Log Management System Correlating Hardware and Virtual Resource Logs

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional log aggregation and analysis systems in distributed computing systems lack the ability to correlate log entries from hardware resources with those from virtual machines, limiting their ability to provide enhanced analysis of operational dependencies among resources.

Innovation Solution

A log management system that correlates log entries from hardware resources with their corresponding logical resource representations, enabling enhanced analysis by associating physical and virtual resource information, and displaying or storing the correlated log entries for analysis.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Quantity of substance

If conventional log aggregation systems collect logs from multiple resources, then log quantity increases, but the ability to correlate and analyze operational dependencies between resources deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvelog quantityVSAvoidoperational dependency information

Core Design Contradiction:

Quantity of substanceVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces resource information as an intermediary element that connects log entries from different resources. This resource information includes identifiers and operational dependency relationships, enabling the system to correlate logs across hardware and virtual resources without losing dependency information in the process

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Device complexity

If log entries from multiple resources are collected separately, then system complexity is reduced, but the ability to perform root cause analysis deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesystem complexityVSAvoidroot cause analysis capability

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges log entries from multiple resources into correlated log files by associating them through resource information. This combining approach maintains individual resource identities while creating integrated views that enable precise root cause analysis across hardware and virtual resource boundaries

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

3Ease of operation

If hardware and virtual resource logs are analyzed separately, then ease of operation is improved, but analysis completeness deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveoperation simplicityVSAvoidoperational dependency information

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The patent creates a universal log correlation mechanism that handles both hardware and virtual resources through the same resource information framework. This multi-functional approach allows the system to correlate logs across different resource types without requiring separate analysis processes, maintaining operational simplicity while achieving complete analysis

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Data Source

PatentUS10027534B1Log management system and method for distributed computing systems

Publication Date: 2018.07.17 EMC IP HLDG CO LLC

AI summary

A log management system includes a computer executable application that may be executed to obtain a first log entry from a first resource of a distributed computing system having multiple resources, and obtain resource information about at least one other resource of the distributed computing system that is correlated with the first resource. From the resource information, the application obtains one or more log entries from the correlated resource, and displays the first log entry and the correlated log entry on a display.