System and method for troubleshooting software configuration problems using application tracing

A computer-implemented method for troubleshooting a configuration problem of an application, the application including at least an executable code representation, the method comprising:

• attaching a first code module to a first memory image of the application, the first code module configured to trace a first execution of the application, the application using a first software configuration that is properly functioning, the first code module configured to store data reflecting the first execution in a first application signature, the first application signature containing first data representing properties of first system resources that interact with the application during the first execution;
• attaching a second code module to a second memory image of the application, the second code module configured to trace a second execution of the application using a second software configuration that is malfunctioning and to store data reflecting the second execution in a second application signature, the second application signature containing second data representing properties of second system resources that interact with the application during the second execution;
• correlating, by a first code module, the first application signature to the second application signature;
• and
• providing a display of the first system resources and the second system resources that have been correlated to a computer system display screen to help a computer system user identify a reason for the malfunction,
• wherein a priority is assigned to each of a plurality of combinations of object states of the first data of the first application signature and object states of the second data of the second application signature based on an importance of a respective combination for identifying a root-cause of the malfunction, the priority indicating a level of likelihood in determining a reason for the malfunction.

A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions that when executed cause at least one processor to troubleshoot a configuration problem of an application, the application including at least an executable code representation, the instructions comprising instructions to:

• attach a first code module to a first memory image of the application, the first code module configured to trace a first execution of the application, the application using a first software configuration that is properly functioning, the first code module configured to store data reflecting the first execution in a first application signature, the first application signature containing first data representing properties of first system resources that interact with the application during the first execution;
• attach a second code module to a second memory image of the application, the second code module configured to trace a second execution of the application using a second software configuration that is malfunctioning and to store data reflecting the second execution in a second application signature, the second application signature containing second data representing properties of second system resources that interact with the application during the second execution;
• correlate, by a first code module, the first application signature to the second application signature;
• and
• provide a display of the first system resources and the second system resources that have been correlated to a computer system display screen to help a computer system user identify a reason for the malfunction,
• wherein a priority is assigned to each of a plurality of combinations of object states of the first data of the first application signature and object states of the second data of the second application signature based on an importance of a respective combination for identifying a root-cause of the malfunction, the priority indicating a level of likelihood in determining a reason for the malfunction.