Problem localization using probabilistic dependency analysis for automated system management in ubiquitous computing

Purpose This paper seeks to develop an approach to problem localization and an algorithm to address the issue of determining the dependencies among system metrics for automated system management in ubiquitous computing systems. Design/methodology/approach This paper proposes an approach to problem localization for learning the knowledge of dynamic environment using probabilistic dependency analysis to automatically determine problems. This approach is based on Bayesian learning to describe a system as a hierarchical dependency network, determining root causes of problems via inductive and deductive inferences on the network. An algorithm of preprocessing is performed to create ordering parameters that have close relationships with problems. Findings The findings show that using ordering parameters as input of network learning, it reduces learning time and maintains accuracy in diverse domains especially in the case of including large number of parameters, hence improving efficiency and accuracy of problem localization. Practical implications An evaluation of the work is presented through performance measurements. Various comparisons and evaluations prove that the proposed approach is effective on problem localization and it can achieve significant cost savings. Originality/value This study contributes to research into the application of probabilistic dependency analysis in localizing the root cause of problems and predicting potential problems at run time after probabilities propagation throughout a network, particularly in relation to fault management in self-managing systems.