Systems and methods for restoring machine state history related to detected faults in package update process

• US 8,381,036 B2
• Filed: 05/26/2010
• Issued: 02/19/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 05/26/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Red Hat, Inc. (International Business Machines Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Red Hat, Inc. (International Business Machines Corporation)
• Inventors: Vidal, Seth Kelby, Antill, James
• Primary Examiner(s): Manoskey, Joseph D
• Application Number:
  US12/788,036
• Publication Number:
  US 20110296248A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,000 Days
• Field of Search: 714/25, 714/26, 714/27, 714/37, 714/38.1, 714/38.14, 714/46, 714/49, 714/57, 714/51, 717/168
• US Class Current: 714/38.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/0766 Error or fault reporting or storing
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/65 Updates security arrangements therefor G06F21/57

Abstract

Embodiments relate to systems and methods for storing machine state history related to detected faults in a package update process. A classification tool can interface with a data store that can store machine state data on a client. The classification tool can record an initial machine state on the client and initiate a package update on the client. The classification tool can further record an updated machine state of the client subsequent to initiating the package update and detect a fault condition in the client subsequent to initiating the package update. The classification tool can examine the initial machine state and the updated machine state to categorize one or more causes of the fault condition as either related to the package update or to systemic conditions of the client. The classification tool can further notify a user of the client of the one or more causes of the fault condition.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

recording an initial machine state of a client;

initiating a package update on the client;

recording an updated machine state of the client subsequent to initiating the package update;

compiling the initial machine state and the updated machine state into an event tree;

detecting a fault condition in the client subsequent to initiating the package update; and

examining, by a processor, the initial machine state, the updated machine state, and one or more dependencies in the event tree to categorize one or more causes of the fault condition as either related to the package update or to a systemic condition of the client.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the initial machine state and the updated machine state comprise one or more references to at least one of:

one or more executing threads, one or more executing processes, one or more open communication ports, one or more dependencies, one or more authorized users, or one or more termination events.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the initial machine state and the updated machine state are recorded at one or more intervals over a set period of time.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the fault condition in the client comprises a crash or termination of an application or other process.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the updated machine state is recorded during the package update.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the updated machine state is recorded after completion of the package update.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the systemic conditions of the client comprise conditions existing on the client prior to initiating the package update on the client.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the user of the client is notified of the one or more causes of the fault condition via a user interface.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the processor also examines at least one of:

one or more executing threads, one or more executing processes, one or more open communication ports, one or more dependencies, one or more authorized users, or one or more termination events to categorize the one or more causes of the fault condition.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising notifying a user of the client of the one or more causes of the fault condition.

11. A system comprising:

a memory; and

a processor coupled to the memory to;

store an initial machine state of a client in the memory;

initiate a package update on the client;

store an updated machine state of the client in the memory subsequent to initiating the package update;

compile the initial machine state and the updated machine state into an event tree;

detect a fault condition in the client subsequent to initiating the package update; and

examine the initial machine state, the updated machine state, and one or more dependencies in the event tree to categorize one or more causes of the fault condition as either related to the package update or to a systemic condition of the client.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the initial machine state and the updated machine state comprise one or more references to at least one of:

one or more executing threads, one or more executing processes, one or more open communication ports, one or more dependencies, one or more authorized users, or one or more termination events.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein the initial machine state and the updated machine state are recorded at one or more intervals over a set period of time.

14. The system of claim 11, wherein the fault condition in the client comprises a crash or termination of an application or other process.

15. The system of claim 11, wherein the updated machine state is recorded during the package update.

16. The system of claim 11, wherein the updated machine state is recorded after completion of the package update.

17. The system of claim 11, wherein the systemic conditions of the client comprise conditions existing on the client prior to initiating the package update on the client.

18. The system of claim 11, wherein the user of the client is notified of the one or more causes of the fault condition via a user interface.

19. The system of claim 11, wherein the processor is also to examine at least one of:

one or more executing threads, one or more executing processes, one or more open communication ports, one or more dependencies, one or more authorized users, or one or more termination events to categorize the one or more causes of the fault condition.

20. The system of claim 11, wherein the classification tool is further configured to notify a user of the client of the one or more causes of the fault condition.