Log Analytics System for Process Flow Visualization
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing solutions for analyzing business process flows present data in a flat manner, requiring significant expertise and often leading to inaccurate inferences, as they fail to effectively visualize and connect log records across different stages and systems.
Innovation Solution
A system and method for identifying and visualizing process flows using a user interface that groups log records based on a flow key, generates visual representations like flow diagrams and Sankey diagrams, and allows for the analysis of log messages across different characteristics and time intervals, enabling the identification of potential trajectories and failure points.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If log records are analyzed in a flat manner with all metrics treated equally, then data presentation is simple, but user expertise is required and inferences may be inaccurate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments log records by organizing them into hierarchical structures based on process flows, stages, and transactions. Log records are grouped into process flows, which are divided into stages, which in turn contain individual log records. This segmentation transforms the flat data structure into a hierarchical one that preserves contextual relationships while maintaining ease of access to specific metrics.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent adds dimensional organization to flat log data by introducing multiple levels of hierarchy (process flow → stage → log record) and temporal dimensions (time intervals). This dimensional transformation allows users to navigate and analyze data from multiple perspectives without losing the simplicity of individual metric access, thereby improving inference accuracy while maintaining ease of operation.
2Loss of information
If log records from different log files are connected using flow keys, then process flow visualization is improved, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses flow keys as intermediary elements that connect log records across different log files. The flow key acts as a mediator that links transactions spanning multiple systems and log sources, enabling the reconstruction of complete process flows without requiring direct integration between disparate log file systems. This intermediary approach maintains information completeness while avoiding the complexity of direct system-to-system connections.
Solution Approach 2:
The flow key serves multiple functions simultaneously: it uniquely identifies transactions, links log records across different log files and systems, and enables temporal ordering of events. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate mechanisms for each purpose, thereby connecting log files effectively without proportionally increasing system complexity.
3Ease of operation
If visual representations of process flows are generated, then user understanding is improved, but data processing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates visual representations as simplified copies or abstractions of the underlying complex log data. Instead of presenting raw log records directly, the system generates visual models (such as flow diagrams or timeline representations) that copy the essential structure and relationships of the process flow in an easily interpretable format. This copying approach improves user understanding while containing the complexity within the visualization generation process itself.
Data Source
AI summary
The present disclosure relates to identifying process flows from log sources (e.g., log files), and generating visual representations (e.g., flow diagrams, Sankey diagrams, etc.) of the identified process flows. In addition, the present disclosure relates to clustering of tree structures based on the shape of the tree structure using one or more hashing algorithms. The present disclosure also relates to a user interface that presents a query builder for efficiently querying a log analytics system for tree structures that satisfy a user-defined range.