Updating of troubleshooting assistants

An apparatus for providing assistance with troubleshooting comprising:

• at least one processor;
• and
• a computer readable storage medium having computer readable program code embodied therewith and executable by the at least one processor, the computer readable program code comprising:
• computer readable program code configured to create a feature log associated with introduction of a system update at a first location;
• computer readable program code configured to pool the feature log with feature logs associated with introduction of the system update at other locations;
• computer readable program code configured to create, based on said pooling, a signature of the system update;
• and
• computer readable program code configured to identify one or more deviations from the signature when the system update fails in at least one location.

A computer program product providing assistance with troubleshooting comprising:

• a computer readable storage medium having computer readable program code embodied therewith, the computer readable program code comprising:
• computer readable program code configured to create a feature log associated with introduction of a system update at a first location;
• computer readable program code configured to pool the feature log with feature logs associated with introduction of the system update at other locations;
• computer readable program code configured to create, based on said pooling, a signature of the system update;
• and
• computer readable program code configured to identify one or more deviations from the signature when the system update fails in at least one location.

A method comprising:

• sending, to a first database, a feature log associated with introduction of a system update at a first server;
• pooling the feature log in the first database with feature logs associated with introduction of the system update at other servers;
• creating a signature of the system update from the first database;
• said creating comprising logging a time-ordered trace of accessed features of the at least one update;
• adding the signature to a second database different from the first database, the signature:
• comprising a signature tree;
• conveying an update execution flow;
• and
• conveying values of features contributing to different execution sequences for the update;
• employing the signature to identify one or more deviations, when the system update fails in at least one location;
• and
• ranking the one or more deviations with respect to at least one other deviation, based on at least one predetermined criterion.