SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR DEBUGGING SOFTWARE IN AN INFORMATION HANDLING SYSTEM

• US 20180210810A1
• Filed: 01/24/2017
• Published: 07/26/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 01/24/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dell Products LP (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Dell Products LP (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Inventors: KULKARNI, YOGESH P., BIDARALLI, SANTOSH K.
• Granted Patent: US 10,162,730 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3624 by performing operations on the source code, e.g. via a compiler
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3692 for test results analysis

Abstract

A method of debugging software code in an information handling system (IHS) is disclosed. The method includes establishing communications between a debug computer and a target computer and triggering the target computer to collect and transmit a plurality of symptom and root cause (SARC) values associated with the software code. The SARC values are compared to SARC reference values associated with the software code. The method further includes determining if the SARC values meet the requirements of the SARC reference values. In response to the SARC values not meeting the requirements of the SARC reference values, at least one process associated with the SARC values that do not meet the requirements of the SARC reference values is identified. Process data corresponding to the at least one process is collected and a SARC diagnosis report is generated for the software code based on the process data.

Claims

1. A method of debugging software code in an information handling system (IHS), the method comprising:

establishing communications between a debug computer and a target computer;

triggering the target computer to collect and transmit a plurality of symptom and root cause (SARC) values associated with the software code;

comparing the SARC values to a plurality of SARC reference values associated with the software code;

determining if the SARC values meet the requirements of the SARC reference values;

in response to the SARC values not meeting the requirements of the SARC reference values, identifying at least one process associated with the SARC values that do not meet the requirements of the SARC reference values;

collecting process data corresponding to the at least one process; and

generating a SARC diagnosis report for the software code based on the process data.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

retrieving, via the debug computer, a plurality of SARC parameters, a SARC program, and a test program containing the software code;

transmitting the SARC parameters and the test program to the target computer; and

triggering the target computer to initialize the SARC program on the target computer.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

triggering the target computer to run the test program;

determining if the target computer has detected a problem with the software code; and

in response to determining that the target computer has detected a problem with the software code, stopping the test program.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

storing the SARC diagnosis report to a system memory.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein the SARC parameters include at least one of (i) a plurality of components, (ii) a plurality of discrete checkpoints, and (iii) a plurality of exit rules.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the plurality of discrete checkpoints comprise a number of permanent threads, a number of transitory threads, and a number of resources created.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein the plurality of exit rules comprise a timeout rule and a resource release rule.

8. An information handling system (IHS) comprising:

a processor communicatively coupled to a system memory, the processor having firmware executing thereon to enable debugging software code in the IHS, wherein the firmware configures the processor to;

establish communications between a debug computer and a target computer via a communication network;

trigger the target computer to collect and transmit a plurality of symptom and root cause (SARC) values associated with the software code;

compare the SARC values to a plurality of SARC reference values associated with the software code;

determine if the SARC values meet the requirements of the SARC reference values;

in response to the SARC values not meeting the requirements of the SARC reference values, identify at least one process associated with the SARC values that do not meet the requirements of the SARC reference values;

collect process data corresponding to the at least one process; and

generate a SARC diagnosis report for the software code based on the process data.

9. The information handling system of claim 8, wherein the firmware further configures the processor to:

retrieve a plurality of SARC parameters, a SARC program and a test program containing the software code;

transmit the SARC parameters and the test program to the target computer; and

trigger the target computer to initialize the SARC program on the target computer.

10. The information handling system of claim 9, wherein the firmware further configures the processor to:

trigger the target computer to run the test program;

determine if the target computer has detected a problem with the software code; and

in response to determining that the target computer has detected a problem with the software code, stop the test program.

11. The information handling system of claim 8, wherein the firmware further configures the processor to:

store the SARC diagnosis report to a system memory.

12. The information handling system of claim 9, wherein the SARC parameters include at least one of (i) a plurality of components, (ii) a plurality of discrete checkpoints and (iii) a plurality of exit rules.

13. The information handling system of claim 12, wherein the plurality of discrete checkpoints comprise a number of permanent threads, a number of transitory threads and a number of resources created.

14. The information handling system of claim 12, wherein the plurality of exit rules comprise a timeout rule and a resource release rule.

15. A computer program product comprising:

a computer readable storage device; and

program code stored on the computer readable storage device that, when executed by a processor operating with a debug computer that is communicatively connected to a target computer, configures the processor to;

establish communications between the debug computer and the target computer;

trigger the target computer to collect and transmit a plurality of symptom and root cause (SARC) values associated with the software code;

compare the SARC values to a plurality of SARC reference values associated with the software code;

determine if the SARC values meet the requirements of the SARC reference values;

in response to the SARC values not meeting the requirements of the SARC reference values, identify at least one process associated with the SARC values that do not meet the requirements of the SARC reference values;

collect process data corresponding to the at least one process; and

generate a SARC diagnosis report for the software code based on the process data.

16. The computer program product of claim 15, wherein the code, when executed by the processor, further configures the processor to:

retrieve a plurality of SARC parameters, a SARC program and a test program containing the software code;

transmit the SARC parameters and the test program to the target computer; and

trigger the target computer to initialize the SARC program on the target computer.

17. The computer program product of claim 16, wherein the code, when executed by the processor, further configures the processor to:

trigger the target computer to run the test program;

determine if the target computer has detected a problem with the software code; and

in response to determining that the target computer has detected a problem with the software code, stop the test program.

18. The computer program product of claim 15, wherein the code, when executed by the processor, further configures the processor to:

store the SARC diagnosis report to a system memory.

19. The computer program product of claim 16, wherein the SARC parameters include at least one of (i) a plurality of components, (ii) a plurality of discrete checkpoints and (iii) a plurality of exit rules.

20. The computer program product of claim 19, wherein the plurality of discrete checkpoints comprise a number of permanent threads, a number of transitory threads and a number of resources created.