CSR: Small: Practical methods for removing latent configuration errors in cloud platforms

配置错误是计算机故障的主要原因。一种特殊类型的配置错误称为潜在配置错误，通常具有最高的严重性，并在数据中心和云基础设施中导致许多严重的大范围中断，影响数百万客户。这些配置错误普遍存在，故障排除成本高昂，可能导致数百万美元的业务损失。该项目解决了这个重要的潜在配置问题，该问题导致各种云平台中的许多数据中心范围的中断。该项目开发的方法将显著减少严重的数据中心范围内的中断，并提高云服务和应用程序的可用性。基于以往对数据中心中数千个真实的配置错误的研究经验，本项目通过三个实用且创新的研究方向来解决这一重要的潜在配置错误问题：（1）自动构建配置检查器，以在数据中心中数千个节点部署之前的早期阶段检测潜在配置错误;（2）设计和构建现场配置验证实用程序，使数据中心管理员能够轻松验证其配置设置，特别是那些复杂的潜在设置;（3）改进配置设计，使其不易出错。第一个研究重点是观察使用中隐藏的验证检查，并开发自动方法将检查与潜在使用分离。第二个研究重点是更基本的，因为它的目的是系统地简化配置空间，以减少配置错误。第三个推力使数据中心管理员能够更好地控制其配置。 此外，还为学生，特别是计算机科学专业的女生开展了各种教育和外联活动。

Configuration errors are a major cause for computer failures. A special type of configuration error called latent configuration errors, often has the highest severity and causes many serious, wide spread outages in data centers and cloud infrastructures, which affects millions of customers. These configuration errors are prevalent and expensive to troubleshoot, and can result in millions of dollars in business losses. This project addresses this important latent configuration problem that has caused many data center-wide outages in various cloud platforms. The methods developed by this project will significantly reduce the amount of severe data center-wide outages and improving the availability of cloud services and applications. Building on previous research experience in studying thousands of real world configuration errors in data centers, this project tackles this important latent configuration error problem via three practical and innovative research thrusts: (1) Automatically build configuration checkers to detect latent configuration errors at early stage before rolling out to thousands of nodes in data centers; (2) Design and build on-site configuration validation utility to allow data center administrators easily validate their configuration settings, especially those complex, latent ones; and (3) Improve configuration design to make them less prone to errors. The first research thrust observes the hidden validation checks in usages and develops automatic ways to separate the checks from the latent usages. The second research thrust is more fundamental as it aims to systematically simplify the configuration space to reduce configuration errors. The third thrust enables data center administrators to have more control of their configurations. In addition, various educational and outreach activities for students, especially women students in computer science.