Error detection/correction and fault detection/recovery – Data processing system error or fault handling – Reliability and availability
Utility Patent
1997-11-14
2001-01-02
Le, Dieu-Minh T. (Department: 2785)
Error detection/correction and fault detection/recovery
Data processing system error or fault handling
Reliability and availability
C714S038110, C714S046000
Utility Patent
active
06170065
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF INVENTION
This invention relates to a user support system for the analysis and correction of problems associated with computer user, and more particularly for a system to automatically diagnose and repair problems at the client side of a network.
REFERENCE TO MICROFICHE APPENDIX
The disclosure of the present invention includes a microfiche appendix. The total number of microfiche included in the appendix is 3. The total number of microfiche frames included in the appendix is 227.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
There are a number situations in which a user at the so called client's side of a network experiences difficulty with either the software or the hardware at his or her computer. Problems are varied, including peripherals which will not work with a given CPU, software which when loaded conflicts with other software running at the client's side, or in general problems with which the user is either unfamiliar or about which he has no expertise.
The level of frustration when first setting up a computer or local area network is oftentimes monumental, resulting in a large number of calls to the network administrator or to outside consultants. The problem is particularly severe with home users who in general do not have the skills either to diagnose a particular problem or to fix it. There is thus a class of users who are either corporate or home users, with the corporate users having at best qualified administrators to locally handle a given problem.
In order to analyze any problem the demographics of the local system, a task normally undertaken through the use of face to face meetings with consultants and clients, telephonic exchanges of information and at times exchanges of information over a network. Network-based solutions to problem solving have in the past included so called network administrator applications such as Intel's LANDesk, Unicenter TNG, Saber LAN and others, providing specialized services for particular hardware environments typically involving equipment provided by the company offering the service.
These services do not in general support a wide variety of equipment, differing networks, or a multiplicity of software applications or operating systems. As a result diagnosis and advice requires substantial verbal communication between support personnel and the user. The requirement for verbal interchange makes reliability of the repair suggestions suspect because it relies on the knowledge of the user or administrator for such information as disk capacity, hardware resource configuration, software versions, network characteristics and other information which is opaque to the user. Misinformation or lack of information results in inordinately long repair sessions also does not result in appropriate action to repair the problem. The frustration at this point can lead the user to return his equipment, or at the very least believe that the equipment or software is somehow faulty, whether or not this is true.
Typically a network administrator will discover a simple configuration problem on a machine that takes a few moments to fix. The network administrator now faces the task of spending a few moments on hundreds or thousands of machines to check for the problem configuration and resolve if necessary. For instance a new software package that is installed may overwrite a newer system file, and this system file will need to restored.
Moreover when a problem occurs at any given client site, due to the multiple operating platforms employed, a general solution is impossible with conventional means, eg. batch files to carry out repair operations. For instance, an operating system file necessary for proper operation may have been overwritten by an older version, such that the operating system is no longer functioning properly. A batch file could be written to update the system file, but this would require a custom solution for each operating platform.
There is thus a need for a system which is universal enough to accommodate a large variety of operating systems to diagnose and repair problems at the client side, in part by providing a common set of functions for diagnosis and repair operations.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In order to provide a universal system for diagnosis and repair of such problems a specialized script is provided which first makes an inventory of hardware, software and configuration information, which it gathers by querying local system services, hardware devices, disks, network connections, files and other information.
This information is then stored in an single uniform object oriented database called the system inventory along with a wide variety of system tools designed to permit correction of previously diagnosed problems. The system, upon receiving a request, accesses this inventory to look at any relevant data; and based on an evaluation of the relevant data calls up the appropriate tool. The tool is then used to automatically correct the problem either by installing new software, appropriate plugins or by changing the setting of hardware devices. Thus, as used herein the terms “system inventory” and “object oriented” database are synonymous.
As an adjunct to the subject script a log is kept on the client side, listing the operations performed. This is useful for the client in maintaining the security of the workstation. Thus a log is kept of what has been done and the results.
A further capability is that the network administrator can access the database to perform inventory management, creating a report of what hardware and software is installed and where.
Additionally, the use of the specialized script permits an administrator to repair all of the workstations having a similar problem without visiting them individually or first needing to verify that the problem exists.
As to the specialized script, the universality is primarily carried by the structure of the database. Different collection operations are undertaken on different platforms, but the data is presented in a manner which is consistent across all platforms. The structure involves a common format which can accommodate such diverse platforms as Windows NT, Macintosh, DOS, UNIX, and others.
For instance the format for describing drives consists of a collection of logical drive objects. Each drive object is a collection of attributes such as Drive Letter, File System, Free Space, Network Mapping, Partition Info, Size, Type, Volume Name and Volume Serial Number. This is applicable to any platform, although the information is gathered using completely different methods on each.
Further, for each of the objects for which there is a finite range of values, these values are defined and any object is mapped to one of these values. For instance, in terms of drive types there is a finite meaning: Fixed, RAM, Remote, Removable and CDROM. These are described in a different manner on different platforms, but are unified in the database.
As a feature of the subject invention, a scheduling algorithm is provided such that the script engine revisits the inventory to look for the problem configuration again, and repair it if necessary. This is done on a periodic basis to assure system integrity.
As a further feature, the subject system provides a support network making available a wide variety of timely and useful scripts. This support network acts as a central knowledge database, with scripts being written using information from various areas such as, but not limited to, Microsoft's knowledge base as available through Tech Net, internet newsgroups and log data from various system administrators can therefore, with little action, find scripts to repair and prevent problems on their own networks.
REFERENCES:
patent: 5307490 (1994-04-01), Davidson et al.
patent: 5471615 (1995-11-01), Amatsu et al.
patent: 5504892 (1996-04-01), Atsatt et al.
patent: 5666534 (1997-09-01), Gilbert et al.
patent: 5689726 (1997-11-01), Lin
patent: 5732219 (1998-03-01), Blumer et al.
patent: 5740431 (1998-04-01), Rail
patent: 5742829 (1998-04-01), Davis et al.
patent: 5745738 (1998-04-01), Ricard
pat
Gagne, Jr. Robert A.
Kobata Hiroshi
Tonchev Theodore C.
Daly, Crowley & Mofford LLP
e-Parcel, LLC
Le Dieu-Minh T.
LandOfFree
Automatic system for dynamic diagnosis and repair of... does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Automatic system for dynamic diagnosis and repair of..., we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Automatic system for dynamic diagnosis and repair of... will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2533301