Method, system, and article of manufacture for fault determination

• US 20040181709A1
• Filed: 03/13/2003
• Published: 09/16/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 03/13/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Oracle America, Inc. (Oracle Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Sun Microsystems Incorporated (Oracle Corporation)
• Inventors: Cadieux, Christian, Gibson, Gavin G., McKenney, Todd H., Kiser, Paula C.
• Granted Patent: US 7,131,032 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 714/25
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/22 using redundant apparatus to increase reliability

Abstract

Provided are a method, system and article of manufacture for fault determination. A duration of time is determined for receiving an event. A plurality of events are received in a time period that is at least twice the determined duration. A plurality of factors are determined corresponding to the plurality of events. At least one factor is determined from the plurality of factors, wherein the at least one factor is a cause of at least one of the plurality of events.

Claims

1. A method for fault determination, comprising:

determining a duration of time for receiving an event;

receiving a plurality of events in a time period that is at least twice the determined duration;

determining a plurality of factors corresponding to the plurality of events; and

determining at least one factor from the plurality of factors, wherein the at least one factor is a cause of at least one of the plurality of events.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the duration is a first duration, further comprising:

selecting at least one time window of a second duration, wherein the second duration is at least twice the first duration; and

identifying the received plurality of events in the at least one time window.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the duration is a first duration, further comprising:

assigning timestamps to the received plurality of events;

recording the timestamped events in a database; and

retrieving events from the database occurring in at least one time window, wherein the at least one time window is of a second duration, wherein the second duration is at least twice the first duration.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

selecting at least two successive time windows, wherein each time window is at least of the duration; and

identifying the received plurality of events in the at least two successive time windows.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the received plurality of events are in a current time window and a previous time window, wherein the current time window and the previous time window are each at least of the duration, the method further comprising:

subsequent to determining the at least one factor, receiving a new plurality of events in a next time window, wherein the next time window is at least of the duration, and wherein the next time window becomes a new current time window, and the current time window becomes a new previous time window.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the plurality of factors further comprises:

retrieving from a mapping data structure one list of factors corresponding to at least one event in the received plurality of events.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the at least one factor further comprises:

determining the at least one factor that is common to the received plurality of events.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the at least one factor further comprises:

determining the at least one factor based on predetermined policies.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the event is received from a device within the duration of time.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of events are faults generated by factors in a network, wherein the receiving and determinations are performed by a monitoring application implemented in a computational device coupled to the network.

11. A system for fault determination, comprising:

means for determining a duration of time for receiving an event;

means for receiving a plurality of events in a time period that is at least twice the determined duration;

means for determining a plurality of factors corresponding to the plurality of events; and

means for determining at least one factor from the plurality of factors, wherein the at least one factor is a cause of at least one of the plurality of events.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the duration is a first duration, further comprising:

means for selecting at least one time window of a second duration, wherein the second duration is at least twice the first duration; and

means for identifying the received plurality of events in the at least one time window.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein the duration is a first duration, further comprising:

a database;

means for assigning timestamps to the received plurality of events;

means for recording the timestamped events in the database; and

means for retrieving events from the database occurring in at least one time window, wherein the at least one time window is of a second duration, wherein the second duration is at least twice the first duration.

14. The system of claim 11, further comprising:

means for selecting at least two successive time windows, wherein each time window is at least of the duration; and

means for identifying the received plurality of events in the at least two successive time windows.

15. The system of claim 11, wherein the received plurality of events are in a current time window and a previous time window, wherein the current time window and the previous time window are each at least of the maximum duration, the system further comprising:

means for receiving a new plurality of events in a next time window subsequent to determining the at least one factor, wherein the next time window is at least of the maximum duration, and wherein the next time window becomes a new current time window, and the current time window becomes a new previous time window.

16. The system of claim 11, wherein the means for determining the plurality of factors further performs:

retrieving from a mapping data structure one list of factors corresponding to at least one event in the received plurality of events.

17. The system of claim 11, wherein the means for determining the at least one factor further performs:

determining the at least one factor that is common to the received plurality of events.

18. The system of claim 11, wherein the means for determining the at least one factor further performs:

determining the at least one factor based on predetermined policies.

19. The system of claim 11, wherein the event is received from a device within the duration of time.

20. The system of claim 11, further comprising:

a network, wherein the plurality of events are faults generated by factors in the network;

a computational device coupled to the network;

a monitoring application implemented in the computational device, wherein the monitoring application implements the means for receiving, the means for determining the plurality of factors, and the means for determining the at least one factor.

21. An article of manufacture for fault determination, wherein the article of manufacture is capable of causing operations, the operations comprising:

determining a duration of time for receiving an event;

receiving a plurality of events in a time period that is at least twice the determined duration;

determining a plurality of factors corresponding to the plurality of events; and

determining at least one factor from the plurality of factors, wherein the at least one factor is a cause of at least one of the plurality of events.

22. The article of manufacture of claim 21, further comprising:

selecting at least one time window of a second duration, wherein the second duration is at least twice the first duration; and

identifying the received plurality of events in the at least one time window.

23. The article of manufacture of claim 21, further comprising:

assigning timestamps to the received plurality of events;

recording the timestamped events in a database; and

retrieving events from the database occurring in at least one time window, wherein the at least one time window is of a second duration, wherein the second duration is at least twice the first duration.

24. The article of manufacture of claim 21, further comprising:

selecting at least two successive time windows, wherein each time window is at least of the duration; and

identifying the received plurality of events in the at least two successive time windows.

25. The article of manufacture of claim 21, wherein the received plurality of events are in a current time window and a previous time window, wherein the current time window and the previous time window are each at least of the maximum duration, the operations further comprising:

subsequent to determining the at least one factor, receiving a new plurality of events in a next time window, wherein the next time window is at least of the maximum duration, and wherein the next time window becomes a new current time window, and the current time window becomes a new previous time window.

26. The article of manufacture of claim 21, wherein determining the plurality of factors further comprises:

retrieving from a mapping data structure one list of factors corresponding to at least one event in the received plurality of events.

27. The article of manufacture of claim 21, wherein determining the at least one factor further comprises:

determining the at least one factor that is common to the received plurality of events.

28. The article of manufacture of claim 21, wherein determining the at least one factor further comprises:

determining the at least one factor based on predetermined policies.

29. The article of manufacture of claim 21, wherein the event is received from a device within the duration of time.

30. The article of manufacture of claim 21, wherein the plurality of events are faults generated by factors in a network, wherein the receiving and determinations are performed by a monitoring application implemented in a computational device coupled to the network.