US Patent 7987445 Comparing a configuration diagram to an actual system

System and method for determining differences and/or matches between a configuration diagram and an actual system. First information is received regarding a configuration diagram comprising a first plurality of nodes and graphically representing a first system, and second information is received regarding an actual system comprising a plurality components. At least a portion of the nodes may correspond to hardware devices, programs, and/or configuration data of the first system, and may be interconnected. The first and second information is analyzed to determine differences and/or matches between the configuration diagram and the actual system, e.g., between hardware, software, configuration, and/or connectivity, e.g., by traversing the configuration diagram or a data structure representing the diagram, and/or traversing the actual system or a data structure representing the actual system. An indication of the differences and/or matches is displayed on a display device, e.g., textually, or graphically, e.g., via a merged configuration diagram.