Apparatus and method for event correlation and problem reporting

• US 7,107,185 B1
• Filed: 11/01/2005
• Issued: 09/12/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 05/25/1994
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: VMware, Inc. (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: EMC Corporation (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Inventors: Kliger, Shmuel, Yemini, Yechiam, Yemini, Shaula Alexander
• Primary Examiner(s): WACHSMAN, HAL D
• Application Number:
  US11/263,689
• Time in Patent Office: 315 Days
• Field of Search: 702179-187, 702/58, 702/59, 702/126, 702/196, 702119-123, 706 50- 52, 706/59, 706 19- 21, 706/61, 706/924, 706/920, 706/922
• US Class Current: 702/183
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/2257 using expert systems

Abstract

A computer implemented method on a computer readable media 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 method, operable on a computer system, of managing a network including a plurality of types of network components, the method instructing the computer system to execute the steps of:

creating non-specific representations of selected ones of the plurality of network component types;

creating at least one configuration non-specific representation of problems associated with each of the selected ones of the plurality of network component types;

creating at least one configuration non-specific representation of symptoms associated with each of the created non-specific representations of problems;

creating configuration non-specific representation of relations along which the problems or symptoms propagate among the types of network components;

producing a data structure for determining a problem from the one or more symptoms by combining a plurality of said configuration non-specific representations of problems, symptoms and relationships based on information with respect to the configuration of the network components types, and

determining a problem representation causing an occurrence of at least one symptom using the data structure.

2. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the network is partitioned into a plurality of system domains, each of the system domains including a subset of instances of the network component types.

3. The method as recited in claim 2, instructing the computer system to further execute the step of:

producing a data structure for each of the system domains, each data structure determining the non-specific representations of problems causing an occurrence of at least one symptom within the associated system domain.

4. The method as recited in claim 3, instructing the computer system to further execute the step of:

combining the determined non-specific representations of problems in selected ones of the associated system domains into one or more causes affecting the network.

5. A computer-readable medium providing code for managing a plurality of types of network components by instructing a processor to execute the steps of:

creating non-specific representations of selected ones of the plurality of network component types;

creating at least one configuration non-specific representation of problems associated with each of the selected ones of the plurality of network component types;

creating at least one configuration non-specific representation of symptoms associated with each of the created non-specific representations of problems;

creating configuration non-specific representation of relations along which the problems or symptoms propagate among the types of network components;

producing a data structure for determining a problem from the one or more symptoms by combining a plurality of said configuration non-specific representations of problems, symptoms and relationships based on information with respect to the configuration of network components types, and

determining a problem representation causing an occurrence of at least one symptom using the data structure.

6. The computer-readable medium as recited in claim 5, wherein the network is partitioned into a plurality of system domains, each of the system domains including a subset of instances of the network component types.

7. The computer-readable medium as recited in claim 5, providing further code for instructing the processor to execute the step of:

producing a data structure for each of the system domains, each data structure determining the non-specific representations of problems causing an occurrence of at least one symptom within the associated system domain.

8. The computer-readable medium as recited in claim 5, providing further code for instructing the processor to execute the step of:

combining the determined non-specific representations of problems in selected ones of the associated system domains into one or more causes affecting the network.