# 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.

- **Patent:** US 10853731
- **Original title:** Rule based consistency management for complex systems
- **Owner:** Oracle International Corp
- **Granted:** 2020
- **Status:** Active
- **Times cited:** 0
- **Field:** software, telecommunications, ai_ml

## What it does

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.

## 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.

## 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.

## Real-world examples

1. Oracle Enterprise Manager
2. Cloud infrastructure auto-scaling groups
3. Kubernetes cluster state management
4. Automated server provisioning tools

## Why it matters

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.

## 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.

**Full plain-English explainer:** https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/10853731/core-ml-on-device-machine-learning

**Original patent:** https://patents.google.com/patent/US10853731

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_Source: PatentBrief — https://patentbrief.org. Patent facts are from public records; the plain-English explanation is PatentBrief's._