Method, system and program product for detecting an operational risk of a node

• US 20040117477A1
• Filed: 12/17/2002
• Published: 06/17/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 12/17/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Kaminsky, David L., Lake, John Michael
• Granted Patent: US 7,529,842 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/224
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/008 Reliability or availability analysis
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3409 for performance assessment

Abstract

Under the present invention, the performances of a plurality of similarly configured nodes are monitored and compared. If one of the nodes exhibits a performance that varies from the performances of the other nodes by more than a current tolerance, an operational risk is detected. If detected, an alert can be generated and one or more corrective actions implemented to address the operational risk.

Claims

1. A method for detecting an operational risk of a node, comprising:

providing a plurality of nodes, wherein the plurality of nodes are similarly configured;

monitoring a performance of each of the plurality of nodes; and

detecting an operational risk if the monitored performance of one of the plurality of nodes varies from the monitored performances of the other nodes by more than a current tolerance.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the monitoring step comprises measuring a set of performance values corresponding to a set of operational aspects for each of the plurality of nodes.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the monitoring step further comprises providing an operational report for each of the plurality of nodes, and wherein each operational report includes the measured set of performance values and an identifier for a corresponding node.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the operational report is communicated at predetermined time intervals.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of nodes comprises a plurality of servers.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of nodes are identically configured.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the current tolerance is based on at least one of a set of rules, and a performance history.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising generating an alert if the operational risk is detected.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising identifying and implementing a corrective action to address the operational risk if the operational risk is detected.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the corrective action is identified based on a previous effectiveness of the corrective action at addressing the operational risk.

11. A system for detecting an operational risk of a node, comprising:

an input system for receiving a monitored performance for each of a plurality of similarly configured nodes; and

a detection system for detecting an operational risk of one of the plurality of similarly configured nodes, wherein the operational risk is detected if the monitored performance of the one node varies from the monitored performances of the other nodes by more than a current tolerance.

12. The system of claim 11, further comprising an alert system for generating an alert if the operation risk is detected.

13. The system of claim 11, further comprising a corrective action system for implementing a corrective action if the operational risk is detected.

14. The system of claim 11, wherein the plurality of nodes comprises a plurality of servers.

15. The system of claim 11, wherein the plurality of nodes are identically configured.

16. The system of claim 11, wherein the current tolerance is based on at least one of a set of rules, and a performance history.

17. The system of claim 11, wherein each of the plurality of similarly configured nodes comprises:

a monitoring system for monitoring a performance of the node by measuring a set of performance values corresponding to a set of operational aspects;

a reporting system for generating an operational report, wherein the operational report includes the measured set of performance values and an identifier corresponding to the node; and

an output system for communicating the operational report to the input system.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the operational report is communicated at predetermined time intervals.

19. A program product stored on a recordable medium for detecting an operational risk of a node, which when executed comprises:

program code for receiving a monitored performance for each of a plurality of similarly configured nodes; and

program code for detecting an operational risk of one of the plurality of similarly configured nodes, wherein the operational risk is detected if the monitored performance of the one node varies from the monitored performances of the other nodes by a more than current tolerance.

20. The program product of claim 19, further comprising program code for generating an alert if the operation risk is detected.

21. The program product of claim 19, further comprising program code for implementing a corrective action if the operational risk is detected.

22. The program product of claim 19, wherein the plurality of nodes comprises a plurality of servers.

23. The program product of claim 19, wherein the plurality of nodes are identically configured.

24. The program product of claim 19, wherein the current tolerance is based on at least one of a set of rules, and performance history.

25. The program product of claim 19, wherein each of the plurality of similarly configured nodes comprises:

program code for monitoring a performance of the node by measuring a set of performance values corresponding to a set of operational aspects;

program code for generating an operational report, wherein the operational report includes the measured set of performance values and an identifier corresponding to the node; and

program code for communicating the operational report to the input system.

26. The program product of claim 25, wherein the operational report is communicated at predetermined time intervals.