with each other.

21 . The system of claim 17 , wherein the server is further programmed to create a query report including a list of enterprise-specific application identifier tag files created by a user.

22 . The system of claim 17 , wherein the server is further programmed to create a query report including a list of enterprise-specific application identifier tag files relating to a specific support group within the enterprise.

23 . A non-transitory computer readable medium storing instructions executable by a processing device, wherein execution of the instructions causes the processing device to implement a method of facilitating discovery of applications deployed on servers in a server environment, the method comprising:
interacting

Assignees

• Wal Mart Stores Inc

Inventors

• Subramaniam Sreenevas
• Stefferud David
• Udornpim Kant

Classifications

• G06F16/168 Primary

  Details of user interfaces specifically adapted to file systems, e.g. browsing and visualisation, 2d or 3d GUIs (query results presentation G06F16/156) · CPC title

• G06F8/60

  Software deployment · CPC title

• H04L67/34

  involving the movement of software or configuration parameters  (network booting or remote initial program loading [RIPL] G06F9/4416) · CPC title

• G06F16/14

  Details of searching files based on file metadata · CPC title

• G06F17/30106

  Physics · mapped topic