Distributed autonomic solutions repository
First Claim
1. A method in a data processing system for managing software, the method comprising:
- identifying that a problem has occurred in a program that is in the client computer system;
responsive to identifying the problem, initiating, by a user of the client computer system, an agent that executes within the client computer system;
associating a problem identifier with the problem;
taking diagnostic steps, by the user, to diagnose the problem;
automatically recording, by the agent into a script in the client computer system, the diagnostic steps as the diagnostic steps are taken by the user, the user not taking any action to have the diagnostic steps recorded;
storing the problem identifier in the script;
indicating, by the user to the agent, that the problem has been diagnosed;
taking correction steps, by the user, to fix the problem;
automatically recording, by the agent into the script, the correction steps as the correction steps are taken by the user, the user not taking any action to have the correction steps recorded;
providing, by the user to the agent, an input to indicate whether the correction steps corrected the problem;
responsive to the correction steps correcting the problem;
automatically sending, by the agent, a solution to a server computer system, the solution including the correction steps and the problem identifier;
responsive to the server computer system receiving the solution, searching, by the server computer system, a rules database that is included in the server computer system for a stored solution that includes the problem identifier;
in response to locating the stored solution in the rules database in the server computer system, determining whether the stored solution includes stored correction steps that are the same as said correction steps;
in response to the stored correction steps being different from the correction steps, identifying differences between the stored correction steps and the correction steps, and notifying a server computer system administrator about the differences; and
responsive to the administrator approving an update, updating the stored solution to include said correction steps to form a second stored solution.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A method, apparatus, and computer instructions for managing software. A solution to a problem that has occurred with a program on a client data processing system is received by a server. This solution is created while solving the problem that occurred on the data processing system. The solution includes a process that may be executed on another data processing system to solve the same problem on that data processing system. The process is, for example, a script, a macro, or a set of computer executable steps or instructions. A database of solutions is selectively updated to reflect the new solution. In response to a request for a solution by another client system to a problem, the server will respond with the current solution that exists in the database.
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Citations
17 Claims
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1. A method in a data processing system for managing software, the method comprising:
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identifying that a problem has occurred in a program that is in the client computer system; responsive to identifying the problem, initiating, by a user of the client computer system, an agent that executes within the client computer system; associating a problem identifier with the problem; taking diagnostic steps, by the user, to diagnose the problem; automatically recording, by the agent into a script in the client computer system, the diagnostic steps as the diagnostic steps are taken by the user, the user not taking any action to have the diagnostic steps recorded; storing the problem identifier in the script; indicating, by the user to the agent, that the problem has been diagnosed; taking correction steps, by the user, to fix the problem; automatically recording, by the agent into the script, the correction steps as the correction steps are taken by the user, the user not taking any action to have the correction steps recorded; providing, by the user to the agent, an input to indicate whether the correction steps corrected the problem; responsive to the correction steps correcting the problem; automatically sending, by the agent, a solution to a server computer system, the solution including the correction steps and the problem identifier; responsive to the server computer system receiving the solution, searching, by the server computer system, a rules database that is included in the server computer system for a stored solution that includes the problem identifier; in response to locating the stored solution in the rules database in the server computer system, determining whether the stored solution includes stored correction steps that are the same as said correction steps; in response to the stored correction steps being different from the correction steps, identifying differences between the stored correction steps and the correction steps, and notifying a server computer system administrator about the differences; and responsive to the administrator approving an update, updating the stored solution to include said correction steps to form a second stored solution. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A data processing system for managing software, the data processing system comprising:
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identifying means for identifying that a problem has occurred in a program that is in the client computer system; responsive to identifying the problem, initiating means for initiating, by a user of the client computer system, an agent that executes within the client computer system; a problem identifier that is associated with the problem; diagnostic steps, taken by the user, to diagnose the problem; the agent in the client computer system automatically recording the diagnostic steps into a script in the client database as the diagnostic steps are taken by the user, the user not taking any action to have the diagnostic steps recorded; the script for storing the problem identifier; indicating means for initiating, by the user to the agent, that the problem has been diagnosed; correction steps, taken by the user, to fix the problem; the agent automatically recording the correction steps into the script as the correction steps are taken by the user, the user not taking any action to have the correction steps recorded; providing means for providing, by the user to the agent, an input to indicate whether the correction steps corrected the problem; responsive to the correction steps correcting the problem; the agent automatically sending a solution to a server computer system, the solution including the correction steps and the problem identifier; responsive to the server computer system receiving the solution, the server computer system searching a rules database that is included in the server computer system for a stored solution that includes the problem identifier; in response to locating the stored solution in the rules database in the server computer system, determining means for determining whether the stored solution includes stored correction steps that are the same as said correction steps; in response to the stored correction steps being different from the correction steps, identifying means for identifying differences between the stored correction steps and the correction steps, and notifying means for notifying a server computer system administrator about the differences; and responsive to the administrator approving an update, updating means for updating the stored solution to include said correction steps to form a second stored solution. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A computer program product that is stored in a computer readable medium for managing software, the computer program product comprising:
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instructions for identifying that a problem has occurred in a program that is in the client computer system; responsive to identifying the problem, instructions for initiating, by a user of the client computer system, an agent that executes within the client computer system; instructions for associating a problem identifier with the problem; instructions for taking diagnostic steps, by the user, to diagnose the problem; instructions for automatically recording, by the agent into a script in the client computer system, the diagnostic steps as the diagnostic steps are taken by the user, the user not taking any action to have the diagnostic steps recorded; instructions for storing the problem identifier in the script; instructions for indicating, by the user to the agent, that the problem has been diagnosed; instructions for taking correction steps, by the user, to fix the problem; instructions for automatically recording, by the agent into the script, the correction steps as the correction steps are taken by the user, the user not taking any action to have the correction steps recorded; instructions for providing, by the user to the agent, an input to indicate whether the correction steps corrected the problem; responsive to the correction steps correcting the problem; instructions for automatically sending, by the agent, a solution to a server computer system, the solution including the correction steps and the problem identifier; responsive to the server computer system receiving the solution, instructions for searching, by the server computer system, a rules database that is included in the server computer system for a stored solution that includes the problem identifier; in response to locating the stored solution in the rules database in the server computer system, instructions for determining whether the stored solution includes stored correction steps that are the same as said correction steps; in response to the stored correction steps being different from the correction steps, instructions for identifying differences between the stored correction steps and the correction steps, and instructions for notifying a server computer system administrator about the differences; and responsive to the administrator approving an update, instructions for updating the stored solution to include said correction steps to form a second stored solution. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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Specification