Discovering relationships between data processing environment components

• US 8,965,905 B2
• Filed: 01/02/2013
• Issued: 02/24/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 01/02/2013
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Ashmore, David A., Moyer, Ann M., Nandi, Nirmala Shobitha, Zupet, John
• Primary Examiner(s): TRUONG, CAM Y T
• Application Number:
  US13/732,631
• Publication Number:
  US 20140188896A1
• Time in Patent Office: 783 Days
• Field of Search: 707/748
• US Class Current: 707/748
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/0706 the processing taking place on a specific hardware platform or in a specific software environment
• 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 11/3006 where the computing system is distributed, e.g. networked systems, clusters, multiprocessor systems multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/46; allocation of resources G06F9/50
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3065 Monitoring arrangements determined by the means or processing involved in reporting the monitored data error or fault reporting or logging G06F11/0766
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/34 Recording or statistical evaluation of computer activity, e.g. of down time, of input/output operation ; Recording or statistical evaluation of user activity, e.g. usability assessment
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/284 Relational databases

Abstract

A method, system, and computer program product for discovering relationships between data processing environment components are provided in the illustrative embodiments. Whether a log entry in a set of log entries references a combination of the data processing environment components is detected. The combination of components includes a first component and a second component present in the data processing environment. A type of the log entry is determined. A weight is assigned to the log entry according to the determined type. the weight of the log entry is combined with a second weight of a second log entry to form a cumulative weight. A strength level for which the cumulative weight qualifies is determined. The strength level is assigned to a relationship between the combination of components.

Claims

1. A method for discovering relationships between data processing environment components, the method comprising:

detecting, using one or more processors, whether a log entry in a set of log entries references a combination of the data processing environment components, the combination of components including a first component and a second component present in a data processing environment, the data processing environment comprising hardware, wherein a data processing environment component provides a functionality of the data processing environment, and wherein the log entry comprises a record of an event occurring in the data processing environment;

determining, using the one or more processors, a type of the log entry;

assigning, using the one or more processors, a weight to the log entry according to the determined type;

combining, using the one or more processors, the weight of the log entry with a second weight of a second log entry to form a cumulative weight;

determining, using the one or more processors, a strength level for which the cumulative weight qualifies;

comparing the cumulative weight to at least one strength level threshold, wherein the at least one strength level threshold is specified in a hierarchy of a set of types of log entries, and wherein the hierarchy organizes the set of types of log entries according to at least one weight threshold, wherein the at least one strength level threshold is proportional to the at least one weight threshold; and

assigning, using the one or more processors, the strength level to a relationship between the combination of components.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

identifying, using the one or more processors, the relationship between the components referenced in the combination of components, wherein the strength level is indicative of a level of dependency between the components in the relationship; and

outputting, using the one or more processors, a record of the relationship and the strength level.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

grouping, using the one or more processors, the log entry and the second log entry into a group responsive to the log entry and the second log entry each referencing the combination of components.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining, using the one or more processors, the weight using a hierarchy of a set of types of log entries, wherein the hierarchy organizes the set of types of log entries according to at least one weight threshold, wherein a first type of log entry in a first subset of the types of log entries is assigned a first weight above the at least one weight threshold, and a second type of log entry in a second subset of the types of log entries is assigned a second weight below the at least one weight threshold.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the first component is a software application executing in the data processing environment, and the second component is a hardware component operating in the data processing environment.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the combination of components referenced in the log entry further includes a third component.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving, using the one or more processors, the set of log entries; and

selecting, using the one or more processors, the log entry from the set of log entries.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein one subset of the set of log entries are received in a user-provided log record, and another subset of the set of log entries is received in a system-generated log record, and wherein the system-generated log record is more reliable as compared to the user-provided log record.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the method is embodied in a computer program product comprising one or more computer-readable storage devices and computer-readable program instructions which are stored on the one or more computer-readable storage devices and executed by the one or more processors.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the method is embodied in a computer system comprising the one or more processors, one or more computer-readable memories, one or more computer-readable storage devices and program instructions which are stored on the one or more computer-readable storage devices for execution by the one or more processors via the one or more memories and executed by the one or more processors.

11. A computer program product for discovering relationships between data processing environment components, the computer program product comprising:

one or more computer-readable storage devices and program instructions stored on at least one of the one or more computer-readable storage devices, the program instructions comprising;

program instructions to detect, using one or more processors, whether a log entry in a set of log entries references a combination of the data processing environment components, the combination of components including a first component and a second component present in a data processing environment, the data processing environment comprising hardware, wherein a data processing environment component provides a functionality of the data processing environment, and wherein the log entry comprises a record of an event occurring in the data processing environment;

program instructions to determine, using the one or more processors, a type of the log entry;

program instructions to assign, using the one or more processors, a weight to the log entry according to the determined type;

program instructions to combine, using the one or more processors, the weight of the log entry with a second weight of a second log entry to form a cumulative weight;

program instructions to determine, using the one or more processors, a strength level for which the cumulative weight qualifies;

program instructions to compare the cumulative weight to at least one strength level threshold, wherein the at least one strength level threshold is specified in a hierarchy of a set of types of log entries, and wherein the hierarchy organizes the set of types of log entries according to at least one weight threshold, wherein the at least one strength level threshold is proportional to the at least one weight threshold; and

program instructions to assign, using the one or more processors, the strength level to a relationship between the combination of components.

12. The computer program product of claim 11, further comprising:

program instructions stored on at least one of the one or more storage devices, to identify, using the one or more processors, the relationship between the components referenced in the combination of components, wherein the strength level is indicative of a level of dependency between the components in the relationship; and

program instructions stored on at least one of the one or more storage devices, to outputting, using the one or more processors, a record of the relationship and the strength level.

13. The computer program product of claim 11, further comprising:

program instructions stored on at least one of the one or more storage devices, to group, using the one or more processors, the log entry and the second log entry into a group responsive to the log entry and the second log entry each referencing the combination of components.

14. The computer program product of claim 11, further comprising:

program instructions stored on at least one of the one or more storage devices, to determine, using the one or more processors, the weight using a hierarchy of a set of types of log entries, wherein the hierarchy organizes the set of types of log entries according to at least one weight threshold, wherein a first type of log entry in a first subset of the types of log entries is assigned a first weight above the at least one weight threshold, and a second type of log entry in a second subset of the types of log entries is assigned a second weight below the at least one weight threshold.

15. The computer program product of claim 11, wherein the first component is a software application executing in the data processing environment, and the second component is a hardware component operating in the data processing environment.

16. A computer system for discovering relationships between data processing environment components, the computer system comprising:

one or more processors, one or more computer-readable memories, one or more computer-readable storage devices, and program instructions stored on at least one of the one or more computer-readable storage devices for execution by at least one of the one or more processors via at least one of the one or more memories, the program instructions comprising;

first program instructions to detect, using the one or more processors, whether a log entry in a set of log entries references a combination of the data processing environment components, the combination of components including a first component and a second component present in a data processing environment, the data processing environment comprising hardware, wherein a data processing environment component provides a functionality of the data processing environment, and wherein the log entry comprises a record of an event occurring in the data processing environment;

second program instructions to determine, using the one or more processors, a type of the log entry;

third program instructions to assign, using the one or more processors, a weight to the log entry according to the determined type;

fourth program instructions to combine, using the one or more processors, the weight of the log entry with a second weight of a second log entry to form a cumulative weight;

fifth program instructions to determine, using the one or more processors, a strength level for which the cumulative weight qualifies;

sixth program instructions to compare the cumulative weight to at least one strength level threshold, wherein the at least one strength level threshold is specified in a hierarchy of a set of types of log entries, and wherein the hierarchy organizes the set of types of log entries according to at least one weight threshold, wherein the at least one strength level threshold is proportional to the at least one weight threshold; and

seventh program instructions to assign, using the one or more processors, the strength level to a relationship between the combination of components.