Using Crowd Experiences for Software Problem Determination and Resolution

1 . A method of software problem determination and resolution, the method comprising:

receiving, over a computer network, a plurality of error reports from a plurality of systems in a user community running a set of one or more software offerings that includes one or more sections of code;

generating a set of problematic usage patterns based on an analysis of the received error reports, wherein each of the usage patterns has a confidence factor;

increasing the confidence factors corresponding to a set of the problematic usage patterns in response to multiple received error reports matching the set of problematic usage patterns;

matching the problematic usage patterns to the one or more sections of code; and

identifying one of the sections of code based on the identified section of code matching a selected one of the problematic usage patterns and based on the selected problematic usage pattern having a confidence factor greater than a threshold.

2 . The method of claim 1 wherein the sections of code are included in a plurality of different software offerings, and wherein the plurality of different software offerings includes the set of software offerings.

3 . The method of claim 2 wherein the problematic usage patterns indicate a processing environment, the method further comprising:

setting a test environment to the processing environment indicated by the selected problematic usage pattern;

testing the identified section of code in the test environment;

identifying the selected problematic usage pattern as a false positive in response to the testing failing to result in an error indicated by the selected problematic usage pattern; and

decreasing the confidence factor of the selected problematic usage pattern in response to the identification of the false positive.

4 . The method of claim 3 further comprising:

identifying one or more test environment elements that differ from the processing environment indicated by the selected problematic usage pattern;

retaining, in a data store, the identified test environment elements as possible usage pattern resolutions pertaining to the selected problematic usage pattern;

receiving, over the computer network, a subsequent error report from a user of one of the installed software systems in the user community;

generating a subsequent problematic usage pattern pertaining to the subsequent error report;

matching the subsequent problematic usage pattern to the selected problematic usage report;

retrieving the possible usage pattern resolutions from the data store; and

transmitting, over the computer network, the possible usage pattern resolutions to the user.

5 . The method of claim 1 further comprising:

receiving, over the computer network, a plurality of configuration reports from a plurality of successfully installed software systems in the user community, wherein each of the configuration reports include a plurality of configuration elements; and

generating a set of success-based usage patterns based on an analysis of the received configuration reports.

6 . The method of claim 5 further comprising:

receiving, over the computer network, a deployment request from a selected system in the user community that is commencing installation of the software system, wherein the deployment request includes one or more environment elements pertaining to the selected system;

comparing the environment elements that pertain to the selected system with the success-based usage patterns, the comparison resulting in a set of one or more of the success-based usage patterns that match the environment elements that pertain to the selected system; and

recommending one or more configuration parameter values as inputs to the installation of the software system on the selected system.

7 . The method of claim 6 further comprising:

recommending, based on the set of success-based usage patterns, one or more pre-requisite software programs, wherein the recommendation further includes a version corresponding to each of the pre-requisite software programs; and

displaying the recommended pre-requisite software programs and versions to a user of the selected system prior to installation of the software system.

8 . An information handling system comprising:

one or more processors;

a memory coupled to at least one of the processors;

a network adapter that connects the information handling system to a computer network; and

a set of instructions stored in the memory and executed by at least one of the processors, wherein the set of instructions perform actions of:

receiving, over the computer network, a plurality of error reports from a plurality of systems in a user community running a set of one or more software offerings that includes one or more sections of code;

generating a set of problematic usage patterns based on an analysis of the received error reports, wherein each of the usage patterns has a confidence factor;

increasing the confidence factors corresponding to a set of the problematic usage patterns in response to multiple received error reports matching the set of problematic usage patterns;

matching the problematic usage patterns to the one or more sections of code; and

identifying one of the sections of code based on the identified section of code matching a selected one of the problematic usage patterns and based on the selected problematic usage pattern having a confidence factor greater than a threshold.

9 . The information handling system of claim 8 wherein the sections of code are included in a plurality of different software offerings, and wherein the plurality of different software offerings includes the set of software offerings.

10 . The information handling system of claim 9 wherein the problematic usage patterns indicate a processing environment, and wherein the actions further comprise:

setting a test environment to the processing environment indicated by the selected problematic usage pattern;

testing the identified section of code in the test environment;

identifying the selected problematic usage pattern as a false positive in response to the testing failing to result in an error indicated by the selected problematic usage pattern; and

decreasing the confidence factor of the selected problematic usage pattern in response to the identification of the false positive.

11 . The information handling system of claim 10 wherein the actions further comprise:

identifying one or more test environment elements that differ from the processing environment indicated by the selected problematic usage pattern;

retaining, in a data store, the identified test environment elements as possible usage pattern resolutions pertaining to the selected problematic usage pattern;

receiving, over the computer network, a subsequent error report from a user of one of the installed software systems in the user community;

generating a subsequent problematic usage pattern pertaining to the subsequent error report;

matching the subsequent problematic usage pattern to the selected problematic usage report;

retrieving the possible usage pattern resolutions from the data store; and

transmitting, over the computer network, the possible usage pattern resolutions to the user.

12 . The information handling system of claim 8 wherein the actions further comprise:

receiving, over the computer network, a plurality of configuration reports from a plurality of successfully installed software systems in the user community, wherein each of the configuration reports include a plurality of configuration elements; and

generating a set of success-based usage patterns based on an analysis of the received configuration reports.

13 . The information handling system of claim 12 wherein the actions further comprise:

receiving, over the computer network, a deployment request from a selected system in the user community that is commencing installation of the software system, wherein the deployment request includes one or more environment elements pertaining to the selected system;

comparing the environment elements that pertain to the selected system with the success-based usage patterns, the comparison resulting in a set of one or more of the success-based usage patterns that match the environment elements that pertain to the selected system; and

recommending one or more configuration parameter values as inputs to the installation of the software system on the selected system.

14 . The information handling system of claim 13 wherein the actions further comprise:

recommending, based on the set of success-based usage patterns, one or more pre-requisite software programs, wherein the recommendation further includes a version corresponding to each of the pre-requisite software programs; and

displaying the recommended pre-requisite software programs and versions to a user of the selected system prior to installation of the software system.

15 . A computer program product stored in a computer readable medium, comprising computer instructions that, when executed by an information handling system, causes the information handling system to perform actions comprising:

receiving, over a computer network, a plurality of error reports from a plurality of systems in a user community running a set of one or more software offerings that includes one or more sections of code;

generating a set of problematic usage patterns based on an analysis of the received error reports, wherein each of the usage patterns has a confidence factor;

increasing the confidence factors corresponding to a set of the problematic usage patterns in response to multiple received error reports matching the set of problematic usage patterns;

matching the problematic usage patterns to the one or more sections of code; and

identifying one of the sections of code based on the identified section of code matching a selected one of the problematic usage patterns and based on the selected problematic usage pattern having a confidence factor greater than a threshold.

16 . The computer program product of claim 15 wherein the sections of code are included in a plurality of different software offerings, and wherein the plurality of different software offerings includes the set of software offerings.

17 . The computer program product of claim 16 wherein the problematic usage patterns indicate a processing environment, and wherein the actions further comprise:

setting a test environment to the processing environment indicated by the selected problematic usage pattern;

testing the identified section of code in the test environment;

identifying the selected problematic usage pattern as a false positive in response to the testing failing to result in an error indicated by the selected problematic usage pattern; and

decreasing the confidence factor of the selected problematic usage pattern in response to the identification of the false positive.

18 . The computer program product of claim 17 wherein the actions further comprise:

identifying one or more test environment elements that differ from the processing environment indicated by the selected problematic usage pattern;

retaining, in a data store, the identified test environment elements as possible usage pattern resolutions pertaining to the selected problematic usage pattern;

receiving, over the computer network, a subsequent error report from a user of one of the installed software systems in the user community;

generating a subsequent problematic usage pattern pertaining to the subsequent error report;

matching the subsequent problematic usage pattern to the selected problematic usage report;

retrieving the possible usage pattern resolutions from the data store; and

transmitting, over the computer network, the possible usage pattern resolutions to the user.

19 . The computer program product of claim 15 wherein the actions further comprise:

receiving, over the computer network, a plurality of configuration reports from a plurality of successfully installed software systems in the user community, wherein each of the configuration reports include a plurality of configuration elements; and

generating a set of success-based usage patterns based on an analysis of the received configuration reports.

20 . The computer program product of claim 19 wherein the actions further comprise:

receiving, over the computer network, a deployment request from a selected system in the user community that is commencing installation of the software system, wherein the deployment request includes one or more environment elements pertaining to the selected system;

comparing the environment elements that pertain to the selected system with the success-based usage patterns, the comparison resulting in a set of one or more of the success-based usage patterns that match the environment elements that pertain to the selected system;

recommending one or more configuration parameter values as inputs to the installation of the software system on the selected system;

recommending, based on the set of success-based usage patterns, one or more pre-requisite software programs, wherein the recommendation further includes a version corresponding to each of the pre-requisite software programs; and

displaying the recommended pre-requisite software programs and versions to a user of the selected system prior to installation of the software system.