System and Method for Collecting and Compiling Data in a Computer Network

Abstract

Systems and methods are described, wherein data is received from a workstation associated with a user and compiled after being received from the workstation. In one embodiment, the data is transmitted from the workstation in response to instructions from a data collection program that is adapted to instruct retrieval of the data from the workstation.

1 . A method for collecting information comprising: 
 receiving data from a workstation associated with a user, the data transmitted in response to instructions from a data collection program, the data collection program adapted to instruct retrieval of the data from the workstation; and    compiling the data received from the workstation.    
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 deploying the data collection program to the user from a central server, the data collection program adapted to run on the workstation associated with the user, the data collection program further adapted to instruct retrieval of data from the workstation, the data collection program further adapted to instruct transmission of the data from the workstation.    
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the deploying the data collection program further comprises: 
 deploying a data collection program adapted to generate a user information file and a workstation information file, the user information file having information associated with the user, the workstation information file having information associated with the workstation.    
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the receiving the data comprises: 
 receiving the user information file and the workstation information file.    
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the receiving the data comprises: 
 receiving a copy of files accessed by the user at the workstation.    
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the receiving the data further comprises: 
 receiving a directory tree structure associated with the files accessed by the user at the workstation.    
   
   
       7 - 16 . (canceled)  
   
   
       17 . A system for collecting information comprising: 
 means for receiving data from a workstation associated with a user, the data transmitted in response to instructions from a data collection program, the data collection program adapted to instruct retrieval of the data from the workstation; and    means for compiling the data received from the workstation.    
   
   
       18 . The system of  claim 17 , further comprising: 
 means for deploying the data collection program to the user from a central server, the data collection program adapted to run on the workstation associated with the user, the data collection program further adapted to instruct retrieval of data from the workstation, the data collection program further adapted to instruct transmission of the data from the workstation.    
   
   
       19 . The system of  claim 18 , wherein the means for deploying the data collection program further comprises: 
 means for deploying a data collection program adapted to generate a user information file and a workstation information file, the user information file having information associated with the user, the workstation information file having information associated with the workstation.    
   
   
       20 . The system of  claim 19 , wherein the means for receiving the data comprises: 
 means for receiving the user information file and the workstation information file;    means for receiving files accessed by the user at the workstation; and    means for receiving a directory tree structure associated with the files accessed by the user at the workstation.    
   
   
       21 - 25 . (canceled)  
   
   
       26 . A system for collecting information comprising: 
 logic adapted to receive data from a workstation associated with a user, the data transmitted in response to instructions from a data collection program, the data collection program adapted to instruct retrieval of the data from the workstation; and    logic adapted to compile the data received from the workstation.    
   
   
       27 . The system of  claim 26 , further comprising: 
 logic adapted to deploy the data collection program to the user from a central server, the data collection program adapted to run on the workstation associated with the user, the data collection program further adapted to instruct retrieval of data from the workstation, the data collection program further adapted to instruct transmission of the data from the workstation.    
   
   
       28 . The system of  claim 27 , wherein the logic adapted to deploy the data collection program further comprises: 
 logic adapted to deploy a data collection program adapted to generate a user information file and a workstation information file, the user information file having information associated with the user, the workstation information file having information associated with the workstation.    
   
   
       29 . The system of  claim 28 , wherein the logic adapted to receive the data comprises: 
 logic adapted to receive the user information file and the workstation information file.    logic adapted to receive files accessed by the user at the workstation; and    logic adapted to receive a directory tree structure associated with the files accessed by the user at the workstation.    
   
   
       30 - 32 . (canceled)  
   
   
       33 . A computer-readable medium for collecting information comprising: 
 computer-readable code adapted to instruct a programmable device to receive data from a workstation associated with a user, the data transmitted in response to instructions from a data collection program, the data collection program adapted to instruct retrieval of the data from the workstation; and    computer-readable code adapted to instruct a programmable device to compile the data received from the workstation.    
   
   
       34 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 33 , further comprising: 
 computer-readable code adapted to instruct a programmable device to deploy the data collection program to the user from a central server, the data collection program adapted to run on the workstation associated with the user, the data collection program further adapted to instruct retrieval of data from the workstation, the data collection program further adapted to instruct transmission of the data from the workstation.    
   
   
       35 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 34 , wherein the computer-readable code adapted to instruct a programmable device to deploy the data collection program further comprises: 
 computer-readable code adapted to instruct a programmable device to deploy a data collection program adapted to generate a user information file and a workstation information file, the user information file having information associated with the user, the workstation information file having information associated with the workstation.    
   
   
       36 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 35 , wherein the computer-readable code adapted to instruct a programmable device to receive the data comprises: 
 computer-readable code adapted to instruct a programmable device to receive the user information file and the workstation information file.    computer-readable code adapted to instruct a programmable device to receive files accessed by the user at the workstation; and    computer-readable code adapted to instruct a programmable device to receive a directory tree structure associated with the files accessed by the user at the workstation.    
   
   
       37 - 39 . (canceled)  
   
   
       40 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the compiling the data comprises: 
 extracting information associated with the workstation from the received workstation information file.    
   
   
       41 . The method of  claim 40 , wherein the extracting the information associated with the workstation comprises: 
 extracting a computer name from the information associated with the workstation.    
   
   
       42 . The method of  claim 40 , wherein the extracting the information associated with the workstation comprises: 
 extracting a type of operating system running on the workstation.    
   
   
       43 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the compiling the data comprises: 
 extracting program information associated with running of the data collection program.    
   
   
       44 . The method of  claim 43 , wherein the extracting the program information associated with the running of the data collection program comprises: 
 extracting a program start time;    extracting a program start date;    extracting a program end date; and    extracting a program end time.    
   
   
       45 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the compiling the data comprises: 
 determining whether the workstation is operating in a distributed file system environment.    
   
   
       46 . The method of  claim 45 , further comprising: 
 extracting a network share name of the workstation in response to determining that the workstation is operating in a distributed file system environment.    
   
   
       47 . The method of  claim 45 , further comprising: 
 extracting a domain name of the workstation in response to determining that the workstation is operating in a distributed file system environment.    
   
   
       48 . The method of  claim 45 , further comprising: 
 obtaining a list of file servers coupled to the workstation in response to determining that the workstation is operating in a distributed file system environment.    
   
   
       49 . The system of  claim 20 , wherein the means for compiling the data comprises: 
 means for extracting information associated with the workstation from the received workstation information file.    
   
   
       50 . The system of  claim 49 , wherein the means for extracting the information associated with the workstation comprises: 
 means for extracting a computer name from the information associated with the workstation; and    means for extracting a type of operating system running on the workstation.    
   
   
       51 . The system of  claim 20 , wherein the means for compiling the data comprises: 
 means for extracting program information associated with running of the data collection program.    
   
   
       52 . The system of  claim 51 , wherein the means for extracting the program information associated with the running of the data collection program comprises: 
 means for extracting a program start time;    means for extracting a program start date;    means for extracting a program end date; and    means for extracting a program end time.    
   
   
       53 . The system of  claim 20 , wherein the means for compiling the data comprises: 
 means for determining whether the workstation is operating in a distributed file system environment;    means for extracting a network share name of the workstation in response to determining that the workstation is operating in a distributed file system environment;    means for extracting a domain name of the workstation in response to determining that the workstation is operating in a distributed file system environment; and    means for obtaining a list of file servers coupled to the workstation in response to determining that the workstation is operating in a distributed file system environment.    
   
   
       54 . The system of  claim 29 , wherein the logic adapted to compile the data comprises: 
 logic adapted to extract information associated with the workstation from the received workstation information file.    
   
   
       55 . The system of  claim 54 , wherein the logic adapted to extract the information associated with the workstation comprises: 
 logic adapted to extract a computer name from the information associated with the workstation; and    logic adapted to extract a type of operating system running on the workstation.    
   
   
       56 . The system of  claim 29 , wherein the logic adapted to compile the data comprises: 
 logic adapted to extract program information associated with running of the data collection program.    
   
   
       57 . The system of  claim 56 , wherein the logic adapted to extract the program information associated with the running of the data collection program comprises: 
 logic adapted to extract a program start time;    logic adapted to extract a program start date;    logic adapted to extract a program end date; and    logic adapted to extract a program end time.    
   
   
       58 . The system of  claim 29 , wherein the logic adapted to compile the data comprises: 
 logic adapted to determine whether the workstation is operating in a distributed file system environment;    logic adapted to extract a network share name of the workstation in response to determining that the workstation is operating in a distributed file system environment;    logic adapted to extract a domain name of the workstation in response to determining that the workstation is operating in a distributed file system environment; and    logic adapted to obtain a list of file servers coupled to the workstation in response to determining that the workstation is operating in a distributed file system environment.    
   
   
       59 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 36 , wherein the computer-readable code adapted to instruct a programmable device to compile the data comprises: 
 computer-readable code adapted to instruct a programmable device to extract information associated with the workstation from the received workstation information file.    
   
   
       60 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 59 , wherein the computer-readable code adapted to instruct a programmable device to extract the information associated with the workstation comprises: 
 computer-readable code adapted to instruct a programmable device to extract a computer name from the information associated with the workstation; and    computer-readable code adapted to instruct a programmable device to extract a type of operating computer-readable medium running on the workstation.    
   
   
       61 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 36 , wherein the computer-readable code adapted to instruct a programmable device to compile the data comprises: 
 computer-readable code adapted to instruct a programmable device to extract program information associated with running of the data collection program.    
   
   
       62 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 61 , wherein the computer-readable code adapted to instruct a programmable device to extract the program information associated with the running of the data collection program comprises: 
 computer-readable code adapted to instruct a programmable device to extract a program start time;    computer-readable code adapted to instruct a programmable device to extract a program start date;    computer-readable code adapted to instruct a programmable device to extract a program end date; and    computer-readable code adapted to instruct a programmable device to extract a program end time.    
   
   
       63 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 36 , wherein the computer-readable code adapted to instruct a programmable device to compile the data comprises: 
 computer-readable code adapted to instruct a programmable device to determine whether the workstation is operating in a distributed file computer-readable medium environment;    computer-readable code adapted to instruct a programmable device to extract a network share name of the workstation in response to determining that the workstation is operating in a distributed file computer-readable medium environment;    computer-readable code adapted to instruct a programmable device to extract a domain name of the workstation in response to determining that the workstation is operating in a distributed file computer-readable medium environment; and    computer-readable code adapted to instruct a programmable device to obtain a list of file servers coupled to the workstation in response to determining that the workstation is operating in a distributed file computer-readable medium environment.