Abstract: Some embodiments provide a method for identifying root causes of incidents within a network. The method receives a graph of a portion of the network related to a particular network entity for which an incident is reported. The graph specifies dependencies between neighboring network entities in the network. The method uses probabilistic analysis to determine, for each network entity of a set of network entities represented in the graph, whether adjusting a set of metrics of the entity affects one or more metrics of the particular network entity that have been diagnosed as indicative of a problem. The method reports a subset of the network entities with metrics that affect the one or more metrics of the particular network entity as potential root causes of the incident.

Abstract: Some embodiments provide a method for evaluating incidents within a network. The method receives notification of a first incident related to a first network entity and a second incident related to a second network entity. In response to the respective notifications of the first and second incidents, the method uses network monitoring data to generate a first component graph of a first portion of the network that includes the first network entity and a second component graph of a second portion of the network that includes the second network entity. The first and second component graphs respectively include first and second sets of network entities related to the first and second network entities according to the network monitoring data. The method uses the first and second component graphs to respectively identify root causes of the first and second incidents.

Abstract: Some embodiments provide a method for reporting potential root causes of incidents within a network. The method identifies a first network entity as a potential root cause of an incident affecting a second network entity. For each network entity of a set of network entities in a dependency chain beginning with the first network entity and ending with the second network entity, the method assigns a label to the network entity based on measured metrics of the network entity. The method uses a state machine that encodes causality between different network entity labels to generate a human-readable explanation for the first network entity causing the incident affecting the second network entity.