Using ghost agents in an environment supported by customer service providers

• US 20050065803A1
• Filed: 09/19/2003
• Published: 03/24/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 09/19/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Creamer, Thomas E., Moore, Victor S., Katz, Neil A., Hilf, Bill H., Jaiswal, Peeyush, Mirt, Michael
• Granted Patent: US 7,386,837 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 717/127
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3476 Data logging G06F11/14, G06F11/2205 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/362 Software debugging
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2201/865 Monitoring of software
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/016 After-sales

Abstract

A method for supporting an application can include the step of receiving a problem indication relating to the application. The method can also identify a host within a grid environment, wherein a host can be a software object used by said application. A ghost agent can be associated with the host. The actions of the host can be replicated for use by the ghost agent. Data relating to the replicated actions can be recorded using the ghost agent. The indicated problem can be responded to, where the response can be based at least in part upon the recorded data.

Claims

1. A method for supporting an application comprising the steps of:

receiving a problem indication relating to said application;

identifying a host within a grid environment;

associating a ghost agent with said host;

replicating actions of said host for use by said ghost agent;

recording data relating to said replicated actions; and

responding to said problem based at least in part upon said recorded data.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said receiving step receives said problem indication from a user, wherein said associating step is performed responsive to receiving said problem indication, wherein said host of said associating step represents said user, and wherein said responding step further comprises using said recorded data to determine actions of said user that resulted in said problem.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of:

providing a customer service interface, wherein a customer service representative utilizes said customer service interface during said responding step.

4. The method of claim 1, said responding step further comprising the step of:

executing a test using said ghost agent, wherein said test utilizes said recorded data.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein said responding step further comprises the step of:

performing a debugging operation using said ghost agent, wherein said debugging operation utilizes at least one replicated action.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of:

comparing said recorded data with at least one operational threshold provided by said ghost agent, such that said recorded data includes results of said comparing step.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

automatically detecting a problem within said application; and

automatically generating said problem indication responsive to said detecting step.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of:

responsive to receiving said problem indication, automatically routing application activity from an area of said grid environment in which said problem occurred to an alternative area of said grid environment.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of:

automatically fixing said problem based at least in part upon said recorded data.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

selecting a plurality of said hosts; and

for each host repeating said associating step, said replicating step, said recording step, and said responding step.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

identifying a location that is external to said ghost agent; and

conveying said recorded data to said identified location.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

moving said host within said grid environment; and

moving said ghost agent within said grid environment in accordance with a movement of said host.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

disassociating said ghost agent from said host; and

associating said ghost agent with a different host.

14. A customer service environment comprising:

a plurality of hosts, wherein said hosts are software objects for an application domain distributed within a grid environment;

at least one ghost agent configured to be associated with at least one of said hosts, wherein said ghost agent moves within a grid environment; and

a customer service application configured to utilize ghost agents to determine actions leading to at least one problem.

15. The customer service environment of claim 14, wherein said customer service application is further configured to debug said at least one reported problem using said ghost agents.

16. The customer service environment of claim 14, further comprising:

a service data store communicatively linked to a plurality of ghost agents, wherein said service data store is configured to record data generated by said ghost agents for use by said customer service application.

17. A machine-readable storage having stored thereon, a computer program having a plurality of code sections, said code sections executable by a machine for causing the machine to perform the steps of:

receiving a problem indication relating to said application;

identifying a host within a grid environment;

associating a ghost agent with said host;

replicating actions of said host for use by said ghost agent;

recording data relating to said replicated actions; and

responding to said problem based at least in part upon said recorded data.

18. The machine-readable storage of claim 17, wherein said receiving step receives said problem indication from a user, wherein said associating step is performed responsive to receiving said problem indication, wherein said host of said associating step represents said user, and wherein said responding step further comprises using said recorded data to determine actions of said user that resulted in said problem.

19. The machine-readable storage of claim 17, further comprising the step of:

providing a customer service interface, wherein a customer service representative utilizes said customer service interface during said responding step.

20. The machine-readable storage of claim 17, said responding step further comprising the step of:

executing a test using said ghost agent, wherein said test utilizes said recorded data.

21. The machine-readable storage of claim 17, wherein said responding step further comprises the step of:

performing a debugging operation using said ghost agent, wherein said debugging operation utilizes at least one replicated action.

22. The machine-readable storage of claim 17, further comprising the step of:

comparing said recorded data with at least one operational threshold provided by said ghost agent, such that said recorded data includes results of said comparing step.

23. The machine-readable storage of claim 17, further comprising the steps of:

automatically detecting a problem within said application; and

automatically generating said problem indication responsive to said detecting step.

24. The method of claim 17, further comprising the step of:

responsive to receiving said problem indication, automatically routing application activity from an area of said grid environment in which said problem occurred to an alternative area of said grid environment.

25. The machine-readable storage of claim 17, further comprising the step of:

automatically fixing said problem based at least in part upon said recorded data.

26. The machine-readable storage of claim 17, further comprising the steps of:

selecting a plurality of said hosts; and

for each host repeating said associating step, said replicating step, said recording step, and said responding step.

27. The machine-readable storage of claim 17, further comprising the steps of:

identifying a location that is external to said ghost agent; and

conveying said recorded data to said identified location.

28. The machine-readable storage of claim 17, further comprising the steps of:

moving said host within said grid environment; and

moving said ghost agent within said grid environment in accordance with a movement of said host.

29. The machine-readable storage of claim 17, further comprising the steps of:

disassociating said ghost agent from said host; and

associating said ghost agent with a different host.

30. A system for supporting an application comprising the steps of:

means for receiving a problem indication relating to said application;

means for identifying a host within a grid environment;

means for associating a ghost agent with said host;

means for replicating actions of said host for use by said ghost agent;

means for recording data relating to said replicated actions; and

means for responding to said problem based at least in part upon said recorded data.