Independent Diagnostic Engine for System Crash Analysis
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional system crash analysis techniques are inefficient due to lengthy memory dumps and delays in transferring large dump files, which slow down time-to-recovery and time-to-problem-resolution, often resulting in the elimination of memory dumps to accelerate recovery, thereby increasing business risk without determining the root cause of the crash.
Innovation Solution
An Independent Diagnostic Engine for Analysis (IDEAL) that enables instantaneous and independent analysis of system crashes by running outside the operating system environment with complete access to hardware and operating system information, eliminating the need for memory dumps and allowing live analysis of hung systems.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of information
If a system memory dump is performed after a system crash, then complete data for problem analysis is obtained, but system time-to-recovery is greatly slowed due to the large size and slow acquisition process
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements preliminary actions by continuously collecting and storing system state information, register values, and memory contents in a separate storage location before a crash occurs. This pre-capture of diagnostic data eliminates the need for post-crash memory dumps, enabling immediate problem analysis without delaying system recovery.
2Measurement precision
If a system memory dump is performed to capture complete system information, then accurate problem determination is enabled, but the process is extremely time-consuming and may eliminate the need for dumps to accelerate recovery
Solution Approach 1:
The system continuously monitors and captures complete system state information including register values, memory contents, and processor states in real-time before a crash occurs. This pre-captured data is stored in a separate storage location with sufficient capacity, enabling immediate and accurate problem determination without requiring time-consuming post-crash memory dumps.
3Loss of information
If large memory dump files are transferred to service organization experts for analysis, then comprehensive problem analysis is possible, but logistics delays can take hours, days, or even weeks
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the diagnostic data capture and storage function from the traditional crash analysis workflow. By implementing a separate storage location that independently captures and retains system state information without requiring involvement from service organization experts, the system eliminates the logistics delays associated with transferring large dump files for external analysis.
4Loss of information
If system memory dumps are performed for hardware crash analysis, then complete diagnostic data is obtained, but the process is a waste of time for most hardware crashes that do not result from data addressing failures
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements local quality by capturing only the specific system state information relevant to the crash condition in a separate storage location. Rather than performing comprehensive memory dumps that capture all system data regardless of relevance, the system selectively captures and stores only the necessary diagnostic information including register values and relevant memory contents, eliminating waste for non-addressing hardware crashes.
Data Source
AI summary
A computer-executable method for analyzing a condition of a computer system comprises executing an operating system on a processor according to an operating system image resident in a memory, and executing an analysis engine independently of the operating system on the processor in co-existence with the operating system. The analysis engine is enabled complete access to information relating to the processor and the operating system. The operating system is prevented access to the analysis engine.