Dynamic scheduling for a scan

Abstract

In an approach for providing adaptive software inventory scan frequencies and schedules, a processor receives information from an initial scan of a set of software inventory scans, wherein the information includes at least one of: running processes, file system entries, registry entries, and software catalog evaluations. A processor analyzes the information from the initial scan. A processor predicts an outcome for future software inventory scans based on the analysis of the information, wherein the prediction includes a scanning frequency and a scanning schedule.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A computer-implemented method for adapting software inventory scans to predicted machine parameters, the method comprising:
 receiving, for each machine of a plurality of machines within a networked computing environment, a corresponding initial scan dataset for software inventory scans performed during a period of time, wherein each corresponding initial dataset includes running processes from usage scans, file system entries and registry entries from raw scans, software catalog evaluations from catalog based scans, and machine parameters of a respectively corresponding machine;   analyzing a first initial scan dataset by running, by one or more processors, a neural network process using an input vector having a first scanning frequency and a first scanning schedule; and   predicting, for the respectively corresponding machine, an outcome for a future usage scan based on the analysis of the first initial scan dataset, wherein the outcome includes a second scanning frequency and a second scanning schedule, and the future usage scan is performed as part of periodic software inventory scans of the plurality of machines.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 implementing the outcome for the periodic software inventory scans.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein implementing the outcome for the periodic software inventory scans comprises:
 generating a vector representing the outcome including measurements of a scan duration, a system utilization of a scanning process, and a resulting set of identified software programs of the scanning process.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 2 , further comprising:
 causing, by one or more processors, a first periodic software inventory scan to be performed subsequent to implementing the outcome; and   validating an accuracy of the first periodic software inventory scan, based on the outcome.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein validating the accuracy of the first software inventory scan comprises:
 validating an accuracy of implementing the outcome for the periodic software inventory scans, based on a predefined threshold, wherein the predefined threshold includes a usage scan duration.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 analyzing each corresponding initial scan dataset for customer environment information;   wherein:   predicting the outcome for a future usage scan is further based on the customer environment information.   
     
     
         7 . A computer program product for adapting software inventory scans to predicted machine parameters, the computer program product comprising:
 one or more computer readable storage media and program instructions stored on the one or more computer readable storage media, the program instructions comprising:   program instructions to receive, for each machine of a plurality of machines within a networked computing environment, a corresponding initial scan dataset for software inventory scans performed during a period of time, wherein each corresponding initial dataset includes running processes from usage scans, file system entries and registry entries from raw scans, software catalog evaluations from catalog based scans, and machine parameters of a respectively corresponding machine;   program instructions to analyze a first initial scan dataset by running, by one or more processors, a neural network process using an input vector having a scanning process frequency and a scanning process schedule; and   program instructions to predict, for the respectively corresponding machine, an outcome for a future usage scan based on the analysis of the first initial scan dataset, wherein the outcome includes a scanning frequency and a scanning schedule, and the future usage scan is performed as part of periodic software inventory scans of the plurality of machines.   
     
     
         8 . The computer program product of  claim 7 , the program instructions further comprising:
 program instructions to implement the outcome for the periodic software inventory scans.   
     
     
         9 . The computer program product of  claim 8 , wherein program instructions to implement the outcome for the periodic software inventory scans comprise:
 program instructions to generate a vector representing the outcome including measurements of a scan duration, a system utilization of a scanning process, and a resulting set of identified software programs of the scanning process.   
     
     
         10 . The computer program product of  claim 8 , the program instructions further comprising:
 program instructions to cause a first periodic software inventory scan to be performed subsequent to implementing the outcome; and   program instructions to validate an accuracy of the first periodic software inventory scan, based on the outcome.   
     
     
         11 . The computer program product of  claim 10 , wherein program instructions to validate the accuracy of the first software inventory scan comprise:
 program instructions to validate an accuracy of implementing the outcome for the periodic software inventory scans, based on a predefined threshold, wherein the predefined threshold includes a usage scan duration.   
     
     
         12 . The computer program product of  claim 7 , the program instructions further comprising:
 program instructions to analyze each corresponding initial scan dataset for customer environment information;   wherein:   predicting the outcome for a future usage scan is further based on the customer environment information.   
     
     
         13 . A computer system for adapting software inventory scans to predicted machine parameters, the computer system comprising:
 one or more computer processors, one or more computer readable storage media, and program instructions stored on the computer readable storage media for execution by at least one of the one or more processors, the program instructions comprising:   program instructions to receive, for each machine of a plurality of machines within a networked computing environment, a corresponding initial scan dataset for software inventory scans performed during a period of time, wherein each corresponding initial dataset includes running processes from usage scans, file system entries and registry entries from raw scans, software catalog evaluations from catalog based scans, and machine parameters of a respectively corresponding machine;   program instructions to analyze a first initial scan dataset by running, by one or more processors, a neural network process using an input vector having a scanning process frequency and a scanning process schedule; and   program instructions to predict, for the respectively corresponding machine, an outcome for a future usage scan based on the analysis of the first initial scan dataset, wherein the outcome includes a scanning frequency and a scanning schedule, and the future usage scan is performed as part of periodic software inventory scans of the plurality of machines.   
     
     
         14 . The computer system of  claim 13 , the program instructions further comprising:
 program instructions to implement the outcome for the periodic software inventory scans.   
     
     
         15 . The computer system of  claim 14 , wherein program instructions to implement the outcome for the periodic software inventory scans comprise:
 program instructions to generate a vector representing the outcome including measurements of a scan duration, a system utilization of a scanning process, and a resulting set of identified software programs of the scanning process.   
     
     
         16 . The computer system of  claim 14 , the program instructions further comprising:
 program instructions to cause a first periodic software inventory scan to be performed subsequent to implementing the outcome; and   program instructions to validate an accuracy of the first periodic software inventory scan, based on the outcome.   
     
     
         17 . The computer system of  claim 16 , wherein program instructions to validate the accuracy of the first software inventory scan comprise:
 program instructions to validate an accuracy of implementing the outcome for the periodic software inventory scans, based on a predefined threshold, wherein the predefined threshold includes a usage scan duration.   
     
     
         18 . The computer system of  claim 13 , the program instructions further comprising:
 program instructions to analyze each corresponding initial scan dataset for customer environment information;   wherein:   predicting the outcome for a future usage scan is further based on the customer environment information.