A Prescriptive Logic Model for Software Application Root Cause Analysis

Abstract

Software application stops functioning in the production environment can be due to the error either within the software application layer or any other factor outside the software application layer. With the complexity of an enterprise level of software application involving multiple tiers, it is has log file at each tier. The root cause analysis activity will easily prolong as more than one log file required for the root cause analysis activity. This would increase the total time taken on restoring the software application service back to the users. To identify the root cause of software application error in a more accurate manner, and shorten the duration of root cause analysis activity conducting on software application error. A Prescriptive Analytical Logic Model (PAL) incorporates with Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) is proposed. The logic model contributes a new knowledge in the area of log file analysis to shorten the total time spent on root cause analysis activity. At the same time it contributes the knowledge in AHP to close the knowledge gap.