Patent ID: 7631222

Claim:
A method for correlating events occurring in a network, wherein the network is represented as a graph of interconnected nodes with interconnections between nodes representing dependencies between the entities represented by the nodes, the method comprising the computer-implemented steps of: creating a first data structure that is associated with a first entity, wherein the first data structure comprises: a first set of data that comprises a list of events that originated in association with the first entity, wherein the list of events comprises a first event that originated in association with the first entity, and a second set of data that comprises a list of records, wherein the list of records comprises a record which incorporates by reference a different, second event that originated in association with a different, second entity that has a dependency relationship with the first entity; wherein the second event is obtained by the first entity through incorporation by reference, without the second entity initiating propagation of the second event to the first entity; and determining, based at least in part on the first data structure, a likelihood that the second event caused the first event or was caused by the first event; wherein the method is performed by a computing device comprising one or more processors.