Patent ID: 7725571

Claim:
A method, performed by a computer, of providing service analysis in service level management, comprising: providing a service over a network having a plurality of network components that support the service, wherein performance of the service depends upon performances of the plurality of network components that support the service, and wherein the service has a state that represents the performance of the service; measuring a plurality of component parameters for the plurality of network components that support the service across a plurality of domains of the network, wherein the plurality of component parameters measure performances of the plurality of network components that support the service; determining the state of the service from the plurality of component parameters measured across the plurality of domains of the network, wherein determining the state of the service includes mapping the plurality of component parameters measured across the plurality of domains of the network to a service parameter that represents the state of the service, and wherein the state of the service indicates whether the service conforms to an agreed upon service level identified in a service level agreement; executing one or more data mining algorithms to discover a respective influence that a first one of the measured component parameters in a first domain of the plurality of domains of the network has on the service parameter; executing the one or more data mining algorithms to discover a respective influence that a second one of the measured component parameters in a second domain of the plurality of domains of the network has on the service parameter; identifying one of the first component parameter or the second component parameter that has a greatest influence on the service parameter based on the respective influences that the first component parameter and the second component parameter have on the service parameter; and designating the identified component parameter to be the service parameter.