DIAGNOSTIC SYSTEMS FOR DISTRIBUTED NETWORK

• US 20140068338A1
• Filed: 08/28/2012
• Published: 03/06/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 08/28/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: KAMBLE, KESHAV, PEETHAMBARAM, NANDAKUMAR, PANDEY, VIJOY A., KUMBHARE, ABHIJIT PRABHAKAR
• Granted Patent: US 8,972,789 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 714/37
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0654 using network fault recovery ring fault isolation or reconfiguration in loop networks without recovery actions by a network management system H04L12/437
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/142 using statistical or mathematical methods
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/147 for predicting network behaviour
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/16 Threshold monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 49/1515 Non-blocking multistage, e.g. Clos

Abstract

A diagnostic system provides identification of symptoms in a distributed network and an engine for providing recommended rectification of error sources that correspond to the symptoms. The distributed network may be accessed for current statistics. Symptoms may be identified that correspond to the current statistics. A recommended course of action for the distributed network may be provided based on a predetermined list of courses of actions that correspond to rectifying the performance in the error sources.

Claims

1. A diagnostic system, comprising:

a distributed network of switches; and

a symptom analysis engine in communication with the distributed network, the symptom analysis engine being configured to;

receive current statistics about the distributed network,

identify symptoms that correspond to the current statistics, and

retrieve a predetermined list of actions rectifying the symptoms.

2. The diagnostic system of claim 1, including a relational knowledge database in communication with the symptom analysis engine, the relational knowledge database including a stored list of symptoms and a stored list of error sources corresponding to the identified symptoms.

3. The diagnostic system of claim 2, wherein the symptom analysis engine is configured to calculate predictive behavior based on the identified symptoms and the error sources corresponding to the identified symptoms.

4. The diagnostic system of claim 1, wherein the symptom analysis engine is configured to determine whether the received current statistics exhibit abnormal operating behavior by the distributed network prior to identifying symptoms.

5. The diagnostic system of claim 1, including a statistical database in communication with the distributed network, wherein the statistical database is configured to receive the current statistics from the distributed network and provide the current statistics to the symptom analysis engine.

6. The diagnostic system of claim 5, wherein the statistical database periodically receives the current statistics.

7. The diagnostic system of claim 5, wherein the statistical database is refreshed periodically.

8. The diagnostic system of claim 2, wherein the predetermined list of courses of actions is stored in the relational knowledge database.

9. A processor, comprising a computer readable non-transitory memory having computer readable program code embodied therewith, the computer readable program code being configured to:

identify current statistics of a distributed network as symptoms of underperformance in the network,

determine that the current statistics are beyond operating parameters for the distributed network;

identify one or more error sources that correspond to the symptoms; and

provide a recommended course of action for the distributed network based on a course of actions that may rectify the error sources.

10. The processor of claim 9, including computer readable program code configured to calculate predictive behavior in the distributed network based on analyzing potential results from rectifying the error sources.

11. The processor of claim 9, including computer readable program code configured to compare the current statistics to archived statistics in determining whether the current statistics are beyond operating parameters.

12. A process of diagnosing faults in a distributed network system, comprising:

retrieving current statistics from the distributed network;

identifying current statistics showing underperformance in the distributed network;

marking current statistics showing underperformance as symptoms;

comparing the symptoms to a list of known symptoms;

indentifying error sources that correspond to the symptoms; and

providing a recommended rectification of the error sources.

13. The process of claim 12, including storing the current statistical database to system memory prior to retrieving the current performance statistics, wherein the statistical database stores the current performance statistics.

14. The process of claim 12, including determining whether the current statistics show whether the distributed network is operating abnormally by analyzing various types of statistical data retrieved from the network system.

15. The process of claim 12, including calculating predictive network behavior based on simulated results of rectifying the error sources.

16. The process of claim 12, including:

archiving previously retrieved statistics about the distributed network; and

comparing the archived statistics to the current statistics.

17. A computer program product for diagnosing underperformance in a distributed network, the computer program product comprising a computer readable storage medium having computer readable program code embodied therewith, the computer readable program code being configured to:

identify symptoms in the distributed network;

search a relational knowledge database for error sources corresponding to the identified symptoms;

access a list of potential rectifications corresponding to a predetermined list of actions that operate the error sources within acceptable operating parameters; and

provide the list of potential rectifications.

18. The computer program product of claim 17, the computer readable program code being configured to predict behavior in the distributed network based on the recommended rectifications.

19. The computer program product of claim 17, the computer readable program code being configured to identify the symptoms based on comparing current statistical performance data in the distributed network with archived performance statistics.

20. The computer program product of claim 18, the computer readable program code being configured to:

refresh the current statistical performance data periodically;

compare the refreshed current statistical performance data with archived statistical performance data; and

determine whether abnormal operation in the distributed network is present based on the current statistical performance data operating beyond a threshold parameter when the current statistical performance data is compared to archived statistical performance data.