Configuration Item Deviation Detection in Heterogeneous IT Systems
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Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional IT environments face high operational costs due to inefficient problem determination and resolution, exacerbated by heterogeneity among IT resources and applications, which limits the reuse of scripts and workflows across different environments.
Innovation Solution
A consensus-based proactive problem determination and resolution method that identifies and compares configuration items across systems, using a golden template repository to detect deviations and notify administrators of impending errors, facilitating early detection and correction of mis-configurations in cloud environments.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional IT resources are dedicated to particular customers and applications, then customization and specific problem resolution capability are improved, but heterogeneity increases making script and workflow reuse difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a universal problem determination framework that can operate across heterogeneous IT environments. The system uses standardized configuration item models and comparison algorithms that work across different platforms, products, and configurations, enabling scripts and workflows to be reused universally while maintaining effectiveness in resolving specific customer and application problems.
Solution Approach 2:
The system transforms the approach to problem determination by changing parameters from product-specific error codes to configuration item-based comparisons. This parameter change allows the same determination logic to be applied across different products and environments by comparing configuration states rather than relying on product-specific error categorizations.
2Ease of operation
If product-specific error codes and pre-production problem categories are used, then problem categorization is simplified, but the scope is limited to identified potential problems only
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of starting with pre-defined error codes and categories as in traditional approaches, the patent inverts the methodology by starting with actual configuration items and their states. The system determines problems by comparing configuration deviations rather than mapping issues to pre-existing error categories, thereby expanding detection scope to include previously uncategorized problems.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary configuration assessment and comparison before problems manifest. By continuously monitoring and comparing configuration items against baseline states, the system can detect potential issues before they become actual errors, expanding the scope beyond reactive error code handling to proactive problem prevention.
3Measurement precision
If configuration items are compared across multiple systems, then deviation detection capability is improved, but computational complexity and data processing requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the problem determination process into distinct configuration item comparisons rather than attempting holistic system analysis. By breaking down systems into discrete configuration items (software, hardware, network settings) and comparing them individually against baselines, the system achieves high detection precision while managing complexity through modular, itemized analysis.
Data Source
AI summary
Techniques for problem determination are provided. The techniques include identifying one or more configuration items in two or more systems connected to one or more networks, performing a comparison of one or more common configuration items from the one or more configuration items in the two or more systems connected to one or more networks, and using the comparison to detect deviation between one or more configuration items of one of the two or more systems and one or more respective configuration items in the other one or more systems.