Computer system diagnosis with user-developed procedure

• US 20050097397A1
• Filed: 03/31/2004
• Published: 05/05/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 10/21/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SAP SE
• Original Assignee: SAP AG (SAP SE)
• Inventors: Wu, Yuh-Cherng
• Granted Patent: US 7,260,744 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 714/31
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/2257 using expert systems

Abstract

A method of performing diagnosis comprises receiving in a computer system executable program instructions that, when executed, cause the computer system to perform a first user-developed automated diagnostic procedure that either fails or passes depending on at least one condition in the computer system. The computer system has stored therein a program 1) that, when executed, performs a plurality of preconfigured automated diagnostic procedures and 2) that is configured to accept user-developed automated diagnostic procedures. The program is executed in the computer system and in so doing the plurality of preconfigured automated diagnostic procedures and the first user-developed automated diagnostic procedure are performed.

Claims

1. A method of performing diagnosis in a computer system, the method comprising:

receiving in a computer system executable program instructions that, when executed, cause the computer system to perform a first user-developed automated diagnostic procedure that either fails or passes depending on at least one condition in the computer system, the computer system having stored therein a program

     1) that, when executed, performs a plurality of preconfigured automated diagnostic procedures and

     2) that is configured to accept user-developed automated diagnostic procedures; and

executing the program in the computer system and in so doing performing the plurality of preconfigured automated diagnostic procedures and the first user-developed automated diagnostic procedure.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the user-developed automated diagnostic procedure comprises at least one selected from the group consisting of:

an application based automated diagnostic procedure and a content based automated diagnostic procedure.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the user-developed automated diagnostic procedure is a Business Add-In component.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the plurality of preconfigured automated diagnostic procedure are Business Add-In components.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of preconfigured automated diagnostic procedures comprises at least one installation automated diagnostic procedure.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein a failure of the user-developed automated diagnostic procedure comprises one selected from the group consisting of:

an informational message, an advisory, a warning, a fatal error notification, and combinations thereof.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the executable program instructions, when executed, further cause the computer system to perform a user-developed automated remedy procedure that is associated with the user-developed automated diagnostic procedure.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the user-developed automated remedy procedure comprises a troubleshooting procedure designed to identify a problem source that may cause the user-developed automated diagnostic procedure to fail.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the user-developed automated remedy procedure is designed to remedy a problem that may cause the user-developed automated diagnostic procedure to fail.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving priority information specifying an order in which the plurality of preconfigured automated diagnostic procedures is to be performed in the computer system; and

performing the plurality of preconfigured automated diagnostic procedures in the specified order.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising receiving user input regarding where in relation to the specified order to perform the user-developed automated diagnostic procedure.

12. The method of claim 10, further comprising updating the priority information if more than one of the plurality of automated diagnostic procedures fail.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising publishing the updated priority information.

14. A computer program product tangibly embodied in an information carrier, the computer program product including instructions that, when executed, cause a processor to perform operations including:

receive in a computer system executable program instructions that, when executed, cause the computer system to perform a first user-developed automated diagnostic procedure that either fails or passes depending on at least one condition in the computer system, the computer system having stored therein a program

     1) that, when executed, performs a plurality of preconfigured automated diagnostic procedures and

     2) that is configured to accept user-developed automated diagnostic procedures; and

execute the program in the computer system and in so doing performing the plurality of preconfigured automated diagnostic procedures and the first user-developed automated diagnostic procedure.

15. The computer program product of claim 14, wherein the user-developed automated diagnostic procedure is a Business Add-In component.

16. The computer program product of claim 14, wherein the executable program instructions in the computer system, when executed, further cause the computer system to perform a user-developed automated remedy procedure that is associated with the user-developed automated diagnostic procedure.

17. The computer program product of claim 16, wherein the user-developed automated remedy procedure comprises a troubleshooting procedure designed to identify a problem source that may cause the user-developed automated diagnostic procedure to fail.

18. The computer program product of claim 16, wherein the user-developed automated remedy procedure is designed to remedy a problem that may cause the user-developed automated diagnostic procedure to fail.

19. The computer program product of claim 14, wherein the operations further comprise:

receive priority information specifying an order in which the plurality of preconfigured automated diagnostic procedures is to be performed in the computer system; and

perform the plurality of preconfigured automated diagnostic procedures in the specified order.

20. The computer program product of claim 19, wherein the operations further comprise:

update the priority information if more than one of the plurality of preconfigured automated diagnostic procedures fail.

21. The computer program product of claim 19, wherein the operations further comprise:

receive user input regarding where in relation to the specified order to perform the user-developed automated diagnostic procedure.