Management of computing machines with troubleshooting prioritization

• US 10,078,542 B2
• Filed: 11/16/2015
• Issued: 09/18/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 11/16/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Crudele, Michele, Gangemi, Rosario, Perrone, Antonio
• Primary Examiner(s): Manoskey, Joseph D
• Application Number:
  US14/942,095
• Publication Number:
  US 20170139766A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,037 Days
• Field of Search: 714 48, 714 25, 714 471, 714 33, 714 37, 714 45
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/0709 in a distributed system consisting of a plurality of standalone computer nodes, e.g. clusters, client-server systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/0781 Error filtering or prioritizing based on a policy defined by the user or on a policy defined by a hardware/software module, e.g. according to a severity level
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/0793 Remedial or corrective actions recovery from an exception in an instruction pipeline G06F9/3861; by retry G06F11/1402; for recovering from a failure of a protocol instance or entity H04L69/40
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3006 where the computing system is distributed, e.g. networked systems, clusters, multiprocessor systems multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/46; allocation of resources G06F9/50
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3051 Monitoring arrangements for monitoring the configuration of the computing system or of the computing system component, e.g. monitoring the presence of processing resources, peripherals, I/O links, software programs verification or detection of system hardware configuration G06F11/2247
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2201/875 Monitoring of systems including the internet

Abstract

A solution is proposed for managing a plurality of computing machines. A corresponding method comprises causing each computing machine of at least part of the computing machines to execute a management activity on the computing machine; receiving a corresponding result of the execution of the management activity on each computing machine; determining a success fingerprint according to one or more characteristics of each of at least part of one or more wherein the corresponding result is indicative of a success of the execution of the management activity thereon; calculating a similarity index for each of one or more failure ones of the computing machines wherein the corresponding result is indicative of a failure of the execution of the management activity thereon; and prioritizing the computing machines which failed to accept a policy according to the corresponding similarity indexes.

Claims

1. A method for managing a plurality of computing machines, the method comprising:

executing, by one or more processors, a management activity on one or more computing machines;

receiving, by one or more processors, a corresponding result of the execution of the management activity on the one or more computing machines;

determining, by one or more processors, a success fingerprint according to one or more characteristics of the one or more computing machines based on a comparison with the one or more computing machines, wherein the management activity is successfully executed on the one or more computing machines by;

determining the success fingerprint according to one or more characteristic values of one or more common characteristics of one or more characteristic types, wherein the management activity is successfully executed on the one or more computing machines,

assigning the one or more common characteristic types to the success fingerprint, and

associating a union of one or more characteristic values of the one or more common characteristic types of the one or more computing machines, wherein the management activity is successfully executed on the one or more computing machines, with the one or more common characteristic types of the success fingerprint;

calculating, by one or more processors, a similarity index for the one or more computing machines, wherein the management activity is not successfully executed on the one or more computing machines by comparing the one or more computing machines, wherein the management activity is not successfully executed on the one or more computing machines with the success fingerprint according to the one or more characteristics of the one or more computing machines, wherein the management activity is successfully executed on the one or more computing machines;

prioritizing, by one or more processors, one or more failures of the one or more computing machines, wherein the management activity is not successfully executed on the one or more computing machines;

outputting, by one or more processors, an indication of the one or more failures of the one or more computing machines, wherein the management activity is not successfully executed on the one or more computing machines, for use in troubleshooting the one or more failures; and

reducing, by one or more processors, a processing time and costs associated with troubleshooting the one or more failures by identifying the prioritized one or more failures of the one or more computing machines.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprises:

receiving, by one or more processors, one or more dynamic characteristics of the one or more characteristics of the one or more computing machines wherein the one or more dynamic characteristics received on the one or more computing machines are associated with the execution of the management activity thereon, wherein the one or more characteristics of the one or more computing machines which are associated with an indication of a characteristic type and of a characteristic value of the characteristic type.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein calculating the one or more similarity indexes for the one or more computing machines, wherein the management activity is not successfully executed on the one or more computing machines by comparing the one or more computing machines, wherein the management activity is not successfully executed on the one or more computing machines with the success fingerprint according to the one or more characteristics of the one or more computing machines, wherein the management activity is successfully executed on the one or more computing machines, comprises:

associating, by one or more processors, a similarity component for one or more matching characteristic types of the one or more computing machines, wherein the management activity is not successfully executed on the one or more computing machines which correspond to one or more characteristic values contained in the one or more matching characteristic types of the one or more computing machines, wherein the management activity is not successfully executed on the one or more computing machines.

4. The method according to claim 3, wherein the similarity component contributes to the similarity index with a weight decreasing with a number of the one or more characteristic values which correspond to one or more matching characteristic types of the success fingerprint, wherein the similarity component decreases exponentially with a number of the one or more characteristic values, which correspond to the one or more matching characteristic types of the success fingerprint.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein at least part of the one or more computing machines, wherein the management activity is not successfully executed on the one or more computing machines is a subset of the one or more computing machines wherein the management activity is not successfully executed on the one or more computing machines.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein executing the management activity on the one or more computing machines, comprises:

calculating, by one or more processors, one or more similarity indexes for one or more excluded computing machines of the one or more computing machines having further characteristics not fulfilling an applicability rule;

selecting, by one or more processors, one or more computing machines of the one or more excluded computing machines according to the one or more similarity indexes associated with the one or more excluded computing machines;

determining, by one or more processors, one or more condition corrections for one or more relevant excluded computing machines wherein the condition corrections are adapted to fulfil the applicability rule using one or more characteristics of the one or more relevant excluded computing machines;

determining, by one or more processors, a rule correction according to the one or more condition corrections of the one or more relevant excluded computing machines; and

outputting, by one or more processors, an indication of the rule correction used to correct the applicability rule.

7. The method according to claim 6, wherein selecting the one or more computing machines of the one or more excluded computing machines, according to the one or more similarity indexes associated with the one or more excluded computing machines, comprises:

calculating, by one or more processors, a maximum value of the one or more similarity indexes associated with the one or more computing machines wherein the management activity is successfully executed on the one or more computing machines, and

selecting, by one or more processors, the one or more relevant excluded computing machines according to a comparison of the one or more similarity indexes with a relevance threshold depending on the maximum value of the one or more similarity indexes.

8. A computer program product for managing a plurality of computing machines, the computer program product comprising a computer readable storage medium having program instructions embodied therewith, the program instructions executable by a computing system comprising:

program instructions to execute a management activity on one or more computing machines;

program instructions to receive a corresponding result of an execution of the management activity on the one or more computing machines;

program instructions to determine a success fingerprint according to one or more characteristics of the one or more computing machines based on a comparison with the one or more computing machines, wherein the management activity is successfully executed on the one or more computing machines by;

program instructions to determine the success fingerprint according to one or more characteristic values of one or more common characteristics of one or more characteristic types, wherein the management activity is successfully executed on the one or more computing machines,

program instructions to assign the one or more common characteristic types to the success fingerprint, and

program instructions to associate a union of one or more characteristic values of the one or more common characteristic types of the one or more computing machines, wherein the management activity is successfully executed on the one or more computing machines, with the one or more common characteristic types of the success fingerprint;

program instructions to calculate the similarity index for the one or more computing machines, wherein the management activity is not successfully executed on the one or more computing machines by comparing the one or more computing machines, wherein the management activity is not successfully executed on the one or more computing machines with the success fingerprint according to the one or more characteristics of the one or more computing machines, wherein the management activity is successfully executed on the one or more computing machines;

program instructions to prioritize one or more failures of the one or more computing machines, wherein the management activity is not successfully executed on the one or more computing machines;

program instructions to output an indication of the one or more failures of the one or more computing machines, wherein the management activity is not successfully executed on the one or more computing machines, for use in troubleshooting the one or more failures; and

program instructions to reduce a processing time and costs associated with troubleshooting the one or more failures by identifying the prioritized one or more failures of the one or more computing machines.

9. The computer program product according to claim 8, further comprises:

program instructions to receiving one or more dynamic characteristics of the one or more characteristics of the one or more computing machines wherein the one or more dynamic characteristics received on the one or more computing machines are associated with the execution of the management activity thereon, wherein the one or more characteristics of the one or more computing machines which are associated with an indication of a characteristic type and of a characteristic value of the characteristic type.

10. The computer program product according to claim 8, wherein the program instructions to calculate the one or more similarity indexes for the one or more computing machines, wherein the management activity is not successfully executed on the one or more computing machines by comparing the one or more computing machines, wherein the management activity is not successfully executed on the one or more computing machines with the success fingerprint according to the one or more characteristics of the one or more computing machines, wherein the management activity is successfully executed on the one or more computing machines, comprises:

program instructions to associate a similarity component for one or more matching characteristic types of the one or more computing machines, wherein the management activity is not successfully executed on the one or more computing machines which correspond to one or more characteristic values contained in the one or more characteristic values of the one or more matching characteristic types of the one or more computing machines, wherein the management activity is not successfully executed on the one or more computing machines.

11. The computer program product according to claim 10, wherein the similarity component contributes to the similarity index with a weight decreasing with a number of the one or more characteristic values which correspond to one or more matching characteristic types of the success fingerprint, wherein the similarity component decreases exponentially with a number of the one or more characteristic values which correspond to the one or more matching characteristic types of the success fingerprint.

12. The computer program product according to claim 8, wherein at least part of the one or more computing machines, wherein the management activity is not successfully executed on the one or more computing machines is a subset of the one or more computing machines wherein the management activity is not successfully executed on the one or more computing machines.

13. The computer program product according to claim 8, wherein the program instructions to execute the management activity on the one or more computing machines, comprise:

program instructions to calculate one or more similarity indexes for one or more excluded computing machines of the one or more computing machines having further characteristics not fulfilling an applicability rule;

program instructions to select one or more computing machines of the one or more excluded computing machines according to the one or more similarity indexes associated with the one or more excluded computing machines;

program instructions to determine one or more condition corrections for one or more relevant excluded computing machines wherein the condition corrections are adapted to fulfil the applicability rule using one or more characteristics of the one or more relevant excluded computing machines;

program instructions to determine a rule correction according to the one or more condition corrections of the one or more relevant excluded computing machines; and

program instructions to output an indication of the rule correction used to correct the applicability rule.

14. The computer program product according to claim 13, wherein the program instructions to select the one or more computing machines of the excluded computing machines according to associated similarity indexes, comprises:

program instructions to receiving one or more dynamic characteristics of the one or more characteristics of the one or more computing machines wherein the one or more dynamic characteristics received on the one or more computing machines are associated with the execution of the management activity thereon, wherein the one or more characteristics of the one or more computing machines which are associated with an indication of a characteristic type and of a characteristic value of the characteristic type.

15. A computer system, the computer system comprising:

one or more computer processors;

one or more computer readable storage media; and

program instructions stored on the one or more computer readable storage media for execution by at least one of the one or more processors, the program instructions comprising;

program instructions to execute a management activity on one or more computing machines;

program instructions to receive a corresponding result of an execution of the management activity on the one or more computing machines;

program instructions to determine a success fingerprint according to one or more characteristics of the one or more computing machines based on a comparison with the one or more computing machines, wherein the management activity is successfully executed on the one or more computing machines by;

program instructions to determine the success fingerprint according to one or more characteristic values of one or more common characteristics of one or more characteristic types, wherein the management activity is successfully executed on the one or more computing machines,

program instructions to assign the one or more common characteristic types to the success fingerprint, and

program instructions to associate a union of one or more characteristic values of the one or more common characteristic types of the one or more computing machines, wherein the management activity is successfully executed on the one or more computing machines, with the one or more common characteristic types of the success fingerprint;

program instructions to calculate a similarity index for the one or more computing machines, wherein the management activity is not successfully executed on the one or more computing machines by comparing the one or more computing machines, wherein the management activity is not successfully executed on the one or more computing machines with the success fingerprint according to the one or more characteristics of the one or more computing machines, wherein the management activity is successfully executed on the one or more computing machines;

program instructions to prioritize one or more failures of the one or more computing machines, wherein the management activity is not successfully executed on the one or more computing machines;

program instructions to output an indication of the one or more failures of the one or more computing machines, wherein the management activity is not successfully executed on the one or more computing machines, for use in troubleshooting the one or more failures; and

program instructions to reduce a processing time and costs associated with troubleshooting the one or more failures by identifying the prioritized one or more failures of the one or more computing machines.

16. The computer system according to claim 15, further comprises:

program instructions to receiving one or more dynamic characteristics of the one or more characteristics of the one or more computing machines wherein the one or more dynamic characteristics received on the one or more computing machines are associated with the execution of the management activity thereon, wherein the one or more characteristics of the one or more computing machines which are associated with an indication of a characteristic type and of a characteristic value of the characteristic type.

17. The computer system according to claim 15, wherein the program instructions to calculate the similarity index for the one or more computing machines, wherein the management activity is not successfully executed on the one or more computing machines by comparing the one or more computing machines, wherein the management activity is not successfully executed on the one or more computing machines with the success fingerprint according to the one or more characteristics of the one or more computing machines, wherein the management activity is successfully executed on the one or more computing machines, comprises:

program instructions to associate a similarity component for one or more matching characteristic types of the one or more computing machines, wherein the management activity is not successfully executed on the one or more computing machines which correspond to one or more characteristic values contained in the one or more characteristic values of the one or more matching characteristic types of the one or more computing machines, wherein the management activity is not successfully executed on the one or more computing machines.

18. The computer system according to claim 17, wherein the similarity component contributes to the one or more similarity indexes with a weight decreasing with a number of the one or more characteristic values which correspond to one or more matching characteristic types of the success fingerprint, wherein the similarity component decreases exponentially with a number of the one or more characteristic values which correspond to the one or more matching characteristic types of the success fingerprint.

19. The computer system according to claim 15, wherein at least part of the one or more computing machines, wherein the management activity is not successfully executed on the one or more computing machines is a subset of the one or more computing machines wherein the management activity is not successfully executed on the one or more computing machines.

20. The computer system according to claim 15, wherein the program instructions to execute the management activity on the one or more computing machines, comprise:

program instructions to calculate one or more similarity indexes for one or more excluded computing machines of the one or more computing machines having further characteristics not fulfilling an applicability rule;

program instructions to select one or more computing machines of the one or more excluded computing machines according to the one or more similarity indexes associated with the one or more excluded computing machines;

program instructions to determine one or more condition corrections for one or more relevant excluded computing machines wherein the condition corrections are adapted to fulfil the applicability rule using one or more characteristics of the one or more relevant excluded computing machines;

program instructions to determine a rule correction according to the one or more condition corrections of the one or more relevant excluded computing machines; and

program instructions to output an indication of the rule correction used to correct the applicability rule.

21. The computer system according to claim 20, wherein the program instructions to select the one or more computing machines of the excluded computing machines according to associated similarity indexes, comprise:

program instructions to calculate a maximum value of the similarity index associated with one or more computing machines wherein the management activity is successfully executed on the one or more computing machines, and

program instructions to select the relevant excluded computing machines according to a comparison of the similarity indexes with a relevance threshold depending on a maximum value of the similarity index.