How Software Automatically Checks for Configuration Errors in Complex Systems
A method for keeping large-scale computer systems consistent by automatically checking if new or removed parts break established configuration rules.
Original patent title: “Rule based consistency management for complex systems”
A method for keeping large-scale computer systems consistent by automatically checking if new or removed parts break established configuration rules. Granted to Oracle International Corp in 2020 with 22 claims.
Key facts
Coverage
What does this patent actually cover?
This patent describes a system that uses templates to ensure that groups of related computer components, called composite targets, stay configured correctly. It defines a composite template containing sub-templates, which specify the expected settings for different types of hardware or software. When a new component is added to a group or an existing one is removed, the system automatically re-checks the configurations against these templates. If the new setup deviates from the rules, the system flags the inconsistency and alerts the user.
The gap
What does this patent NOT cover?
- Does not cover manual configuration audits performed by human administrators.
- Does not cover systems that lack a hierarchical template structure (i.e., composite templates with sub-templates).
- Does not cover real-time hardware repair or physical replacement of broken components.
- Does not cover security-based intrusion detection systems that focus on malicious traffic rather than configuration drift.
These exclusions are unique to PatentBrief — derived from the actual claim language, not patent-office boilerplate.
What made this novel
The system treats 'consistency' as a dynamic state that updates automatically when the membership of a group changes, rather than just a static snapshot taken at a single point in time.
Schematic visualization of the patent's claim structure. Hand-drawn diagrams in progress for each landmark patent.
Where you've seen this
Real-world examples
Oracle Enterprise Manager
Cloud infrastructure auto-scaling groups
Kubernetes cluster state management
Automated server provisioning tools
Why it matters
The bigger picture
In massive data centers, manually tracking the settings of thousands of servers is impossible. This technology helps automate 'configuration management,' ensuring that clusters of database machines or application services remain uniform. It reduces the risk of human error, which is a leading cause of downtime in enterprise cloud environments.
Filed
June 24, 2016
Granted
December 1, 2020
Market context
Who's building on this
Companies in this space
Oracle continues to build on this through its cloud management and database automation suites. Other major cloud providers like AWS, Microsoft Azure, and Google Cloud utilize similar logic for their configuration management services to ensure high availability across distributed systems.
Market impact
This patent reinforces the shift toward 'self-healing' infrastructure. By codifying consistency management, it helps enterprises move away from manual server maintenance, enabling the massive scale required for modern SaaS and cloud-native applications.
Claim 1 — Plain English
What this patent covers
This patent describes a system that uses templates to ensure that groups of related computer components, called composite targets, stay configured correctly. It defines a composite template containing sub-templates, which specify the expected settings for different types of hardware or software. When a new component is added to a group or an existing one is removed, the system automatically re-checks the configurations against these templates. If the new setup deviates from the rules, the system flags the inconsistency and alerts the user.
The clever bit
The system treats 'consistency' as a dynamic state that updates automatically when the membership of a group changes, rather than just a static snapshot taken at a single point in time.
What it does not cover
- Does not cover manual configuration audits performed by human administrators.
- Does not cover systems that lack a hierarchical template structure (i.e., composite templates with sub-templates).
- Does not cover real-time hardware repair or physical replacement of broken components.
- Does not cover security-based intrusion detection systems that focus on malicious traffic rather than configuration drift.
Patent timeline
Application submitted to the patent office
Application published, typically 18 months after filing
Patent officially issued
PatentBrief Score
Impact Score
Moderate
Citation count
0/40
No citations yet
Claim breadth
15/20
Broad claimsclaimsThe numbered statements at the end of a patent that legally define what the inventor owns.Read more →
Recency
10/20
Granted 5–10 years ago
Assignee scale
20/20
Major company or institution
PatentBrief Impact Score — based on citation count, claim breadth, recency, and assignee scale. Not a legal assessment.
Heuristic Value Estimate
What this patent might be worth
$39K – $125K
Midpoint $78K · 10.0 yr remaining · industry ×1.6
Heuristic only — blends forward/backward citation counts, claim scope, time remaining, litigation history, and CPC-derived industry baseline. Real valuations need a professional appraisal.
The original legal language
Original claims
22 claims as filed with the patent office.
Concepts involved
Citations
Patent lineage
Cite this patent
Gor, A., & Chatterjee, R. (2020). How Software Automatically Checks for Configuration Errors in Complex Systems (U.S. Patent No. 10,853,731). U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/10853731/core-ml-on-device-machine-learning
Auto-generated from the patent record. Double-check author order and the issue date against the official USPTO document before submitting.
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Common Questions
Frequently Asked Questions
What does How Software Automatically Checks for Configuration Errors in Complex Systems cover?
A method for keeping large-scale computer systems consistent by automatically checking if new or removed parts break established configuration rules.
Who owns patent US 10853731?
Oracle International Corp owns this patent, granted in 2020.
When does this patent expire?
This patent is expected to expire on December 1, 2040, when the invention enters the public domain.
What problem does this patent solve?
In massive data centers, manually tracking the settings of thousands of servers is impossible. This technology helps automate 'configuration management,' ensuring that clusters of database machines or application services remain uniform. It reduces the risk of human error, which is a leading cause of downtime in enterprise cloud environments.
What does this patent NOT cover?
Does not cover manual configuration audits performed by human administrators.
Same assignee
More from Oracle International Corp
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