Patent ID: 7701859
Filing Date: 2010-04-20
Classification: G06Q

Abstract:
1. A computer-implemented method for determining one or more causes of a problem with a service level objective (SLO) in a network management system (NMS), the method comprising: receiving telemetry information describing a condition of at least a first element in the NMS, wherein the first element is a service or a resource used to fulfill the SLO, and wherein the first element is associated with a first node; invoking a first procedure associated with the first element, wherein the first procedure determines whether the first element is contributing to the problem with the SLO, wherein the problem is indicated by system performance reaching a confidence level specified in the SLO; determining that the first element has a dependency relationship with a second element in the NMS; invoking a second procedure associated with the second element, wherein the second procedure determines whether the second element is contributing to the problem with the SLO, and wherein the second element is associated with a second node; making a determination, using a monitoring node, of one or more causes of the problem with the SLO based at least partially upon results of the first procedure and the second procedure, wherein the problem is based upon at least one from a group consisting of the first element contributing to the problem with the SLO, and the second element contributing to the problem with the SLO, and wherein the NMS comprises the first node, the second node, and the monitoring node operatively connected; and generating, based on the determination, a problem report that indicates one or more causes of the problem with the SLO; wherein the method is performed by a computing device which, as a result of executing special purpose instructions, has been configured to be a special purpose device.