Correlation Of Usage To Corresponding Users Through Device And DNS Agents

Abstract

A system for correlating private IP addresses with usage of applications to associate particular users with the application usage. An application executes on a first server and is accessible by devices via a network connection. Tracking software sends data to a second server indicative of a private IP address the device which accesses the tracking software. The second server determines a user identifier and transmits second data to a third server, the second data indicates the private IP address and a second server identifier. A DNS server tracks usage of the application to associate a time stamp, a domain and the private IP address with a log record. The log record is transmitted to the third server. The third server queries the log record by the private IP address to match data from the log record with the second data to associate the log record with the user identifier.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A system for correlating private IP addresses with usage of applications to associate particular users with the application usage, the system comprising:
 a software application which provides educational materials executes on a first server remote to a plurality of devices, said software accessible by said plurality of devices via a network connection;   a tracking software which executes on a processor and sends data to a second server said data received from said tracking software at said second server and indicative of a private IP address of one of the plurality of devices which accesses said tracking software;   the one of the plurality of devices further having a public IP address associated therewith;   said second server determining a user identifier based on said data and transmitting second data to a third server, said second data indicative of said private IP address and further indicative of a second server identifier;   a Domain Name System (DNS) server which tracks usage of said software application by the one of the plurality of devices on said network to associate a time stamp, a domain and the private IP address with a log record, said log record transmitted to said third server;   said third server querying said log record by said private IP address to match data from said log record with data from said second data such that said log record is associated with the user identifier.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1  wherein said log record includes data which correlates to the second server identifier such that the DNS server can be correlated to the second server, allowing duplicate private IP addresses within log records to be distinguished based on the DNS server that the log record is associated with. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1  wherein said tracking software monitoring a change in said private IP address from the private IP address to a second private IP address, said tracking software transmitting data indicative of said change such that the user identification associated with the private IP address is further associated with the second private IP address. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the educational materials include online courseware. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1  wherein said second data associates an anonymous user identifier with the user identifier. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 5  wherein said log record and said second data are stored respectively on first and second databases. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 6  further comprising an API which accesses said log record and said second data and generates a combined data file which includes the user identifier associated directly with the time stamp, domain and the private IP address. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 7  wherein said first and second databases have separate access requirements such that assembly into the combined data file is accomplished only through the API. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 1  wherein said second data includes an association between the user identifier and an anonymous identifier. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 1  wherein said log record associates an anonymous identifier with the time stamp, domain and private IP address. 
     
     
         11 . A system for tracking usage of a plurality of hosted software applications by user devices having private and public IP addresses comprising:
 a software which is executed on a first computing device which associates a private IP address of a device with a user identifier and records a user session in a first database, the user session associating the user identifier with the private IP address and the user session further related to a user accessing a hosted software application;   a Domain Name System (DNS) server which matches the private IP address to a log record to generate matched data having a time stamp, a domain and the private IP address associated therewith;   a second computing device which correlates the matched data to the user session to associate the user identifier with the time stamp, domain and private IP address.   
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 11  wherein the user identifier is anonymous and a data file stored on a database separate from the first database associates the user identifier with a non-anonymous user identifier. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 12  further comprising an Application Programming Interface (API) being provided to access the data file stored on the database and the second computing device to associate the non-anonymous user identifier with the time stamp, domain and private IP address. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 11  wherein said software determines a change in the private IP address to associate that change in the private IP address with the user session. 
     
     
         15 . A system for tracking usage of a plurality of hosted software applications by user devices having a private IP address and associated with a public IP address comprising:
 a portal provided by software which is executes on a first computer which associates a private IP address of a computing device with a user identifier and records a user session in a first database, the user session associating the user identifier with the private IP address and the user session further related to a user accessing a hosted software application via a network;   the computing device further associated with a public IP address;   a Domain Name System (DNS) server associated with the network, the DNS server matches the private IP address to a log record to generate matched data indicating a time stamp, a domain and the private IP address;   a second computing device which correlates the matched data to the user session to associate the user identifier with the time stamp, domain and private IP address.   
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 15  wherein the user identifier is an anonymized user identifier. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 16  further comprising a second database which stores data which correlates the anonymized user identifier with non-anonymized user identifier. 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 17  further comprising an Application Program Interface (API) which accesses the second data and the matched data to correlate the non-anonymized user identifier with the time stamp, domain and private IP address. 
     
     
         19 . A method of tracking usage of a plurality of hosted software applications comprising:
 receiving data from a tracking software executing on a processor, the data indicative of a private IP address of one of a plurality of devices which accesses one or more of the plurality of hosted software applications via a network, the one of the plurality of devices further associated with a public IP address;   determining at a server a user identifier based on said data to generate second data which associates the user identifier with said private IP address;   tracking usage of said software application with a Domain Name System (DNS) server to associate the private IP address of the device with a log record;   matching said log record with the user identifier by the private IP address.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19  wherein said second data is further indicative of a server identifier, the server identifier associated with at least one server associated with a DHCP connection of the one of the plurality of devices. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 19  wherein the public IP address is the same as a networking device associated with the network and more than one of the plurality of devices has the same public IP address.