Aggregate system resource analysis including correlation matrix and metric-based analysis

• US 20020152304A1
• Filed: 10/26/2001
• Published: 10/17/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 10/26/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Jason M. Donahue Trust
• Original Assignee: Metilinx
• Inventors: Collazo, Carlos M.
• Granted Patent: US 7,379,994 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/224
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0233 Object-oriented techniques, for representation of network management data, e.g. common object request broker architecture [CORBA]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/042 comprising distributed management centres cooperatively managing the network
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0853 by actively collecting configuration information or by backing up configuration information
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/142 using statistical or mathematical methods
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/22 comprising specially adapted graphical user interfaces [GUI]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/5009 Determining service level performance parameters or violations of service level contracts, e.g. violations of agreed response time or mean time between failures [MTBF]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/00 Arrangements for monitoring or testing data switching networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0852 Delays
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0876 Network utilisation, e.g. volume of load or congestion level

Abstract

A system for gathering data for purposes of analyzing a network. The data is gathered based on values that are passed from node-to-node within processing devices, such as servers, in a network. The values are generated from characteristics obtained from measuring device performance and resource utilization. Values are passed peer-to-peer and successively combined with values at each receiving system so that, ultimately, a value is obtained that reflects the operation of a group of devices. A correlation matrix is maintained to indicate discrepancies in value meanings from different devices. The correlation matrix is used to more accurately combine values to achieve meaningful composite values.

Claims

1. A method for collecting information about a network'"'"'s operation, wherein the network includes a plurality of devices, the method comprising using peer-to-peer communication among a plurality of devices in the network to obtain a measure of the network performance.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising

using a numerical value to represent a characteristic of a first device in the network;

using a second value to represent a characteristic of a second device in the network; and

using a correlation matrix to combine the first and second values to obtain a measure of the network'"'"'s performance.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising

obtaining a measure of a plurality of characteristics of a first device in the network;

using the measured plurality of characteristics to generate a value, wherein the value includes one or more of the following;

a measure of the operation of devices associated with the first device, a measure of the utilization of one or more resources of the first device, a measure of the response speed of the first device, a measure of the optimization of the network.