Identifying issues prior to deploying software

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9792102-B2
Application number	US-201514845467-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 4, 2015
Priority date	Sep 4, 2015
Publication date	Oct 17, 2017
Grant date	Oct 17, 2017

Abstract

Systems and techniques for identifying potential problems associated with deploying a software package in a computing system are described. The software package may include multiple components that are installed in various locations in the computing system. Multiple agents that perform mock activities emulating the activities of the multiple components may be deployed in the computing system. Activity data may be gathered when the multiple agents are performing the mock activities and used to identify potential problems.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A computer-implemented method, comprising:
identifying, by one or more processors, a plurality of components of a software package to be installed in a computing system;
determining, by the one or more processors, individual locations in the computer system in which to install individual components of the plurality of components;
installing, by the one or more processors, individual agents of a plurality of agents in the individual locations, wherein individual agents of the plurality of agents correspond to individual components of the plurality of components;
instructing, by the one or more processors, individual agents of the plurality of agents to perform mock activities that mimic activities of the individual components of the plurality of components;
gathering, by the one or more processors, activity data associated with the mock activities within a predetermined time period;
displaying at least a portion of the activity data;
identifying, by a classifier executed by the one or more processors, a first potential problem based at least in part on the activity data;
performing a first modification to the computing system to address the first potential problem;
instructing each agent of the plurality of agents to download and install a corresponding component of the plurality of components;
instructing individual components of the plurality of components to initiate a corresponding activity; and
uninstalling the plurality of agents from the computing system.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising:
correlating, by the one or more processors, the activity data based on criteria comprising at least one of a bandwidth usage of one more communication links in the computing system, a performance of one or more network elements in the computing system, or a usage associated with a resource in the computing system, wherein the resource comprises one of memory usage or processing capacity.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising:
installing the individual components corresponding to the individual agents; and
uninstalling the plurality of agents.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 3 , wherein the first potential problem is associated with at least one of:
a topology of the computing system;
a resource associated with a network element of the computing system, wherein the resource comprises at least one of a memory capacity of the network element, a storage capacity of the network element, a processing capacity of the network element, or a networking bandwidth of the network element;
permissions associated with data stored in the computing system; or
credentials associated with at least one agent of the plurality of agents.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising:
instructing the plurality of agents to perform additional mock activities based at least in part on determining that a first modification has been performed to the computing system;
determining additional activity data associated with the additional mock activities; and
identifying a second potential problem based on the additional activity data.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 5 , further comprising:
determining that a second modification to the computing system addresses the second potential problem.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the individual agents perform one or more of the mock activities to emulate one or more component activities associated with the individual components corresponding to the individual agents.

8. One or more non-transitory computer-readable media storing instructions that are executable by one or more processors to perform operations comprising:
determining a software package to be installed in a computing system, the software package comprising a plurality of components;
determining a location in the computer system in which to install a component of the plurality of components;
installing an agent of a plurality of agents in the location, wherein the agent corresponds to the component of the plurality of components;
instructing the agent to perform mock activities that emulate activities associated with the component;
determining activity data associated with the mock activities performed by the agent;
identifying, by a classifier, at least one potential problem based at least in part on the activity data;
determining that the at least one potential problem has been addressed;
instructing individual agents of the plurality of agents to download and install a corresponding component of the plurality of components;
instructing individual components of the plurality of components to initiate a corresponding activity; and
uninstalling the plurality of agents from the computing system.

9. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 8 , the operations further comprising:
installing the component corresponding to the agent; and
uninstall the agent.

10. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 9 , wherein the at least one potential problem is associated with at least one of:
a topology of the computing system;
a resource associated with a network element of the computing system, wherein the resource comprises at least one of a memory capacity of the network element, a storage capacity of the network element, a processing capacity of the network element, or a networking bandwidth of the network element;
permissions associated with data stored in the computing system; or
credentials associated with at least one agent of the plurality of agents.

11. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 8 , further comprising:
instructing the agent to perform additional mock activities after determining that a modification to the computing system has been made, the modification determined based at least in part on the activity data; and
determining additional activity data associated with the additional mock activities.

12. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 11 , further comprising:
determining, based at least in part on the additional activity data, that the modification to the computing system addresses a potential problem in the computing system.

13. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 11 , further comprising:
performing an additional modification to the computing system; and
determining that the additional modification addresses the potential problem.

14. A server, comprising:
one or more processors; and
one or more non-transitory computer-readable media storing instructions that are executable by the one or more processors to perform operations comprising:
determining a plurality of components included in a software package that is to be installed in a computing system;
installing, in the computing system, an agent of a plurality of agents, wherein the agent corresponds to a component of the plurality of components, wherein the agent is installed in a location where the component is to be installed;
instructing, by a software installation coordinator, the agent to perform mock activities that emulate activities associated with the component;
determining activity data associated with the mock activities;
identifying, by a classifier algorithm, a potential problem based at least in part on the activity data;
determining that the potential problem has been addressed;
instructing, by the software installation coordinator, individual agents of the plurality of agents to download and install a corresponding component of the pluralit

Assignees

• Dell Products Lp
• Quest Software Inc

Inventors

• Seigel Jake

Classifications

• G06F11/34

  Recording or statistical evaluation of computer activity, e.g. of down time, of input/output operation {; Recording or statistical evaluation of user activity, e.g. usability assessment} · CPC title

• G06F8/61 Primary

  Installation · CPC title

• G06F8/71

  Version control (security arrangements therefor G06F21/57); Configuration management · CPC title

• G06F11/3409

  for performance assessment · CPC title

• G06F11/36

  Prevention of errors by analysis, debugging or testing of software · CPC title