E-business operations measurements

• US 20040064546A1
• Filed: 09/26/2002
• Published: 04/01/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 09/26/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kyndryl Incorporated (Kyndryl Holdings, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Vijayan, Geetha, Olsson, Stig Arne, Urgo, David Michael
• Granted Patent: US 7,269,651 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/224
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/535 Tracking the activity of the user network monitoring arrangements H04L43/00; recording of computer activity G06F11/34
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]

Abstract

An example of a solution provided here comprises: providing a measurement process including: (a) providing a script; (b) setting threshold values; (c) obtaining a first probe'"'"'s measurement of an application'"'"'s performance, according to said script; (d) obtaining a second probe'"'"'s measurement of said application'"'"'s performance, according to said script; and (e) mapping said measurements to said threshold values; utilizing said measurement process for a plurality of applications; and utilizing substantially the same measurement parameters for said plurality of applications, whereby said plurality of applications may be compared. Another example of a solution comprises planning an application, setting threshold values, documenting said threshold values, developing said application, and measuring said application'"'"'s performance against said threshold values. In some cases, such a solution may further comprise deploying said application, providing an operations measurement policy for said application, and providing probing solutions for said application. Methods for evaluation, systems for executing such methods, and instructions on a computer-usable medium, for executing such methods, are provided.

Claims

1. A method for doing evaluation in a network environment, said method comprising:

providing a measurement process including (a)-(e) below;

(a) providing a script;

(b) setting threshold values;

(c) obtaining a first probe'"'"'s measurement of an application'"'"'s performance, according to said script;

(d) obtaining a second probe'"'"'s measurement of said application'"'"'s performance, according to said script; and

(e) mapping said measurements to said threshold values;

utilizing said measurement process to probe a plurality of transaction steps;

utilizing said measurement process for a plurality of applications; and

utilizing substantially the same measurement parameters for said plurality of applications;

whereby said plurality of applications may be compared.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said parameters further comprise at least one of:

sampling interval;

timeout period; and

prerequisites for rating said application “

available.”

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

obtaining said measurements continuously, including said applications'"'"' down time;

obtaining at least part of said measurements from a probe location representative of end users'"'"' locations; and

setting a sampling interval.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein:

said sampling interval ranges from about 5 minutes to about 60 minutes.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein:

said sampling interval ranges from about 10 minutes to about 15 minutes.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

adjusting probing to represent a type of network connection that is common to end users.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein said obtaining further comprises measuring response time for at least one request.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein:

said obtaining further comprises obtaining measurements of availability.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

obtaining said measurements of availability from at least two different probe locations.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

utilizing at least two remote probes.

11. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

utilizing a local probe and a remote probe.

12. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

utilizing probe locations that are remote from said application'"'"'s front end.

13. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

rating said application “

available,”

only if each of said transaction steps is successful within a timeout period.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein:

said timeout period ranges from about 15 seconds to about 60 seconds.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein:

said timeout period ranges from about 30 seconds to about 45 seconds.

16. A method for doing evaluation in a network environment, said method comprising:

planning an application;

setting threshold values;

documenting said threshold values;

developing said application; and

measuring said application'"'"'s performance against said threshold values.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

deploying said application;

providing an operations measurement policy for said application; and

providing probing solutions for said application.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein said policy further comprises:

employing a measurement process including;

providing a script;

obtaining a first probe'"'"'s measurement of an applicaton'"'"'s performance, according to said script;

obtaining a second probe'"'"'s measurement of said application'"'"'s performance, according to said script; and

mapping said measurements to said threshold values.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising:

utilizing said measurement process in managing the operation of said application.

20. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

identifying an opportunity to improve the performance of said application.

21. A system for doing evaluation in a network environment, said system comprising:

means for setting threshold values;

a plurality of probes;

means for measuring the performance of a plurality of applications, with said probes;

means for mapping measurements to said threshold values, said measurements being

obtained by said means for measuring;

means for probing a plurality of transaction steps; and

means for utilizing substantially the same measurement parameters for said plurality of applications;

whereby said plurality of applications may be compared.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein said parameters further comprise at least one of:

sampling interval;

timeout period; and

prerequisites for rating said application “

available.”

23. The system of claim 21, further comprising:

means for obtaining said measurements continuously, including said applications'"'"' down time;

means for obtaining at least part of said measurements from a probe location representative of end users'"'"' locations; and

means for setting a sampling interval.

24. The system of claim 23, wherein:

said sampling interval ranges from about 5 minutes to about 60 minutes.

25. The system of claim 23, wherein:

said sampling interval ranges from about 10 minutes to about 15 minutes.

26. The system of claim 21, further comprising:

means for adjusting probing to represent a type of network connection that is common to end users.

27. The system of claim 21, wherein said means for measuring further comprises means for measuring response time for at least one request.

28. The system of claim 21, wherein:

said means for measuring further comprises means for measuring availability.

29. The system of claim 28, wherein said probes further comprise probes that are located in at least two different probe locations.

30. The system of claim 29, wherein said probes further comprise remote probes.

31. The system of claim 29, wherein said probes further comprise a local probe and a remote probe.

32. The system of claim 29, wherein said probes further comprise probes that are located remotely from said application'"'"'s front end.

33. The system of claim 28, further comprising:

means for rating said application “

available,”

only if each of said transaction steps is successful within a timeout period.

34. The system of claim 33, wherein:

said timeout period ranges from about 15 seconds to about 60 seconds.

35. The system of claim 33, wherein:

said timeout period ranges from about 30 seconds to about 45 seconds.

36. A computer-usable medium having computer-executable instructions for doing evaluation in a network environment, said computer-executable instructions comprising:

means for setting threshold values;

means for employing a plurality of probes;

means for measuring the performance of a plurality of applications, with said probes;

means for mapping measurements to said threshold values, said measurements being obtained by said means for measuring;

means for probing a plurality of transaction steps; and

means for utilizing substantially the same measurement parameters for said plurality of applications;

whereby said plurality of applications may be compared.

37. The computer-usable medium of claim 36, wherein said parameters further comprise at least one of:

sampling interval;

timeout period; and

prerequisites for rating said application “

available.”

38. The computer-usable medium of claim 36, further comprising:

means for obtaining said measurements continuously, including said applications'"'"' down time;

means for obtaining at least part of said measurements from a probe location representative of end users'"'"' locations; and

means for setting a sampling interval.

39. The computer-usable medium of claim 38, wherein:

said sampling interval ranges from about 5 minutes to about 60 minutes.

40. The computer-usable medium of claim 38, wherein:

said sampling interval ranges from about 10 minutes to about 15 minutes.

41. The computer-usable medium of claim 36, further comprising:

means for adjusting probing to represent a type of network connection that is common to end users.

42. The computer-usable medium of claim 36, wherein said means for measuring further comprises means for measuring response time for at least one request.

43. The computer-usable medium of claim 36, wherein:

said means for measuring further comprises means for measuring availability.

44. The computer-usable medium of claim 43, wherein said probes further comprise probes that are located in at least two different probe locations.

45. The computer-usable medium of claim 44, wherein said probes further comprise remote probes.

46. The computer-usable medium of claim 44, wherein said probes further comprise a local probe and a remote probe.

47. The computer-usable medium of claim 44, wherein said probes further comprise probes that are located remotely from said application'"'"'s front end.

48. The computer-usable medium of claim 43, further comprising:

means for rating said application “

available,”

only if each of said transaction steps is successful within a timeout period.

49. The computer-usable medium of claim 48, wherein:

said timeout period ranges from about 15 seconds to about 60 seconds.

50. The computer-usable medium of claim 48, wherein:

said timeout period ranges from about 30 seconds to about 45 seconds.