Method, apparatus, and computer program product for monitoring an electronic data exchange

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016294651-A1
Application number	US-201514674059-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Mar 31, 2015
Priority date	Mar 31, 2015
Publication date	Oct 6, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A method, computer program product and apparatus are provided for monitoring an electronic data exchange between a client and a servicing system. Inbound files from various types of agents may be received on the servicing system. Data collectors or listeners detect the transfer of data. A monitoring apparatus may collectively detect and track all data processing activities within the servicing systems. Profiles including expected processing activities based on the client or file type may be verified against tracking records of actual processing activities. The monitoring apparatus may therefore proactively monitor and initiate notifications in the event expected data processing activities do not occur or expected received files are not received in a specified time period.

First claim

That which is claimed:

1 . A method for monitoring an electronic data exchange between a client and a servicing system, the method comprising:
loading a profile comprising information describing expected files to be received during a defined period; logging information regarding receipt of files during the defined period in a tracking record; comparing the tracking record to the profile; and in an instance an expected file is not received during the defined period, generating a missing file notification.

2 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
generating the profile by receiving user input describing the expected receipt, processing, and contents of a specified type of file; and applying the user input to a template such that the profile is stored in a memory of the serving system.

3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the profile comprises an expected number of files of a given type to be received during the defined period, and the method further comprises:
in an instance a number of received files of the given type does not match the expected number of files of the given type, generating a mismatch notification.

4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the profile indicates an expected order of files to be processed, and the method further comprises:
in an instance files are not received in the expected order, generating an unexpected order notification.

5 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
calculating a deadline for a reactive process to occur in association with at least one received file and based on the profile; and in response to the deadline elapsing with no occurrence of the reactive process, generating a process failure notification.

6 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
storing a plurality of tracking records in association with the identified profile; and generating reports describing the plurality of tracking records.

7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein logging the information regarding receipt of files in the tracking record occurs in response to receiving an indication generated by an intermediary data collector configured at least for listening to a plurality of agents, the agents comprising at least one of a file transfer protocol engine, file manager, or conversion interface.

8 . An apparatus for monitoring an electronic data exchange between a client and a servicing system, the apparatus comprising processing circuitry configured to cause the apparatus to perform at least:
loading a profile comprising information describing expected files to be received during a defined period; logging information regarding receipt of files during the defined period in a tracking record; comparing the tracking record to the profile; and in an instance an expected file is not received during the defined period, generating a missing file notification.

9 . The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to cause the apparatus to perform at least:
generating the profile by receiving user input describing the expected receipt, processing, and contents of a specified type of file; and applying the user input to a template such that the profile is stored in a memory of the serving system.

10 . The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the profile comprises an expected number of files of a given type to be received during the defined period, and the processing circuitry is further configured to cause the apparatus to perform at least:
in an instance a number of received files of the given type does not match the expected number of files of the given type, generating a mismatch notification.

11 . The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the profile indicates an expected order of files to be processed, and the processing circuitry is further configured to cause the apparatus to perform at least:
in an instance files are not received in the expected order, generating an unexpected order notification.

12 . The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to cause the apparatus to perform at least:
calculating a deadline for a reactive process to occur in association with at least one received file and based on the profile; and in response to the deadline elapsing with no occurrence of the reactive process, generating process failure notification.

13 . The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to cause the apparatus to perform at least:
storing a plurality of tracking records in association with the identified profile; and generating reports describing the plurality of tracking records.

14 . The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein logging the information regarding receipt of files in the tracking record occurs in response to receiving an indication generated by an intermediary data collector configured at least for listening to a plurality of agents, the agents comprising at least one of a file transfer protocol engine, file manager, or conversion interface.

15 . A computer program product for monitoring an electronic data exchange between a client and a servicing system, the computer program product comprising at least one non-transitory computer-readable medium having computer-readable program instructions stored therein, the computer-readable program instructions comprising instructions, which when performed by an apparatus, are configured to cause the apparatus to perform at least:
loading a profile comprising information describing expected files to be received during a defined period; logging information regarding receipt of files during the defined period in a tracking record; comparing the tracking record to the profile; and in an instance an expected file is not received during the defined period, generating a missing file notification.

16 . The computer program product of claim 15 , wherein the computer-readable program instructions further comprise instructions, which when performed by the apparatus, are configured to cause the apparatus to perform at least:
generating the profile by receiving user input describing the expected receipt, processing, and contents of a specified type of file; and applying the user input to a template such that the profile is stored in a memory of the serving system.

17 . The computer program product of claim 15 , wherein the profile comprises an expected number of files of a given type to be received during the defined period, and the computer-readable program instructions further comprise instructions, which when performed by the apparatus, are configured to cause the apparatus to perform at least:
in an instance a number of received files of the given type does not match the expected number of files of the given type, generating a mismatch notification.

18 . The computer program product of claim 15 , wherein the profile indicates an expected order of files to be processed, and the computer-readable program instructions further comprise instructions, which when performed by the apparatus, are configured to cause the apparatus to perform at least:
in an instance files are not received in the expected order, generating an unexpected order notification.

19 . The computer program product of claim 15 , wherein the computer-readable program instructions further comprise instructions, which when performed by the apparatus, are configured to cause the apparatus to perform at least:
calculating a deadline for a reactive process to occur in association with at least one received file and based on the profile; and in

Assignees

• Mckesson Corp

Inventors

• Renna Michael

Classifications

• H04L43/06 Primary

  Generation of reports · CPC title

• H04L67/06

  specially adapted for file transfer, e.g. file transfer protocol [FTP] · CPC title

• H04L41/22

  comprising specially adapted graphical user interfaces [GUI] · CPC title

• H04L41/046

  comprising network management agents or mobile agents therefor · CPC title

• H04L41/0604

  using filtering, e.g. reduction of information by using priority, element types, position or time · CPC title