Granular client inventory management with conflict resolution

摘要

Granular inventory management with conflict resolution at a target is provided. A client receives inventory management requests, as default settings and/or from a server. Each request includes action instance(s), which have an action key, action type, action detail(s), a precedence, and a sequence number. The client identifies a conflict if two instances have the same action type but incompatible detail(s). The client resolves the conflict, based on precedence and sometimes also on sequence numbers. The client performs the resulting action instance(s), and results are sent back for inclusion in an inventory report. Action details may specify a schedule for recurring actions. A precedence may be specified by an administrator or be built-in. Default and other requests may be defined by viewing inventory classes in a graphical user interface, entering an action based on inventory class(es), and entering target device group selection(s). Inventory classes may be captured from a live system.

主权项

1. A computer-readable storage medium configured with data and with instructions that when executed by at least one processor in at least one managed device of an inventory-managed system causes the processor(s) to perform a process for inventory management, the process comprising the steps of:
electronically receiving multiple inventory management requests in a device memory of the managed device, the received inventory management requests including at least one action instance and at least one action key, each action instance having at least an action type, action detail(s), a precedence, and a sequence number; computationally through execution of at least some of the instructions by at least one processor of the managed device identifying a conflict at an application client level in that received inventory management request(s) contain respective action instances having the same action type but having different and mutually inconsistent action detail(s); computationally through execution of at least some of the instructions by at least one processor of the managed device resolving the conflict at the application client level in favor of one inventory management request action instance, based at least on an action instance precedence; and transmitting from the managed device at least one result of the inventory management request action instance in whose favor the conflict was resolved, wherein the at least one result comprises a result of applying at the managed device an action instance of at least one of the following action types: gathering statistics, specifying a recurrence schedule, getting a version number, getting an installation date, or collecting battery information.