System and computer-readable medium for controlling access in a distributed data processing system

Abstract

Controlling access to information in a distributed data processing system. The distributed data processing system has a server, which stores the information and also further comprises a logging tool for creating a log file. The distributed data processing system also has a client computer comprising an application program for controlling a software agent. When the software agent requests information from the server, a process to identify the software agent is invoked. In response to the identification, all the requests from the identified software agent are stored in the log file and this data in the log file is analyzed. The data is also utilized in the process of monitoring the behavior of the identified software agent. In response to the monitoring process, at least one of a plurality of pre-defined rules is invoked, in order to control the behavior of the identified software agent.

1 - 16 . (canceled) 
   
   
       17 . A system for controlling access to information, for use in a distributed data processing system, said distributed data processing system comprising:
 a server for storing said information, wherein said server further comprises a logging tool for creating a log file, and a client computer comprising an application program for controlling a software agent, wherein said software agent requests said information from said server, said system for controlling access comprising:   means for identifying a software agent;   means, responsive to said identifying means, for storing all requests from said identified software agent in said log file;   means, responsive to said storing means, for analysing said log file;   means, responsive to said analysing means, for monitoring behaviour of said identified software agent, and means, responsive to said monitoring means, for invoking at least one of a plurality of pre-defined rules to control said behaviour of said identified software agent, wherein said distributed data processing system further comprises an application server.   
   
   
       18 . A system for controlling access to information, for use in a distributed data processing system, said distributed data processing system comprising:
 a server for storing said information, wherein said server further comprises a logging tool for creating a log file, and a client computer comprising an application program for controlling a software agent, wherein said software agent requests said information from said server, said system for controlling access comprising:   means for identifying a software agent;   means, responsive to said identifying means, for storing all requests from said identified software agent in said log file;   means, responsive to said storing means, for analysing said log file;   means, responsive to said analysing means, for monitoring behaviour of said identified software agent, and means, responsive to said monitoring means, for invoking at least one of a plurality of pre-defined rules to control said behaviour of said identified software agent, wherein said information is represented within any number of a plurality of web pages, each of said any number of a plurality of web pages comprising a non-visible link.   
   
   
       19 . The system according to  claim 18 , wherein a software agent requests one of a plurality of web pages, said means for identifying further comprising:
 means for dynamically generating a first unique identifier;   means for dynamically inserting said first unique identifier into a non-visible link associated with said one of a plurality of web pages, and means for determining whether said one of a plurality of web pages is associated with further of a plurality of web pages.   
   
   
       20 . The system according to  claim 19 , wherein:
 upon said determining step being successful, said first identifier is dynamically inserted into further non-visible links.   
   
   
       21 . The system according to  claim 19 , wherein upon said determining step not being successful, said means for identifying further comprises:
 means for sending said one of a plurality of web pages to said identified software agent;   means, responsive to said means for sending, for requesting from said server by said identified software agent, any number of a plurality of links associated with said one of a plurality of web pages;   means, responsive to said means for requesting, for extracting by said identified software agent, said any number of a plurality of links;   means, responsive to said means for extracting, for passing by said identified software agent, said any number of a plurality of links to said client application program, and means, responsive to said means for passing, for determining by said client application program, which of said any number of a plurality of links to display.   
   
   
       22 . The system according to  claim 21 , wherein said any number of a plurality of links is displayed within a web browsing session running on said client computer. 
   
   
       23 . A system for controlling access to information, for use in a distributed data processing system, said distributed data processing system comprising:
 a server for storing said information, wherein said server further comprises a logging tool for creating a log file, and a client computer comprising an application program for controlling a software agent, wherein said software agent requests said information from said server, said system for controlling access comprising:   means for identifying a software agent;   means, responsive to said identifying means, for storing all requests from said identified software agent in said log file;   means, responsive to said storing means, for analysing said log file;   means, responsive to said analysing means, for monitoring behaviour of said identified software agent, and means, responsive to said monitoring means, for invoking at least one of a plurality of pre-defined rules to control said behaviour of said identified software agent, wherein said means for analysing further comprises:   means for identifying a first value associated with said any number of a plurality of web pages and a second value associated with said further of a plurality of web pages.   
   
   
       24 . The system according to  claim 23 , wherein said means for monitoring further comprises:
 means for utilising said first and second values to generate a third value, wherein said third value is associated with said identified software agent, and means for utilising said third value and a fourth value associated with said all requests, to associate said first identifier and said identified software agent with a fifth value, wherein said fifth value is associated with a probability.   
   
   
       25 . The system according to  claim 24 , wherein upon said third value being not more than or equal to a first pre-determined threshold, said log file is analysed further. 
   
   
       26 . The system according to  claim 24 , wherein upon said fourth value being not more than or equal to a second pre-determined threshold, said log file is analysed further. 
   
   
       27 . The system according to  claim 23 , wherein said identified software agent is associated with a profile, said profile comprising any number of a plurality of data fields unique to said identified software agent, wherein said means for invoking further comprises:
 means for associating said any number of a plurality of data fields with said at least one of a plurality of pre-defined rules;   means for determining whether a pre-defined response needs to be activated, and means, responsive to successful determining means, for activating said pre-defined response.   
   
   
       28 . The system according to  claim 27 , wherein said log file further stores an address associated with a software agent and a name associated with said software agent. 
   
   
       29 . The system according to  claim 28 , wherein at least one of said any number of a plurality of data fields is extracted from said log file. 
   
   
       30 . The system according to  claim 18 , wherein a second unique identifier is generated and further inserted into a non-visible link. 
   
   
       31 . (canceled) 
   
   
       32 . A system for controlling access to information, for use in a distributed data processing system, said distributed data processing system comprising:
 a server for storing said information, wherein said server further comprises a logging tool for creating a log file, and a client computer comprising an application program for controlling a software agent, wherein said software agent requests said information from said server, said system for controlling access comprising:   means for identifying a software agent;   means, responsive to said identifying means, for storing all requests from said identified software agent in said log file;   means, responsive to said storing means, for analysing said log file;   means, responsive to said analysing means, for monitoring behaviour of said identified software agent, and means, responsive to said monitoring means, for invoking at least one of a plurality of pre-defined rules to control said behaviour of said identified software agent, wherein said at least one of a plurality of pre-defined rules controls a plurality of thread priorities associated with said server, wherein at least one of a plurality of threads is associated with a software agent.   
   
   
       33 . A distributed data processing system comprising:
 a server for storing said information, wherein said server further comprises a logging tool for creating a log file, and a client computer comprising an application program for controlling a software agent, wherein said software agent requests said information from said server, and a system for controlling access to information, comprising:   means for identifying a software agent;   means, responsive to said identifying means, for storing all requests from said identified software agent in said log file;   means, responsive to said storing means, for analysing said log file;   means, responsive to said analysing means, for monitoring behaviour of said identified software agent, and means, responsive to said monitoring means, for invoking at least one of a plurality of pre-defined rules to control said behaviour of said identified software agent, wherein said distributed data processing system further comprises an application server.   
   
   
       34 . Computer readable code stored on a computer readable storage medium for controlling access to information, for use in a distributed data processing system comprising:
 a server for storing said information, wherein said server further comprises a logging tool for creating a log file, and a client computer comprising an application program for controlling a software agent, wherein said software agent requests said information from said server, said computer readable code comprising:   means for identifying a software agent;   means, responsive to said identifying means, for storing all requests from said identified software agent in said log file;   means, responsive to said storing means, for analysing said log file;   means, responsive to said analysing means, for monitoring behaviour of said identified software agent, and means, responsive to said monitoring means, for invoking at least one of a plurality of pre-defined rules to control said behaviour of said identified software agent, wherein said distributed data processing system further comprises an application server.