A computer implemented method for temporal ranking in invariant networks includes considering an invariant network and a set of broken invariants in the invariant network, assuming, for each time point inside a window W, that each metric with broken invariants is affected by a fault at that time point, computing an expected pattern for each invariant of a metric with assumed fault, said pattern indicative of time points at which an invariant will be broken given that its associated metric was affected by a fault at time t, comparing the expected pattern with the pattern observed over the time window W; and determining a temporal score based on a match from the prior comparing.