Abstract: A system for identifying IP ranges having a network address and a network address mask is provided. The system generates a collection of IP ranges. For each unique network address as defined by a maximum network address mask within provided IP addresses, the system adds to the collection an IP range for that unique network address. The added IP range may be defined by the unique network address and a network address mask that is set to the maximum network address mask. The system identifies groups of IP ranges of the collection to be represented by a combined IP range with a combined network address mask. For each group of IP ranges, the system removes from the collection the IP ranges within the group and adds to the collection the combined IP range with a network address and the combined network address mask.

Abstract: A network mapper for performing tasks on targets is provided. The mapper generates a map of a network that specifies the overall configuration of the network. The mapper inputs a procedure that defines how the network is to be mapped. The procedure specifies what, when, and in what order the tasks are to be performed. Each task specifies processing that is to be performed for a target to produce results. The procedure may also specify input parameters for a task. The mapper inputs initial targets that specify a range of network addresses to be mapped. The mapper maps the network by, for each target, executing the procedure to perform the tasks on the target. The results of the tasks represent the mapping of the network defined by the initial targets.

Abstract: A network mapper for performing tasks on targets is provided. The mapper generates a map of a network that specifies the overall configuration of the network. The mapper inputs a procedure that defines how the network is to be mapped. The procedure specifies what, when, and in what order the tasks are to be performed. Each task specifies processing that is to be performed for a target to produce results. The procedure may also specify input parameters for a task. The mapper inputs initial targets that specify a range of network addresses to be mapped. The mapper maps the network by, for each target, executing the procedure to perform the tasks on the target. The results of the tasks represent the mapping of the network defined by the initial targets.

Abstract: A method of comparing version strings in a computing environment for use in version-specific computing tasks. In one embodiment, the method divides each of a first and a second version string at each one of a set of predetermined delimiters to produce respective first and second sets of sequentially ordered string chunks. Next, string chunks of the same order from the first and second chunk sets are iteratively compared to determine matching of same-order string chunks, with the comparison continuing until a non-matching same-order string chunk pair is encountered. From the matching/non-matching comparisons, a determination may be made whether a specified quality relationship exists between the first and second version strings, where the quality relationship determines the propriety of a version-specific computing task.