Collaborative troubleshooting computer systems using fault tree analysis

• US 7,856,575 B2
• Filed: 10/26/2007
• Issued: 12/21/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 10/26/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Globalfoundries US Incorporated (GlobalFoundries, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: McBride, Kevin Michael, Horman, Randall William, Novak, Matthew Wayne, Bock, Megan Elena, Zhu, Yongchun, Wansch, Peter, Karn, Holger
• Primary Examiner(s): Beausoliel; Robert
• Assistant Examiner(s): Ehne; Charles
• Application Number:
  US11/925,425
• Publication Number:
  US 20090113248A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,152 Days
• Field of Search: 714/26, 714/48, 714/57
• US Class Current: 714/26
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/0748 in a remote unit communicating with a single-box computer node experiencing an error/fault remote testing G06F11/2294
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/079 Root cause analysis, i.e. error or fault diagnosis in a hardware test environment G06F11/22; in a software test environment G06F11/36

Abstract

Embodiments of the invention provide techniques for troubleshooting of computer systems using a fault tree analysis. In one embodiment, data parameters describing a status of a system may be monitored to determine the existence of a fault. In the event of a fault, fault tree analysis metadata may be evaluated to attempt to determine a root cause of the fault. If a root cause can be automatically determined, it may be presented to a user in a troubleshooting console, or may be used to trigger an automated corrective action. Alternatively, if a root cause cannot be automatically determined, the user may be presented with additional fault tree analysis metadata and any relevant data parameters in the troubleshooting console, so that the user may determine the root cause of the fault event.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for troubleshooting a computer system, comprising:

retrieving a data structure storing a fault tree analysis describing a fault event detected in the computing system, wherein the fault tree analysis specifies a hierarchical structure specifying one or more symptoms associated with the fault event and one or more root causes associated with the fault event;

retrieving metadata characterizing the fault event, wherein the metadata is supplied by a user-community; and

predicting, based on an evaluation of the fault tree analysis and the metadata, a root cause for the fault event.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising, retrieving one or more data values describing an operational status of the computer system at the time of the fault event.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the fault tree analysis is formatted using at least one of the XML, DITA, and HTML data formats.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

presenting, within a user interface, at least one selectable action to correct the predicted root cause;

receiving a user selection of one of the at least one selectable action; and

performing the selected action.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 4, further comprising, storing the performed action as additional metadata for future use by the user-community in troubleshooting the fault event.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining an action to correct the predicted root cause; and

performing the determined action.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving, within the user interface, one or more user modifications to the fault tree analysis; and

storing the one or more user modifications as additional metadata in the fault tree analysis for future use by the user-community in troubleshooting the fault event.

8. A computer useable storage medium having a computer readable program, wherein the computer readable program when executed on a computer causes the computer to perform an operation, comprising:

retrieving a data structure storing a fault tree analysis describing a fault event detected in the computing system, wherein the fault tree analysis specifies a hierarchical structure specifying one or more symptoms associated with the fault event and one or more root causes associated with the fault event;

retrieving metadata characterizing the fault event, wherein the metadata is supplied by a user-community; and

predicting, based on an evaluation of the fault tree analysis and the metadata, a root cause for the fault event.

9. The computer useable storage medium of claim 8, wherein the operation further comprises, retrieving one or more data values describing an operational status of the computer system at the time of the fault event.

10. The computer useable storage medium of claim 8, wherein the fault tree analysis is formatted using at least one of the XML, DITA, and HTML data formats.

11. The computer useable storage medium of claim 8, wherein the operation further comprises:

presenting, within a user interface, at least one selectable action to correct the predicted root cause;

receiving a user selection of one of the at least one selectable action; and

performing the selected action.

12. The computer useable storage medium of claim 11, wherein the operation further comprises, storing the performed action as additional metadata for future use by the user-community in troubleshooting the fault event.

13. The computer useable storage medium of claim 8, wherein the operation further comprises:

determining an action to correct the predicted root cause; and

performing the determined action.

14. The computer useable storage medium of claim 8, wherein the operation further comprises:

receiving, within the user interface, one or more user modifications to the fault tree analysis; and

storing the one or more user modifications as additional metadata in the fault tree analysis for future use by the user-community in troubleshooting the fault event.

15. A system, comprising:

a processor; and

a memory containing a monitoring program configured to monitor the availability of a networked software application, wherein the monitoring program, when executed on the processor, is configured to;

retrieve a data structure storing a fault tree analysis describing a fault event detected in the computing system, wherein the fault tree analysis specifies a hierarchical structure specifying one or more symptoms associated with the fault event and one or more root causes associated with the fault event

retrieve metadata characterizing the fault event, wherein the metadata is supplied by a user-community; and

predict, based on an evaluation of the fault tree analysis and the metadata, a root cause for the fault event.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the monitoring program is further configured to retrieve one or more data values describing an operational status of the computer system at the time of the fault event.

17. The system of claim 15, wherein the fault tree analysis is formatted using at least one of the XML, DITA, and HTML data formats.

18. The system of claim 15, wherein the monitoring program is further configured to:

presenting, within a user interface, at least one selectable action to correct the predicted root cause;

receive a user selection of one of the at least one selectable action; and

perform the selected action.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the monitoring program is further configured to store the performed action as additional metadata for future use by the user-community in troubleshooting the fault event.

20. The system of claim 15, wherein the monitoring program is further configured to:

determine an action to correct the predicted root cause; and

perform the determined action.

21. The system of claim 15, wherein the monitoring program is further configured to:

receive, within the user interface, one or more user modifications to the fault tree analysis; and

store the one or more user modifications as additional metadata in the fault tree analysis for future use by the user-community in troubleshooting the fault event.