Web-based asset management

Abstract

The method and system of the present invention provides an improved technique for replacing, implementing and managing computer-related assets. A technician accesses the World Wide Web through a user's computer. The information resident on the computer, including information regarding the computer and the user's preferences, are downloaded to a remote storage medium through the World Wide Web. Once downloaded, all information may be removed from the user's computer. Subsequently, the technician accesses another computer such as, for example, a new computer that has been assigned to the same user. The technician accesses the World Wide Web through the new computer and downloads the information previously stored on the remote storage medium. This information can then be used to install the user's prior applications, settings and preferences on the new computer.

1 . A method for asset management utilizing the World Wide Web, the method comprising:
 receiving information from at least one first computer-related hardware device through the World Wide Web at a storage medium that is remote from the first computer-related hardware device;   transferring the information from the storage medium to a second computer-related hardware device; and   defining configuration settings on the second computer-related hardware device based on the information from the at least one first computer-related hardware device.   
     
     
         2 - 11 . (canceled) 
     
     
         12 . A system for asset management utilizing the World Wide Web, the system comprising:
 a first computer-related hardware device associated with a user, the first computer-related hardware device being configured to access the World Wide Web;   at least one second computer-related hardware device configured to be associated with the user and to access the World Wide Web;   means for transferring information from the first computer-related hardware device through the World Wide Web to a remote storage medium;   means for transferring at least a portion of the information from the remote storage medium to the at least one second computer-related hardware device; and   means for defining user settings on the at least one second computer-related hardware device based on at least a portion of the information from the first computer-related hardware device.   
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the first computer-related hardware device is selected from the group consisting of desktop computers, laptop computers, handheld computers, printers, scanners, networking devices and storage devices. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the first computer-related hardware device and the at least one second computer-related hardware device are configured to access the World Wide Web over the Internet. 
     
     
         15 . (canceled) 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the first computer-related hardware device and the at least one second computer-related hardware device are configured to access the World Wide Web through a local area network. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the means for transferring information further comprises means for converting the information to formatted data files prior to transferring the information from the first computer-related hardware device through the World Wide Web to the remote storage medium. 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the remote storage medium comprises a relational database configured to store said information. 
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein said means for defining user settings on the at least one second computer-related hardware device occurs on a real-time basis. 
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the system further includes means for generating a report of the information after the user settings on the at least one second computer-related hardware device have been defined. 
     
     
         21 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the means for transferring information from the first computer-related hardware device through the World Wide Web to the remote storage medium includes means for filtering unwanted or redundant information. 
     
     
         22 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the means for defining includes means for assessing whether any of the user settings were not specified by the information. 
     
     
         23 . The system of  claim 22 , wherein the means for defining includes means for prompting a user to define at least one user setting that is not specified by the information, in response to determining that at least one of the user settings is not specified by the information. 
     
     
         24 . A method for asset management using the World Wide Web, the method comprising:
 receiving respective information regarding a plurality of computer-related hardware devices at a storage medium that is remote from the plurality of computer-related hardware devices;   deriving respective further information related to the plurality of computer-related hardware devices from the respective information residing on the storage medium; and   defining configuration settings on at least one further computer-related hardware device that is to be associated with a user based on the respective information or the respective further information from at least one of the plurality of computer-related hardware devices.   
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 24 , wherein receiving respective information includes receiving the respective information from the plurality of computer-related hardware devices that are selected from the group consisting of: desktop computers, laptop computers, handheld computers, printers, scanners, networking devices and storage devices. 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 24 , further comprising preparing and disseminating reports compiled from the respective further information. 
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 24 , further comprising transferring the respective information or the respective further information from the storage medium to the at least one further computer-related hardware device. 
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 27 , further comprising converting the respective information or the respective further information to formatted data files prior to transferring the respective information or the respective further information to the at least one further computer-related hardware device. 
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 24 , further comprising storing the respective information or the respective further information on the storage medium in a relational database. 
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 24 , further comprising receiving updates to the respective information on a real-time basis. 
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 24 , further comprising filtering at least a portion of the respective information or the respective further information. 
     
     
         32 . (canceled)