Method and apparatus for scanning a web site in a distributed data processing system for problem determination

• US 6,671,723 B2
• Filed: 05/14/2002
• Issued: 12/30/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 05/20/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Nguyen, Andrew Quoc Anh, Turek, John Joseph Edward, Shtalhaim, Menachem
• Primary Examiner(s): Jaroenchonwanit, Bunjob
• Application Number:
  US10/145,445
• Publication Number:
  US 20020178217A1
• Time in Patent Office: 595 Days
• Field of Search: 709/224, 709/223, 709/226, 709/201, 709/202, 709/203, 709/214, 709/200, 707/3, 370/242
• US Class Current: 709/224
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/046 comprising network management agents or mobile agents therefor
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0681 Configuration of triggering conditions
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/50 Testing arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/40 for recovering from a failure of a protocol instance or entity, e.g. service redundancy protocols, protocol state redundancy or protocol service redirection management of faults, events, alarms or notifications in data switching networks H04L41/06
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols

Abstract

A method and apparatus for identifying problems associated with a web site. A scan of a web site is initiated by a plurality of agents, wherein each of the plurality of agents are at a different location in the distributed data processing system. Results of the scan are obtained from the plurality of agents. The results of the scan are analyzed to determine if a problem is associated with the web site.

Claims

1. A method for scanning a computer system connected to a network, the method comprising:

performing a scanning process from a first network location and from a second network location, wherein a first set of scan results and a second set of scan results are generated;

comparing the first set of scan results with the second set of scan results for differences to detect network related problems; and

performing a given action based on differences detected from comparing the first set of scan results with the second set of scan results,

wherein differences detected from comparing the first set of scan results with the second set of scan results are compared to a set of heuristics linked to respective actions and a given heuristic is detected.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the given action is performing a different type of scanning process from at least one of the first network location and the second network location.

3. A data processing system for scanning a computer system connected to a network, the data processing system comprising:

first performing means for performing a scanning process from a first network location and from a second network location, wherein a first set of scan results and a second set of scan results are generated;

comparing means for comparing the first set of scan results with the second set of scan results for differences to detect network related problems; and

second performing means for performing a given action based on differences detected from comparing the first set of scan results with the second set of scan results,

wherein differences detected from comparing the first set of scan results with the second set of scan results are compared to a set of heuristics linked to respective actions and a given heuristic is detected.

4. The data processing system of claim 3, wherein the given action is performing a different type of scanning process from at least one of the first network location and the second network location.

5. A computer program product in a computer readable medium for scanning a computer system connected to a network, the computer program product comprising:

first instructions for performing a scanning process from a first network location and from a second network location, wherein a first set of scan results and a second set of scan results are generated;

second instructions for comparing the first set of scan results with the second set of scan results for differences to detect network related problems; and

third instructions for performing a given action based on differences detected from comparing the first set of scan results with the second set of scan results,

wherein differences detected from comparing the first set of scan results with the second set of scan results are compared to a set of heuristics linked to respective actions and a given heuristic is detected.