Customer-based service system including a cascaded pipeline with self-monitoring relays

• US 20030133464A1
• Filed: 06/27/2002
• Published: 07/17/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 01/14/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Oracle America, Inc. (Oracle Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Sun Microsystems Incorporated (Oracle Corporation)
• Inventors: Marejka, Richard, Birkbeck, Guy, Dabrowski, Dariusz
• Granted Patent: US 7,362,701 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/411
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/00 Arrangements for monitoring or testing data switching networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0811 by checking connectivity
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0817 by checking functioning
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0888 Throughput
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/6215 Individual queue per QOS, rate or priority
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 49/90 Buffering arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 49/901 using storage descriptor, e.g. read or write pointers

Abstract

A computer-based system that permits a service-provider to monitoring other computer systems includes a plurality of relays. A monitored relay collects data from one or more monitored computers in the system. This data is forwarded through a secure communication pipeline implemented by the monitoring system to a forwarding relay. The forwarding relay controls data flow between a service provider node and the monitored relays, and includes an instrumentation process that collects data regarding one or more message threads in the relay and sends the data downstream to a service provider system. Computers at the service provider node analyze the data to generate meaningful information about the monitored system, which can be accessed by the service provider or by the owner/operator of the computer system. In addition, the information may be used to generate notices or alarms of specific events.

Claims

1. A relay for use in a network monitoring system, comprising:

a downstream interface that receives messages from downstream sources, each message comprising a recipient list, and assembles the messages in a message assembly area into upstream forwarding messages;

an upstream interface that receives messages from upstream sources and assembles the messages in a message assembly area into upstream forwarding messages;

a priority-based queuing mechanism that queues messages for transmission in accordance with a priority associated with the messages; and

an instrumentation process that collects data regarding one or more message threads in the relay and sends the data downstream to a service provider system.

2. The relay of claim 1, further wherein the priority-based queuing mechanism includes a command processor and a delayed transmission storage memory area that stores delayed and undeliverable upstream forwarding messages.

3. The relay of claim 2, wherein the command processor initiates sending the stored, delayed upstream forwarding messages.

4. The relay of claim 1, wherein the instrumentation process monitors the upstream interface, and the downstream interface.

5. The relay of claim 2, wherein the instrumentation process monitors the command processor.

6. The relay of claim 2, wherein received messages comprise a priority indicator, and wherein the priority-based queuing mechanism includes a set of queues for storing messages based on the assigned priorities.

7. The relay of claim 1, further including a downstream work scanner and wherein the instrumentation process monitors the downstream work scanner.

8. The relay of claim 1, further including an upstream work scanner and wherein the instrumentation process monitors the upstream work scanner.

9. The relay of claim 1, wherein the relay implements a relay-to-relay service thread, a provider to relay service thread, an HTTP service thread, and a downstream service thread.

10. The relay of claim 9, wherein the instrumentation process monitors at least one of the relay-to-relay service thread, the provider to relay service thread, the HTTP service thread, and the downstream service thread.

11. The relay of claim 1, further comprising a specified communication port that permits users of the system to obtain a real-time view of the data collected by the instrumentation process.

15. The system of claim 11, wherein the instrumentation process further comprises a specified communication port that permits users of the system to obtain a real-time view of the data collected by the instrumentation process.

12. A system for monitoring a computer system, comprising:

a plurality of monitored relays that collect data from computers in a customer system;

a communication pipeline within the customer system adapted for digital data transfer;

a forwarding relay communicatively connected to the pipeline upstream of the monitored relays and adapted to control data flow between a service provider node and the monitored relays, wherein the forwarding relay includes an instrumentation process that collects data regarding one or more message threads in the relay and sends the data downstream to a service provider system; and

a customer relay communicatively connected to the pipeline and to a communications network that provides a communication interface between the service provider node and the forwarding relay.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the forwarding relay implements a relay-to-relay service thread, a provider to relay service thread, an HTTP service thread, and a downstream service thread.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the instrumentation process monitors at least one of the relay-to-relay service thread, the provider to relay service thread, the HTTP service thread, and the downstream service thread.