Method, system, and program for diagnosing a computer in a network system

• US 6,697,969 B1
• Filed: 09/01/1999
• Issued: 02/24/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 09/01/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Merriam, Greg Elliot
• Primary Examiner(s): Beausoliel, Robert
• Assistant Examiner(s): Duncan, Marc M
• Application Number:
  US09/388,139
• Time in Patent Office: 1,637 Days
• Field of Search: 714/25, 714/37, 714/43, 714/46, 714/47, 714/27, 709/224
• US Class Current: 714/46
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/0709 in a distributed system consisting of a plurality of standalone computer nodes, e.g. clusters, client-server systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/2294 by remote test
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3495 for systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2201/875 Monitoring of systems including the internet

Abstract

Disclosed is a method, system, and program for diagnosing a computer over a network, such as the Internet. A program, such as an applet, is provided that executes on the computer. The program causes the computer to download at least one object from a server over the network. Performance data is determined with respect to downloading the object from the server to the computer over the network in order to diagnose performance problems with the computer. The determined performance data is then transmitted to a diagnostic system over the network.

Claims

1. A method for diagnosing a customer computer over a network, comprising:

initiating a customer service session to provide technical support of a customer computer;

transmitting a program to execute on the computer, wherein the program causes the customer computer to perform;

(i) downloading at least one object from a server to the customer computer over the network;

(ii) determining performance data comprising a network transmission time to download the object from the server to the customer computer over the network to diagnose performance problems with the customer computer, wherein a diagnostic system stores the performance data as a record in a database;

(iii) displaying the determined performance data at the customer computer being diagnosed and average performance data determined from the database to provide information to diagnose the customer computer;

(iv) transmitting the determined performance data to the diagnostic system over the network;

determining a network transmission time for a probe computer that is in a proximate location with respect to the server to download the at least one object from the server;

using the network transmission time for the probe computer to determine a server load delay time and a network-only delay time which indicates time to download the at least one object from the server to the customer computer that does not include the server load delay; and

using the performance data transmitted to the diagnostic system to provide technical support for the customer computer.

2. A computer system for diagnosing a customer computer over a network, comprising:

means for initiating a customer service session to provide technical support of the customer computer;

means for transmitting a program to execute on the customer computer, wherein the program causes the customer computer to perform;

(i) downloading at least one object from a server to the customer computer over the network;

(ii) determining performance data comprising a network transmission time to download the object from the server to the customer computer over the network to diagnose performance problems with the customer computer;

(iii) transmitting the determined performance data over the network; and

(iv) displaying the determined performance data at the customer computer being diagnosed and average performance data determined from a database to provide information to diagnose the customer computer;

means for receiving the performance data transmitted from the customer computer;

means for storing the performance data as a record in the database;

means for determining a network transmission time for a probe computer that is in a proximate location with respect to the server to download the at least one object from the server;

means for using the network transmission time for the probe computer to determine a server load delay time and a network-only delay time which indicates time to download the at least one object from the server to the customer computer that does not include the server load delay; and

means for using the performance data transmitted to the diagnostic system to provide technical support for the customer computer.

3. An article of manufacture for use in diagnosing a customer computer over a network, the article of manufacture comprising computer usable media including at least one computer program embedded therein that causes a diagnostic system to perform:

initiating a customer service session to provide technical support of a customer computer;

transmitting a diagnostic program to execute on the computer, wherein the program causes the customer computer to perform;

(i) downloading at least one object from a server to the customer computer over the network;

(ii) determining performance data comprising a network transmission time to download the object from the server to the customer computer over the network to diagnose performance problems with the customer computer;

(iii) transmitting the determined performance data to the diagnostic system over the network, wherein the diagnostic system stores the performance data as a record in a database; and

(iv) displaying the determined performance data at the customer computer being diagnosed and average performance data determined from the database to provide information to diagnose the customer computer;

determining a network transmission time for a probe computer that is in a proximate location with respect to the server to download the at least one object from the server;

using the network transmission time for the probe computer to determine a server load delay time and a network-only delay time which indicates time to download the at least one object from the server to the customer computer that does not include the server load delay, and

using the performance data transmitted to the diagnostic system to provide technical support for the customer computer.

4. A method for diagnosing a computer over a network, comprising:

providing a program to execute on the computer, wherein the program causes the computer to perform;

(i) downloading at least one object from a server to the computer over the network;

(ii) determining performance data comprising a network transmission time to download the object from the server to the computer over the network to diagnose performance problems with the computer;

(iii) transmitting the determined performance data to a diagnostic system over the network;

(iv) receiving network performance data indicating network performance with respect to other systems in the network; and

(v) rendering information indicating the determined performance data and the received network performance data at the computer,

determining a network transmission time for a probe computer that is in a proximate location with respect to the server to download the at least one object from the server; and

using the network transmission time for the probe computer to determine a server load delay time and a network-only delay time which indicates time to download the at least one object from the server to the customer computer that does not include the server load delay.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the diagnostic system stores the performance data as a record in a database.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the diagnostic system displays the performance data from the computer being diagnosed and average performance data determined from the database at the server to provide information to diagnose the computer.

7. The method of claim 4, wherein the program causes the computer to further preform:

detecting a presence of a condition occurring as a result of downloading the at least one object from the server;

building an electronic message addressed to the diagnostic system including information on the detected condition;

transmitting the electronic message to the diagnostic system over the network.

8. The method of claim 4, wherein the performance data includes trace route data indicating a route packets comprising the object travel through the network when transmitted from the server to the customer computer.

9. The method of claim 4, wherein the program comprises an applet that executes within an Internet web browser program executing on the customer computer.

10. An article of manufacture for diagnosing a computer over a network, wherein the article of manufacture causes the computer to perform:

downloading at least one object from a server to the computer over the network;

determining performance data comprising a network transmission time to download the object from the server to the computer over the network to diagnose performance problems with the computer;

transmitting the determined performance data to a diagnostic system over the network;

receiving network performance data indicating network performance with respect to other systems in the network;

receiving a network transmission time for a probe computer that is in a proximate location with respect to the server to download the at least one object from the server, wherein the network transmission time for the probe computer is used to determine a server load delay time and a network-only delay time which indicates time to download the at least one object from the server to the customer computer that does not include the server load delay; and

rendering information indicating the determined performance data and the received network performance data at the computer.

11. The article of manufacture of claim 10, wherein the diagnostic system stores the performance data as a record in a database.

12. The article of manufacture of claim 11, wherein the diagnostic program displays the performance from the customer computer being diagnosed and average performance data determined from the database at the server to provide information to diagnose the customer computer.

13. The article of manufacture of claim 10, wherein the diagnostic program causes the customer computer to further perform:

detecting a presence of a condition occurring as a result of downloading the at least one object from the server;

building an electronic message addressed to the diagnostic system including information on the detected condition;

transmitting the electronic message to the diagnostic system over the network.

14. The article of manufacture of claim 10, wherein the performance data includes trace route data indicating the route packets comprising the object travel through the network when transmitted from the server to the customer computer.

15. The article of manufacture of claim 10, wherein the diagnostic program comprises an applet that executes within an Internet web browser program executing on the customer computer.

16. A computer system for diagnosing a customer computer over a network, comprising:

means for providing a program to execute on the computer, wherein the program causes the computer to perform;

(i) downloading at least one object from a server to the computer over the network;

(ii) determining performance data comprising a network transmission time to download the object from the server to the computer over the network to diagnose performance problems with the computer;

(iii) transmitting the determined performance data to a diagnostic system over the network;

(iv) receiving network performance data indicating network performance with respect to other systems in the network; and

(v) rendering information indicating the determined performance data and the received network performance data at the computer;

means for determining a network transmission time for a probe computer that is in a proximate location with respect to the server to download the at least one object from the server; and

means for using the network transmission time for the probe computer to determine a server load delay time and a network-only delay time which indicates time to download the at least one object from the server to the customer computer that does not include the server load delay.

17. The system of claim 16, further comprising means for storing the performance data as a record in a database.

18. The system of claim 17, further comprising means for displaying the performance data from the customer computer being diagnosed and average performance data determined from the database to provide information to diagnose the customer computer.

19. The system of claim 16, wherein the program causes the customer computer to further perform:

detecting a presence of a condition occurring as a result of downloading the at least one object from the server;

building an electronic message addressed to the computer system including information on the detected condition;

transmitting the electronic message to the computer system over the network.

20. The system of claim 16, wherein the performance data includes trace route data indicating a route packets comprising the object travel through the network when transmitted from the server to the customer computer.

21. The system of claim 16, wherein the program comprises an applet that executes within an Internet web browser program executing on the customer computer.