Methods and apparatus for authentication of configuration items via configuration item change analysis

Abstract

A method comprises retrieving a change history for each of one or more configuration items for a specified time period, retrieving requests for change identifiers utilized for each of the configuration items in the specified time period, generating an audit report for the configuration items in accordance with the retrieved change history and the retrieve request for change identifiers, determining if each attribute value change in the change history of each of the configuration items is authorized, and recording a marker in the change history through which a given configuration item has authorized changes. Determining if each value change is authorized comprises comparing changes in the retrieved change history to the retrieved request for change identifiers for each of the configuration items to distinguish value changes that occurred without a request for change from value changes that occurred with a request for change.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method comprising the steps of:
 retrieving a change history for each of one or more configuration items for a specified time period;   retrieving requests for change identifiers utilized for each of the one or more configuration items in the specified time period;   generating an audit report for the one or more configuration items in accordance with the retrieved change history and the retrieve request for change identifiers;   determining if each attribute value change in the change history of each of the one or more configuration items is authorized; and   recording a marker in the change history through which a given configuration item has authorized changes;   wherein the step of determining if each value change is authorized comprises the step of comparing changes in the retrieved change history to the retrieved request for change identifiers for each of the one or more configuration items to distinguish value changes that occurred without a request for change from value changes that occurred with a request for change.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the step of comparing changes in the retrieved change history to retrieved request for change identifiers comprises the steps of:
 unwinding prior changes to a last recorded marker for each of the one or more configuration items;   reviewing changes subsequent to the last recorded marker in accordance with the retrieved request for change identifiers for each of the one or more configuration items.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein an audit is run from a previously recorded marker to last discovered changes of each of the one or more configuration items. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the step of recording a marker comprises the step of recording a marker to a current time if changes in the retrieved change history for a given configuration item are acceptable in accordance with retrieved request for change identifiers. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the step of recording a marker comprises the step of recording a marker to a current time when there are no changes in a change history for a given configuration item of the one or more configuration items. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the change history comprises values of a configuration item over time associated with a time stamp. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein, in the step of generating an audit report, the audit report comprises the change history, a last audit time, a last audit status, and request for change identifiers that may be associated with changes in the change history. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more configuration items are part of an information repository comprising a configuration management database. 
     
     
         9 . An apparatus comprising:
 a memory; and   at least one processor coupled to the memory and operative to:
 retrieve a change history for each of one or more configuration items for a specified time period; 
 retrieve requests for change identifiers utilized for each of the one or more configuration items in the specified time period; 
 generate an audit report for the one or more configuration items in accordance with the retrieved change history and the retrieve request for change identifiers; 
 determine if each attribute value change in the change history of each of the one or more configuration items is authorized; and 
 record a marker in the change history through which a given configuration item has authorized changes; 
   wherein determining if each value change is authorized comprises the step of comparing changes in the retrieved change history to the retrieved request for change identifiers for each of the one or more configuration items to distinguish value changes that occurred without a request for change from value changes that occurred with a request for change.   
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein comparing changes in the retrieved change history to retrieved request for change identifiers comprises:
 unwinding prior changes to a last recorded marker for each of the one or more configuration items;   reviewing changes subsequent to the last recorded marker in accordance with the retrieved request for change identifiers for each of the one or more configuration items.   
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein an audit is run from a previously recorded marker to last discovered changes of each of the one or more configuration items. 
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein recording a marker comprises recording a marker to a current time if changes in the retrieved change history for a given configuration item are acceptable in accordance with retrieved request for change identifiers. 
     
     
         13 . The apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein recording a marker comprises recording a marker to a current time when there are no changes in a change history for a given configuration item of the one or more configuration items. 
     
     
         14 . An article of manufacture comprising a non-transitory machine readable medium containing one or more programs which when executed implement the steps of:
 retrieving a change history for each of one or more configuration items for a specified time period;   retrieving requests for change identifiers utilized for each of the one or more configuration items in the specified time period;   generating an audit report for the one or more configuration items in accordance with the retrieved change history and the retrieve request for change identifiers;   determining if each attribute value change in the change history of each of the one or more configuration items is authorized; and   recording a marker in the change history through which a given configuration item has authorized changes;   wherein the step of determining if each value change is authorized comprises the step of comparing changes in the retrieved change history to the retrieved request for change identifiers for each of the one or more configuration items to distinguish value changes that occurred without a request for change from value changes that occurred with a request for change.   
     
     
         15 . The article of manufacture of  claim 14 , wherein the step of comparing changes in the retrieved change history to retrieved request for change identifiers comprises the steps of:
 unwinding prior changes to a last recorded marker for each of the one or more configuration items;   reviewing changes subsequent to the last recorded marker in accordance with the retrieved request for change identifiers for each of the one or more configuration items.   
     
     
         16 . The article of manufacture of  claim 14 , wherein an audit is run from a previously recorded marker to last discovered changes of each of the one or more configuration items. 
     
     
         17 . The article of manufacture of  claim 14 , wherein the step of recording a marker comprises the step of recording a marker to a current time if changes in the retrieved change history for a given configuration item are acceptable in accordance with retrieved request for change identifiers. 
     
     
         18 . The article of manufacture of  claim 14 , wherein the step of recording a marker comprises the step of recording a marker to a current time when there are no changes in a change history for a given configuration item of the one or more configuration items. 
     
     
         19 . The article of manufacture of  claim 14 , wherein the change history comprises values of a configuration item over time associated with a time stamp. 
     
     
         20 . The article of manufacture of  claim 14 , wherein, in the step of generating an audit report, the audit report comprises the change history, a last audit time, a last audit status, and request for change identifiers that may be associated with changes in the change history.