Computer generated documentation including diagram of computer system

• US 7,284,165 B2
• Filed: 06/15/2004
• Issued: 10/16/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 06/15/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Jacoby, Christopher Joel, Blackburn, Justin Christopher, Auvenshine, Jason
• Primary Examiner(s): DUNCAN, MARC M
• Application Number:
  US10/868,512
• Publication Number:
  US 20050278571A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,218 Days
• Field of Search: 714/57, 714/46, 714/26, 714/27, 715/734, 715/736, 370/248
• US Class Current: 714/57
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3495 for systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/069 using logs of notifications; Post-processing of notifications
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/50 Testing arrangements

Abstract

A system, method and program for troubleshooting a problem with an application. An application server which is supposed to be executing the application and a database or a server which manages the database are identified. The application, when executing, obtains data from the database to respond to a client request. The application server, database or database server, and a connection between the application server and the database or database server are generated and displayed or printed. Also, one or more hyperlinks to automatically send a hardware, software, or network status inquiry to the application server to test operability of the application server and/or a connection to the application server and automatically send a hardware, software, or network status inquiry to the database server to test operability of the database server and/or a connection to the database server are generated and displayed or printed. In accordance with a feature of the present invention, in response to a selection of the one or more hyperlinks, the application server and database server are automatically pinged. The invention also resides in a system and program for automatically identifying the database or database server by querying the application server, and generating and displaying or printing the diagram of the application server, database or database server, and a connection between the application server and the database or database server.

Claims

1. A system for creating a reference document for an application, said system comprising:

means for identifying an application server which is supposed to be executing said application and querying said application server to identify a database server from which said application obtains data to respond to a client request; and

means for automatically generating and displaying or printing a diagram of said application server, said database server or a database managed by said database server, and a connection between said application server and said database server or managed database; and

wherein the identifying means identifies said application server based on user input of an identification of said application.

2. A system for creating a reference document for an application, said system comprising:

means for identifying an application server which is supposed to be executing said application and querying said application server to identify a database server from which said application obtains data to respond to a client request; and

means for automatically generating and displaying or printing a diagram of said application server, said database server or a database managed by said database server, and a connection between said application server and said database server or managed database; and

wherein said diagram also includes a description of a procedure for logging onto said application server.

3. A system for creating a reference document for an application, said system comprising:

means for identifying an application server which is supposed to be executing said application and querying said application server to identify a database server from which said application obtains data to respond to a client request; and

means for automatically generating and displaying or printing a diagram of said application server, said database server or a database managed by said database server, and a connection between said application server and said database server or managed database; and

wherein

said diagram also illustrates (a) another application server that participates with the first said application server in responding to a customer request, and a connection between said other application server and said first application server, and (b) another database or another server that manages said other database for said other application; and

the identifying and querying means queries said first application server to identify said other application server.

4. A computer program product for creating a reference document for an application, said computer program product comprising:

a computer readable medium;

first program instructions to identify an application server which is supposed to be executing said application and guery said application server to a database server from which said application obtains data to respond to a client request; and

second program instructions to automatically generate and display or print a diagram of said application server, said database server or a database managed by said database server, and a connection between said application server and said database server or managed database; and

wherein

said first and second program instructions are recorded on said medium; and

the second program instructions identify said application server based on user input of an identification of said application.

5. A computer program product for creating a reference document for an application, said computer program product comprising:

a computer readable medium;

first program instructions to identify an application server which is supposed to be executing said application and query sad application server to a database server from which said application obtains data to respond to a client request; and

second program instructions to automatically generate and display or print a diagram of said application server, said database server or a database managed by said database server, and a connection between said application server and said database server or managed database; and

wherein

said first and second program instructions are recorded on said medium; and

said diagram also includes a description of a procedure for logging onto said application server.

6. A computer program product for creating a reference document for an application, said computer program product comprising:

a computer readable medium;

first program instructions to identify an application server which is supposed to be executing said application and query said application server to a database server from which said application obtains data to respond to a client request; and

second program instructions to automatically generate and display or print a diagram of said application server, said database server or a database managed by said database server, and a connection between said application server and said database server or managed database; and

wherein

said first and second program instructions are recorded on said medium; and

said diagram also illustrates (a) another application server that participates with the first said application server in responding to a customer request, and a connection between said other application server and said first application server, and (b) another database or another server that manages said other database for said other application; and

said first program instructions identify and query said first application server to identify said other application server.