Unified Event Log Generation via Remote Access Controller

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

In information handling systems, especially those using software-defined storage (SDS), analyzing errors is challenging due to multiple log files with different formats and component structures, leading to conflicts during problem determination.

Innovation Solution

A method and system for generating combined event logs by receiving a tagged log with operating system event data and a hardware log, combining them into a uniform format, and storing the combined log, utilizing a remote access controller's firmware to facilitate this process.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of manufacture

If multiple separate log files are used to record hardware and OS events, then data collection is simplified, but error analysis becomes complex due to format inconsistencies

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedata collection simplicityVSAvoiderror analysis complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines multiple separate log files (hardware log and OS event log) into a single unified log file with a consistent format. The RAC retrieves events from both hardware and OS sources, standardizes them to a common structure, and stores them together, eliminating the need to analyze multiple format-different files separately.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The unified log file serves multiple purposes: it records both hardware events and OS events, provides a single analysis source for troubleshooting, and maintains a consistent format that can be processed by various diagnostic tools without requiring format-specific handling.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

2Adaptability or versatility

If separate log files with different formats are maintained, then system modularity is preserved, but troubleshooting efficiency decreases due to format conflicts

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesystem modularityVSAvoidtroubleshooting efficiency

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges separate log files into a unified log file that consolidates hardware events and OS events. This single log file improves troubleshooting efficiency by eliminating format conflicts and enabling analysts to examine all events in one place without switching between different file formats.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

3Reliability

If multiple decentralized log files are used, then data sources remain independent, but problem determination requires analyzing multiple files

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedata source independenceVSAvoidproblem determination time

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines multiple decentralized log files into a single unified log file while maintaining the independence of data sources. The RAC collects events from independent hardware and OS sources, standardizes their formats, and consolidates them into one file, reducing problem determination time by eliminating the need to analyze multiple separate files.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Data Source

PatentUS10496510B2Generating combined event logs in an information handling system

Publication Date: 2019.12.03 DELL PROD LP

AI summary

A method, an information handling system (IHS), and an event logging system generate combined event logs in an IHS. The method includes receiving, via a remote access controller (RAC), a tagged log containing operating system (OS) event data. A hardware log containing hardware event data is retrieved from a RAC memory. The tagged log and the hardware log are combined to form a combined event log containing both OS event data and hardware event data in a uniform format. The combined event log is stored to the RAC memory.