Granted Patent B2

US 9,842,343 · App. 13/860,931 · Granted Dec 12, 2017

Inventors: Brett Alan Cheloff (Tampa, FL); Chris Goetschius (Tampa, FL)

Assignee: Connectwise, Inc.

G06Q30/0206G06Q30/0601G06Q30/08

Abstract

Claims (97)

1. A system to improve performance of remote end user devices via a remote monitoring and management (“RMM”) product configured to monitor and manage the remote end user devices via a computer network, comprising:

a server comprising a processor;

a user module executed by the server to:

create a first user account for a first user device of the system, wherein the first user account corresponds to a seller of RMM accessory items and indicates a first number of points;

create a second user account for a second user device of the system, wherein the second user account indicates a second number of points, and the second user account corresponds to a buyer of RMM accessory items that provides remote monitoring and management of a plurality of remote devices via the RMM product;

receive, from the second user device via the computer network, configuration information for the plurality of remote devices remotely monitored and managed by the second user device;

associate, in a database in memory, the received configuration information with the second user account;

an accessories module executed by the server to obtain, from the first user device via the computer network, a first RMM accessory item for the RMM product, the first RMM accessory item comprising at least one of a monitor, a data view, an antivirus definition, a search, a report, a script, a system component, a plugin, a probe, and a definition;

a prices module executed by the server to obtain, from the first user device via the computer network, a price for the first RMM accessory item, wherein the price comprises a third number of points;

the accessories module executed by the server to:

identify, based on the configuration information associated with the second user account in the database and a status value of the first RMM accessory item, the first RMM accessory item as available for the plurality of remote devices remotely monitored and managed by the second user device via the RMM product, the status value indicating a relationship between the first RMM accessory item and the RMM product;

transmit, via the computer network responsive to receiving an indication of interest in the first RMM accessory item from the second user device and based on the identification of the first RMM accessory item as available for the plurality of remote devices remotely monitored and managed by the second user device via the RMM product, the first RMM accessory item to the second user device causing the second user device to install the first RMM accessory item improving the performance of the plurality of remote devices monitored and managed by the second user device via the RMM product; and the prices module executed by the server to:

add, to the first number of points, a first multiplier times the price; and

subtract, from the second number of points, a second multiplier times the price.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the value of the price is zero.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein:

the first multiplier is a number greater than zero and less than or equal to one; and

the second multiplier is a number greater than or equal to one.

4. The system of claim 1 , further configured to:

recommend, for the second user device, based on a history of activity by the second user device, the first RMM accessory item.

5. The system of claim 1 , further configured to:

obtain, from the first user device via the accessories module, a newer version of the first RMM accessory item; and

responsive to the obtaining the newer version, transmit, via the accessories module, to the second user device, the newer version.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the first RMM accessory item is a remedy for a zero-day attack.

7. The system of claim 1 , further configured to:

obtain, from a third user device affiliated with the provider of the RMM product, via the accessories module, a second RMM accessory item; and

receive, from the third user device via the prices module, a price for the second RMM accessory item, wherein the price is a fourth number of points.

8. The system of claim 7 , further configured to:

recommend, for the second user device, based on a history of activity by the second user device, the second RMM accessory item.

9. The system of claim 7 , further configured to:

obtain, from the third user device via the accessories module, a newer version of the second RMM accessory item; and

responsive to the obtaining the newer version, transmit, via the accessories module, to the second user device, the newer version.

10. The system of claim 7 , wherein the second RMM accessory item is a remedy for a zero-day attack.

11. A method of improving performance of remote end user devices via a remote monitoring and management (“RMM”) product configured to monitor and manage the remote end user devices via a computer network, comprising:

creating, via a user module of an online marketplace system comprising one or more processors, a first user account for a first user device of the online marketplace system, wherein the first user account corresponds to a seller of RMM accessory items and indicates a first number of points;

creating, via the user module, a second user account for a second user device of the online marketplace system, wherein the second user account indicates a second number of points, and the second user account corresponds to a buyer of RMM accessory items that provides remote monitoring and management of a plurality of remote devices via the RMM product;

receiving, from the second user device via the computer network, configuration information for the plurality of remote devices remotely monitored and managed by the second user device;

associating, in a database in memory, the received configuration information with the second user account;

obtaining, by an accessories module of the online marketplace system from the first user device via the computer network, a first RMM accessory item for the RMM product, the first RMM accessory item comprising at least one of a monitor, a data view, an antivirus definition, a search, a report, a script, a system component, a plugin, a probe, and a definition;

obtaining, by a prices module of the online marketplace system from the first user device via the computer network, a price for the first RMM accessory item, wherein the price is a third number of points;

identifying, based on the configuration information associated with the second user account in the database and a status value of the first RMM accessory item, the first RMM accessory item as available for the plurality of remote devices remotely monitored and managed by the second user device via the RMM product, the status value indicating a relationship between the first RMM accessory item and the RMM product;

transmitting, responsive to receiving an indication of interest in the first RMM accessory item from the second user device and based on the identification of the first RMM accessory item as available for the plurality of remote devices remotely monitored and managed by the second user device via the RMM product, the first RMM accessory item to the second user device causing the second user device to install the first RMM accessory item improving the performance of the plurality of remote devices monitored and managed by the second user device via the RMM product; and

adding, to the first number of points, a first multiplier times the price; and

subtracting, from the second number of points, a second multiplier times the price.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the value of the price is zero.

13. The method of claim 11 , wherein:

the first multiplier is a number greater than zero and less than or equal to one; and

the second multiplier is a number greater than or equal to one.

14. The method of claim 11 , further comprising:

recommending, to the second user device, based on a history of activity by the second user device, the first RMM accessory item.

15. The method of claim 11 , further comprising:

obtaining, from the first user device, a newer version of the first RMM accessory item; and

responsive to obtaining the newer version, transmitting, to the second user device, the newer version.

16. The method of claim 11 , wherein the first RMM accessory item is a remedy for a zero-day attack.

17. The method of claim 11 , further comprising:

obtaining, from a third user device affiliated with the provider of the RMM product via the accessories module, a second RMM accessory item; and

receiving, from the third user device via the prices module, a price for the second RMM accessory item, wherein the price is a fourth number of points.

18. The method of claim 17 , further comprising:

recommending, to the second user device, based on a history of activity by the second user device, the second RMM accessory item.

19. The method of claim 17 , further comprising:

obtaining, from the third user device, a newer version of the second RMM accessory item; and

responsive to obtaining the newer version, transmitting, to the second user device, the newer version.

20. The method of claim 17 , wherein the second RMM accessory item is a remedy for a zero-day attack.

21. A non-transitory computer-readable storage device having instructions that are executable to cause one or more processors to improve performance or remote end user devices via a remote monitoring and management (“RMM”) product configured to monitor and manage the remote end user devices, the instructions comprising instructions to:

create a first user account for a first user device of an online marketplace system, wherein the first user account corresponds to a seller of RMM accessory items and indicates a first number of points;

create a second user account for a second user device of the an online marketplace system, wherein the second user account indicates a second number of points, and the second user account corresponds to a buyer of RMM accessory items that provides remote monitoring and management of a plurality of remote devices via the RMM product;

receive, from the second user device via a computer network, configuration information for the plurality of remote devices remotely monitored and managed by the second user device;

associate, in a database in memory, the received configuration information with the second user account;

obtain, from the first user device via the computer network, a first RMM accessory item for the RMM product, the first RMM accessory item comprising at least one of a monitor, a data view, an antivirus definition, a search, a report, a script, a system component, a plugin, a probe, and a definition;

obtain, from the first user device via the computer network, a price for the first RMM accessory item, wherein the price comprises a third number of points;

identify, based on the configuration information associated with the second user account in the database and a status value of the first RMM accessory item, the first RMM accessory item as available for the plurality of remote devices remotely monitored and managed by the second user device via the RMM product, the status value indicating a relationship between the first RMM accessory item and the RMM product;

transmit, via the computer network responsive to receiving an indication of interest in the first RMM accessory item from the second user device and based on the identification of the first RMM accessory item as available for the plurality of remote devices remotely monitored and managed by the second user device via the RMM product, the first RMM accessory item to the second user device causing the second user device to install the first RMM accessory item improving the performance of the plurality of remote devices monitored and managed by the second user device via the RMM product; and

add, to the first number of points, a first multiplier times the price; and

subtract, from the second number of points, a second multiplier times the price.

22. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 21 , wherein the value of the price is zero.

23. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 21 , wherein:

the first multiplier is a number greater than zero and less than or equal to one; and

the second multiplier is a number greater than or equal to one.

24. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 21 , wherein the instructions further comprise instructions to:

recommend, to the second user device, based on a history of activity by the second user device, the first RMM accessory item.

25. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 21 , wherein the instructions further comprise instructions to:

obtain, from the first user device, a newer version of the first RMM accessory item; and

responsive to the obtaining the newer version, transmit, to the second user device, the newer version.

26. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 21 , wherein the first RMM accessory item is a remedy for a zero-day attack.

27. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 21 , wherein the instructions further comprise instructions to:

obtain, from a third user device affiliated with the provider of the RMM product, a second RMM accessory item; and

receive, from the third user device, a price for the second RMM accessory item, wherein the price is a fourth number of points.

28. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 27 , wherein the instructions further comprise instructions to:

recommend, to the second user device, based on a history of activity by the second user device, the second RMM accessory item.

29. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 27 , wherein the instructions further comprise instructions to:

obtain, from the third user device, a newer version of the second RMM accessory item; and

responsive to the obtaining the newer version, transmit, to the second user device, the newer version.

30. The system of claim 1 , wherein the first RMM accessory item comprises the script, and the server is further configured to:

receive, from a first remote device of the plurality of remote devices, a first performance metric of the first remote device prior to installation of the script;

install, responsive to the identification of the first RMM accessory item as compatible with the plurality of remote devices, the script on the first remote device;

receive, from the first remote device, a second performance metric of the device subsequent to the installation of the script; and

verify an improvement from the first performance metric to the second performance metric.

Assignments (11)

Continuity (2)