Auto-suggesting IT asset groups using clustering techniques
An information technology (IT) asset management system provides for logically grouping IT assets and performing actions on the logical groups. Cluster analysis techniques are used to analyze the configuration data corresponding to IT assets in the IT asset management system, generating proposed logical groups from the clusters determined by the cluster analysis techniques. A system administrator may be allowed to accept or reject the proposed logical groups.
1. A method, comprising:
registering a plurality of information technology assets in a computerized asset management system, the plurality of information technology assets being physical information technology assets;
storing at least one configuration data variable for each of the plurality of information technology assets, an attribute of the at least one configuration data variable identifying a location of each one of the plurality of information technology assets;
converting the at least one configuration data variable for each of the plurality of information technology assets into a set of numerical values, the one or more attributes associated with the at least one configuration data variables identifying a location of the information technology assets;
performing a first cluster analysis on the plurality of information technology assets, the first cluster analysis using a distance algorithm with at least one first set of variables selected from the numerical values as an input, the first cluster analysis using the distance algorithm to compare a closeness of at least two of the plurality of information technology assets to each other based on the at least one first set of variables;
performing a second cluster analysis on the plurality of information technology assets, the second cluster analysis using the distance algorithm with at least one second set of variables selected from the numerical values as an input, the second cluster analysis using the distance algorithm to compare a closeness of the at least two of the plurality of information technology assets to each other based on the at least one second set of variables;
generating a plurality of clusters of information technology assets based on a comparison of a result of the first cluster analysis and a result of the second cluster analysis, each of the plurality of clusters of information technology assets including technology assets having similar configuration data;
rendering a graphical representation for each of the plurality of clusters of information technology assets in a graphical user interface (GUI), the graphical representation visually indicating a similarity of the information technology assets within each of the plurality of clusters based on spacing between points in the graphical representation;
enabling in the GUI a selection of the graphical representation;
in response to the selection of the graphical representation, automatically creating a logical group of information technology assets in the asset management system; and
pre-populating the logical group with the information technology assets from the cluster represented by the selection.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the rendering the graphical representation comprises:
displaying the configuration data corresponding to each of the plurality of clusters of information technology assets in the GUI.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein every cluster of the plurality of clusters is added as a logical group in the asset management system without user intervention.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the generating of the set of numerical values includes:
defining a plurality of ranges of an attribute of the configuration data; and
associating a numeric value corresponding to at least one numeric variable with each of the plurality of ranges of the attribute of the configuration data.
5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the defining of the plurality of ranges of the attribute of the configuration data is performed based on a converted numeric form of the configuration data for each of the plurality of information technology assets.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the comparison of the result of the first cluster analysis and the result of the second cluster analysis compares a cohesiveness of the at least one first set of variables and a cohesiveness of the at least one second set of variables.
7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
performing a factor analysis on the configuration data; and
re-performing the cluster analysis on the configuration data responsive to the factor analysis.
8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the performing of the cluster analysis on the configuration data corresponding to the plurality of information technology assets comprises:
selecting a first cluster analysis technique from a plurality of cluster analysis techniques; and
performing the first cluster analysis technique on the configuration data.
9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the selecting of the first cluster analysis technique from the plurality of cluster analysis techniques is performed responsive to a classification of the information technology assets.
10. The method of claim 8 , wherein the selecting of the first cluster analysis technique from the plurality of cluster analysis techniques comprises:
requesting an instruction from a system administrator; and
selecting the first cluster analysis technique responsive to the instruction.
11. A non-transitory computer readable medium with instructions for a programmable control device stored thereon wherein the instructions cause a programmable control device to,
register a plurality of information technology assets in a computerized asset management system, the plurality of information technology assets being physical information technology assets;
store at least one configuration data variable for each of the plurality of information technology assets, an attribute of the at least one configuration data variable identifying a location of at least one of the plurality of information technology assets;
convert the at least one configuration data variable for each of the plurality of information technology assets into a set of numerical values;
perform a first cluster analysis on the plurality of information technology assets, the first cluster analysis using a distance algorithm with at least one first set of variables selected from the numerical values as an input, the first cluster analysis using the distance algorithm to compare a closeness of at least two of the plurality of information technology assets to each other based on the at least one first set of variables;
perform a second cluster analysis on the plurality of information technology assets, the second cluster analysis using the distance algorithm with at least one second set of variables selected from the numerical values as an input, the second cluster analysis using the distance algorithm to compare a closeness of the at least two of the plurality of information technology assets to each other based on the at least one second set of variables;
generate a plurality of clusters of information technology assets based on a comparison of a result of the first cluster analysis and a result of the second cluster analysis, each of the plurality of clusters of information technology assets including technology assets having similar configuration data;
render a graphical representation for each of the plurality of clusters of information technology assets in a graphical user interface (GUI), the graphical representation visually indicating a similarity of the information technology assets within each of the plurality of clusters based on spacing between points in the graphical representation;
enable in the GUI a selection of the graphical representation;
in response to the selection of the graphical representation, automatically create a logical group of information technology assets in the asset management system; and
pre-populate the logical group with the information technology assets from the cluster represented by the selection.
12. A computerized asset management system, comprising:
a database storing a plurality of entries associated with information technology assets, the information technology assets being physical information technology assets, each entry including:
configuration data associated with a corresponding information technology asset,
at least one configuration data variable associated with the corresponding information technology asset, and
at least one attribute associated with the at least one configuration data variable, an attribute of the at least one attribute identifying a location of an information technology asset;
a processor, coupled to the database;
a program storage unit, coupled to the processor; and software, stored in the program storage unit, comprising instructions that when executed by the processor cause the processor to perform actions, comprising:
selecting a plurality of configuration data corresponding to a plurality of information technology assets from the database;
converting the at least one configuration data variables for each of the plurality of information technology assets into a set of numerical values;
performing a first cluster analysis on the plurality of information technology assets, the first cluster analysis using a distance algorithm with at least one first set of variables selected from the numerical values as an input, the first cluster analysis using the distance algorithm to compare a closeness of at least two of the plurality of information technology assets to each other based on the at least one first set of variables;
performing a second cluster analysis on the plurality of information technology assets, the second cluster analysis using the distance algorithm with at least one second set of variables selected from the numerical values as an input, the second cluster analysis using the distance algorithm to compare a closeness of the at least two of the plurality of information technology assets to each other based on the at least one second set of variables;
generating a plurality of clusters of information technology assets based on a comparison of a result of the first cluster analysis and a result of the second cluster analysis, each of the plurality of clusters of information technology assets including technology assets having similar configuration data;
render a graphical representation for each of the plurality of clusters of information technology assets in a graphical user interface (GUI), the graphical representation visually indicating a similarity of the information technology assets within each of the plurality of clusters based on spacing between points in the graphical representation;
enable in the GUI a selection of the graphical representation;
in response to the selection of the graphical representation, automatically create a logical group of information technology assets in the asset management system; and
pre-populate the logical group with the information technology assets from the cluster represented by the selection.
13. The system of claim 12 , wherein the software further comprises instructions that when executed by the processor cause the processor to perform actions comprising:
performing a factor analysis on the configuration data; and
re-performing the second cluster analysis responsive to the factor analysis.