Automated Error Source Identification in Distributed Systems
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current error monitoring systems in distributed architectures are inefficient as they rely on manual troubleshooting and trial-and-error methods, failing to accurately identify the root cause of errors across the entire system, leading to unpredictable and resource-intensive analyses.
Innovation Solution
A computing device and method that automatically track communication between system components, generate aggregate health logs, and utilize network infrastructure information to determine the source of errors, providing a standardized mechanism for identifying the originating component and its dependent components, thereby facilitating proactive error pattern spotting and notification.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If manual troubleshooting and trial-and-error methods are used to identify error sources, then developers can potentially determine the root cause, but the analysis becomes unpredictable and resource-intensive with extensive manual time and cost
Solution Approach 1:
The system enables automated self-diagnosis by having components automatically generate health logs, receive monitoring rules, determine their own health status, and identify error sources without human intervention. The computing device automatically correlates health logs with monitoring rules to pinpoint error origins, replacing manual troubleshooting with autonomous system analysis.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a computing device as an intermediary that acts as a centralized coordinator between distributed system components. This intermediary receives health logs from multiple components, applies monitoring rules, and synthesizes information to identify error sources, eliminating the need for developers to manually investigate each component individually.
2Adaptability or versatility
If current monitoring rules track only individual components, then implementation is simple, but the system fails to take into account the whole distributed architecture system leading to fragmented analysis
Solution Approach 1:
The computing device performs multiple functions: it receives health logs from various components, retrieves and applies diverse monitoring rules, correlates information across the distributed system, and identifies error sources. This universal monitoring approach replaces multiple individual component monitoring systems with a single multi-functional platform that provides system-wide visibility.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges previously separate monitoring functions into a unified system where the computing device consolidates health log collection, rule management, and error analysis capabilities. By combining these functions into a single coordinated system, the patent achieves comprehensive system-wide monitoring while managing complexity through centralized control.
3Reliability
If developers manually examine each system component to determine error origin, then thorough analysis is possible, but the process is heavily human-centric and provides fragmented and unpredictable analysis
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements automated feedback loops where components continuously send health logs to the computing device, which applies monitoring rules and returns error source identification. This automated feedback mechanism replaces manual examination with systematic, repeatable analysis that consistently applies the same monitoring rules across all components, improving reliability and reducing human variability.
Data Source
AI summary
A computing device configured for monitoring and analyzing health of a distributed computer system having a plurality of interconnected system components. The computing device tracks communication between the system components and monitors for an alert indicating an error in the communication in the distributed computer system. In response to the error, the computing device receives a health log from each of the system components defining an aggregate health log being in a standardized format indicating messages communicated between the system components. The computing device further receives network infrastructure information defining relationships between the system components and characterizing dependency information; and, automatically determines, based on the aggregate health log and the network infrastructure information, a particular component originating the error and associated dependent components from the system components affected.