Apparatus and method for analysis driven issue report generation

• US 20040015908A1
• Filed: 05/21/2002
• Published: 01/22/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 05/10/2001
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Put, Peter A., Wedlake, William Paul, Giel, Peter Van, McDowell, Mark W., Holland, Paul Edward, Carr, Adam M., Brandon, Michael Joseph
• Application Number:
  US10/152,214
• Publication Number:
  US 20040015908A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 717/141
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/04 Forecasting or optimisation specially adapted for administrative or management purposes, e.g. linear programming or "cutting stock problem" market predictions or forecasting for commercial activities G06Q30/0202
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 706/922 Computer program preparation

Abstract

A computerized apparatus and method generates information descriptive of issues arising in a monitored set of nodes. The method comprises supplying one or more analyzer programs with node-specific information derived from one or more nodes. Each analyzer program is then caused to analyze at least some of the information provided from each node to detect the presence of one or more issues. When an issue is detected, the analyzer program is caused to generate issue identification information which is augmented with information identifying the node from which the node-specific information was derived. The augmented information for all the issues detected is presented in combined form as an issues database suitable for later use in report generation.

Claims

1. A computerized method for generating information descriptive of issues arising in a monitored set of nodes, said method comprising the steps of:

supplying one or more analyzer programs with node-specific information derived from one or more nodes;

causing each analyzer program to analyze at least some of the information provided from each node to detect the presence of one or more issues;

when an issue is detected, causing the analyzer program to generate issue identification information;

augmenting the issue identification information with information identifying the node from which the node-specific information was derived; and

presenting the augmented information for all the issues detected in combined form as an issues database suitable for later use in report generation.

2. A computerized method in accordance with claim 1 which further includes the step of augmenting the issue identification information with information descriptive of the issue identified.

3. A computerized method in accordance with claim 2 which further includes the step of having the analysis program generate at least some of the information descriptive of the issue identified, tailoring this information in accordance with the specifics of each occurrence of each issue.

4. A computerized method in accordance with claim 2 which further includes the step of formulating the information descriptive of the issues identified as templates.

5. A computerized method in accordance with claim 4 which further includes the steps of having at least some of the analyzer programs generate, in addition to issue identification information, other issue-related information, including within at least some of the templates one or more spaceholders for issue-related information, and when such a template is used to augment issue identification information, replacing such spaceholders with this issue-related information.

6. A computerized method for generating information in accordance with claim 1 which further includes the step of formatting the augmented information for all the issues detected in combined form as an issues database formatted as an XML or similar document.

7. A computerized method for generating information in accordance with claim 6 which further includes the step of augmenting the issue identification information with information descriptive of the issue identified.

8. A computerized method in accordance with claim 7 which further includes the step of having the analysis program generate at least some of the information descriptive of the issue identified, tailoring this information in accordance with the specifics of each occurrence of each issue.

9. A computerized method in accordance with claim 7 which further includes the step of formulating the information descriptive of the issues identified as templates.

10. A computerized method in accordance with claim 9 which further includes the steps of having at least some of the analyzer programs generate, in addition to issue identification information, other issue-related information, including within at least some of the templates one or more spaceholders for issue-related information, and when such a template is used to augment issue identification information, replacing such spaceholders with this issue-related information.

11. A computerized method for generating information in accordance with claim 6 which further includes the step of formatting the issue identification information as an XML or similarly-formatted document.

12. A computerized method for generating information in accordance with claim 11 which further includes the step of augmenting the issue identification information with information descriptive of the issue identified.

13. A computerized method in accordance with claim 12 which further includes the step of having the analysis program generate at least some of the information descriptive of the issue identified, tailoring this information in accordance with the specifics of each occurrence of each issue.

14. A computerized method in accordance with claim 12 which further includes the step of formulating the information descriptive of the issues identified as templates.

15. A computerized method in accordance with claim 14 which further includes the steps of having at least some of the analyzer programs generate, in addition to issue identification information, other issue-related information, including within at least some of the templates one or more spaceholders for issue-related information, and when such a template is used to augment issue identification information, replacing such spaceholders with this issue-related information.

16. A computerized method for generating information in accordance with claim 1 which further includes the step of formatting the issue identification information as an XML or similarly-formatted document.

17. A computerized method for generating information in accordance with claim 16 which further includes the step of augmenting the issue identification information with information descriptive of the issue identified.

18. A computerized method in accordance with claim 17 which further includes the step of having the analysis program generate at least some of the information descriptive of the issue identified, tailoring this information in accordance with the specifics of each occurrence of each issue.

19. A computerized method in accordance with claim 17 which further includes the step of formulating the information descriptive of the issues identified as templates.

20. A computerized method in accordance with claim 19 which further includes the steps of having at least some of the analyzer programs generate, in addition to issue identification information, other issue-related information, including within at least some of the templates one or more spaceholders for issue-related information, and when such a template is used to augment issue identification information, replacing such spaceholders with this issue-related information.

21. A system for generating information descriptive of issues arising in a monitored set of nodes comprising:

at least one analyzer program having provision to accept node-specific information, analyze the information for the presence of issues, and generate issue identification information when an issue is detected;

a harness that exercises one or more analyzer programs against node-specific information gathered from one or more nodes, presenting each analyzer program with at least some data from one of the nodes each time the program is exercised, and collecting any issue identification information generated by the programs, said harness augmenting the issue identification information generated with information identifying the node from which the node-specific information was obtained; and

an issues database containing the collected and augmented information for all the issues detected during such an exercising of the analyzer programs against node-specific information.

22. A system in accordance with claim 21 wherein the harness also augments the issue identification information with information descriptive of the issue identified.

23. A system in accordance with claim 22 wherein the analyzer programs also have provision to generate at least some of the information descriptive of the issue identified, tailoring this information in accordance with the specifics of each occurrence of each issue.

24. A system in accordance with claim 22 wherein templates provide the information descriptive of the issues.

25. A system in accordance with claim 24 wherein the analyzer programs also have provision to generate, in addition to issue identification information, other issue-related information, including, wherein at least some of the templates contain one or more spaceholders for issue-related information, and wherein the harness inserts such issue-related information generated by an analyzer program into the template for an issue at positions indicated by the spaceholders.

26. a system in accordance with claim 21 wherein the issues database is formulated as an XML or similar document.

27. A system in accordance with claim 26 wherein the harness also augments the issue identification information with information descriptive of the issue identified.

28. A system in accordance with claim 27 wherein the analyzer programs also have provision to generate at least some of the information descriptive of the issue identified, tailoring this information in accordance with the specifics of each occurrence of each issue.

29. A system in accordance with claim 27 wherein templates provide the information descriptive of the issues.

30. A system in accordance with claim 29 wherein the analyzer programs also have provision to generate, in addition to issue identification information, other issue-related information, including, wherein at least some of the templates contain one or more spaceholders for issue-related information, and wherein the harness inserts such issue-related information generated by an analyzer program into the template for an issue at positions indicated by the spaceholders.

31. A system in accordance with claim 26 wherein an output routine formulates the issue identification information generated by the analysis programs as an XML or similar document.

32. A system in accordance with claim 31 wherein the harness also augments the issue identification with information descriptive of the issue identified.

33. A system in accordance with claim 32 wherein the analyzer programs also have provision to generate at least some of the information descriptive of the issue identified, tailoring this information in accordance with the specifics of each occurrence of each issue.

34. A system in accordance with claim 32 wherein templates provide the information descriptive of the issues.

35. A system in accordance with claim 34 wherein the analyzer programs also have provision to generate, in addition to issue identification information, other issue-related information, including, wherein at least some of the templates contain one or more spaceholders for issue-related information, and wherein the harness inserts such issue-related information generated by an analyzer program into the template for an issue at positions indicated by the spaceholders.

36. A system in accordance with claim 21 wherein an output routine formulates the issue identification information generated by the analysis programs as an XML or similar document.

37. A system in accordance with claim 36 wherein the harness also augments the issue identification information with information descriptive of the issue identified.

38. A system in accordance with claim 37 wherein the analyzer programs also have provision to generate at least some of the information descriptive of the issue identified, tailoring this information in accordance with the specifics of each occurrence of each issue.

39. A system in accordance with claim 37 wherein templates provide the information descriptive of the issues.

40. A system in accordance with claim 39 wherein the analyzer programs also have provision to generate, in addition to issue identification information, other issue-related information, including, wherein at least some of the templates contain one or more spaceholders for issue-related information, and wherein the harness inserts such issue-related information generated by an analyzer program into the template for an issue at positions indicated by the spaceholders.

41. A system for generating information descriptive of issues arising in a monitored set of nodes comprising:

at least one analyzer means for accepting node-specific information, analyzing the information for the presence of issues, and generating issue identification information when an issue is detected;

harness means for exercising one or more analyzer means against node-specific information gathered from one or more nodes, presenting each analyzer means with at least some data from one of the nodes each time the analyzer means is exercised, and collecting any issue identification information generated by the analyzer means, said harness means also including means for augmenting the issue identification information generated with information identifying the node from which the node-specific information was obtained; and

an issues database containing the collected and augmented information for all the issues detected during such an exercising of the analyzer means against node-specific information.