Continuous Performance Management Framework for Root Cause Analysis

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Solution Overview

Problem

Information processing systems, such as cloud computing infrastructure, face challenges in identifying the root cause of unexpected performance degradation due to complex interactions and the inability to capture performance behaviors contemporaneously, leading to inefficient and costly manual diagnostic processes.

Innovation Solution

A continuous performance management framework that includes continuous monitoring, adaptive performance baselines, and snapshot-based profiling to detect and analyze performance events in real-time, minimizing overhead and enabling automated root cause analysis.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If continuous monitoring and snapshot-based profiling are implemented to detect performance events in real-time, then measurement precision and speed of detection are improved, but device complexity and resource consumption increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveperformance event detection accuracyVSAvoidmonitoring framework complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The monitoring framework is segmented into distinct functional modules: continuous monitoring components that track performance metrics, snapshot-based profiling components that capture system state at specific moments, and analysis components that process the collected data. This modular segmentation allows each component to be optimized independently while maintaining overall system precision without excessive complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The system performs preliminary actions by continuously collecting and storing performance metrics and system state information before performance degradation occurs. This preliminary data collection enables rapid detection and analysis when performance events do occur, improving measurement precision without requiring complex real-time analysis infrastructure.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

2Speed

If continuous monitoring is performed to detect performance events substantially contemporaneously, then speed of detection is improved, but loss of time for system overhead increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveperformance event detection speedVSAvoidsystem overhead time
Core Design Contradiction:
SpeedVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The monitoring system employs periodic action by capturing snapshots at strategically determined intervals and triggering detailed profiling only when performance thresholds are breached. This approach maintains fast detection capability while minimizing continuous overhead, as the system alternates between lightweight monitoring and more intensive profiling operations.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #19Periodic action

Solution Approach 2:

The system uses self-service mechanisms where performance metrics automatically trigger snapshot capture and profiling operations without requiring external intervention. This self-triggering approach ensures rapid detection of performance events while minimizing unnecessary monitoring overhead, as resources are allocated dynamically based on actual system conditions.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

3Productivity

If snapshot-based profiling is used to obtain performance snapshots, then productivity of root cause analysis is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveroot cause analysis efficiencyVSAvoidprofiling system complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system creates copies of system state information through snapshot-based profiling, capturing performance metrics, memory states, and operational data at specific moments. These snapshots serve as reusable copies that can be analyzed without affecting the running system, improving root cause analysis productivity while keeping the profiling mechanism itself relatively simple.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #26Copying

Solution Approach 2:

The profiling system performs preliminary actions by pre-capturing and storing system state snapshots that can be rapidly analyzed later. This preliminary data preparation enables efficient root cause analysis without requiring complex real-time analysis capabilities, as the heavy lifting of data collection is completed in advance.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentUS10708344B1Continuous performance management in information processing systems
Publication Date: 2020.07.07 EMC IP HLDG CO LLC
  • US10708344B1 patent drawing
  • US10708344B1 patent drawing
  • US10708344B1 patent drawing

AI summary

At least one performance metric is monitored in an information processing system to detect a performance event substantially contemporaneous with the occurrence of the event, wherein monitoring of the performance metric is performed in a continuous manner. At least a portion of the information processing system is profiled in response to detection of a performance event, wherein the profiling step obtains a performance snapshot of the portion of the information processing system being profiled. The performance snapshot is analyzed to determine a root cause of the performance event within the information processing system.