Apparatus and method for event correlation and problem reporting

• US 6,249,755 B1
• Filed: 07/15/1997
• Issued: 06/19/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 05/25/1994
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: VMware, Inc. (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: System Management Arts, Inc. (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Inventors: Kliger, Shmuel, Yemini, Yechiam, Yemini, Shaula
• Primary Examiner(s): WACHSMAN, HAL D
• Application Number:
  US08/893,263
• Time in Patent Office: 1,435 Days
• Field of Search: 702/58, 702/59, 702/119-123, 702/126, 702/179-187, 702/196, 702/198, 702/FOR.135, 702/FOR.139, 702/FOR.162, 702/FOR.171, 364/191, 364/192, 364/194, 706/50-52, 706/19-21, 706/59, 706/61, 706/924, 706/920, 706/922, 395/500.23, 395/500.43, 395/500.37, 395/500.38, 714/25, 714/26, 714/37, 714/31, 714/47, 714/48, 714/49, 707/100-104, 717/2-5, 717/9
• US Class Current: 702/183
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/2257 using expert systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/2273 Test methods
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3466 Performance evaluation by tracing or monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2201/86 Event-based monitoring

Abstract

A computer implemented method is provided for determining the source of a problem in a complex system of managed components based upon symptoms. The problem source identification process is split into different activities. Explicit configuration non-specific representations of types of managed components, their problems, symptoms and the relations along which the problems or symptoms propagate are created that can be manipulated by executable computer code. A data structure is produced for determining the source of a problem by combining one or more of the representations based on information of specific instances of managed components in the system. Computer code is then executed which uses the data structure to determine the source of the problem from one or more symptoms.

Claims

1. A computer implemented method to diagnose a problem from one or more symptoms in a system of managed components generating symptoms of problems, the method comprising the steps of:

creating one or more configuration non-specific representations of types of managed components,

creating one or more configuration non-specific representations of problems of said types of managed components,

creating configuration non-specific representations of symptoms of said problems, and

creating configuration non-specific representations of relations along which the problems or symptoms propagate amongst the types of managed components,

said configuration non-specific representations of types of managed components, said configuration non-specific representations of problems of said types of managed components, said configuration non-specific representations of symptoms of said problems, and said configuration non-specific representations of relations along which the problems or symptoms propagate amongst the types of managed components each being explicit and manipulatable by a first executable computer code,

producing a data structure for diagnosing a problem from the one or more symptoms by combining a plurality of said configuration non-specific representations based on information of specific instances of managed components in the system, and

executing a second computer code using the data structure to diagnose a problem of a managed component from the one or more symptoms.