Method, system, and data structure for monitoring transaction performance in a managed computer network environment

• US 20040122942A1
• Filed: 12/24/2002
• Published: 06/24/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 12/24/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Micro Focus LLC (Open Text Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Green, John, Smead, Steven, Enck, Brent
• Granted Patent: US 7,568,023 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/224
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/022 by sampling
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/028 by filtering
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/065 related to network devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/12 Network monitoring probes

Abstract

A method, system, and data structure are disclosed for monitoring transaction performance in a managed computer network environment having a requesting component configured to request a transaction of a servicing component. In accordance with exemplary embodiments the transaction is classified into a transaction type. A correlator is generated for the transaction including information identifying a parent transaction type and a root transaction type of the transaction. An events associated with a completion of the transaction is recorded. Performance statistics are aggregated on the transaction completion event in the context of the information included in the correlator.

Claims

1. A method for monitoring transaction performance in a managed computer network environment having a requesting component configured to request a transaction of a servicing component, the method comprising:

classifying the transaction into a transaction type;

generating a correlator for the transaction including information identifying a parent transaction type and a root transaction type of the transaction;

recording an event associated with a completion of the transaction; and

aggregating performance statistics on the transaction completion event in a context of the information included in the correlator.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the correlator is generated at a node including the requesting component, the method comprising:

sending the correlator from the node including the requesting component to a node including the servicing component prior to starting the transaction.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the recording and aggregating occur at the node including the servicing component.

4. The method of claim 3, comprising:

sampling the aggregated performance statistics on a periodic basis;

sending the sampled aggregated performance statistics from the node including the servicing component to a measurement server in the network; and

storing the sampled aggregated performance statistics in a reporting database on the measurement server.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the correlator includes:

a parent transaction identifier;

a root transaction identifier;

a consumer identifier identifying a consumer of the transaction; and

a requesting component identifier.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the performance statistics are aggregated across combinations of transaction keys, including:

the root transaction type;

the parent transaction type;

the transaction type;

the consumer identifier;

the requesting component identifier; and

a servicing component identifier.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the aggregating comprises:

combining the performance statistics of related transaction types;

combining the performance statistics of related consumers; and

combining the performance statistics of related requesting and servicing components.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the correlator is generated at a node including the servicing component.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the recording and aggregating occur at the node including the servicing component.

10. The method of claim 8, comprising:

sending the correlator from the node including the servicing component to a node including the requesting component;

sending the correlator and the recorded transaction completion event from the node including the requesting component to a measurement server in the network, wherein the aggregating occurs at the measurement server;

sampling the aggregated performance statistics on a periodic basis; and

storing the sampled aggregated performance statistics in a reporting database on the measurement server.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein the requesting component is included in an unmanaged node in the network, the method comprising:

generating an identifier for the requesting component at the node including the servicing component.

12. The method of claim 8, wherein the transaction is configured to probe an availability of a service of the servicing component, and a consumer identifier identifying a consumer of the transaction as a probe is included in the correlator.

13. A system for monitoring transaction performance in a managed computer network environment having a requesting component configured to request a transaction of a servicing component, the system comprising:

a processor, including;

logic configured to classify the transaction into a transaction type;

logic configured to generate a correlator for the transaction including information identifying a parent transaction type and a root transaction type of the transaction;

logic configured to record an event associated with a completion of the transaction; and

logic configured to aggregate performance statistics on the transaction completion event in a context of the information included in the correlator; and

memory configured to store the aggregated performance statistics.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the logic configured to generate a correlator is included in a node including the requesting component, the system comprising:

communication means configured to send the correlator from the node including the requesting component to a node including the servicing component prior to starting the transaction.

15. The system of claim 13, wherein the logic configured to record and aggregate are included in the node including the servicing component.

16. The system of claim 15, comprising:

logic configured to sample the aggregated performance statistics on a periodic basis; and

communication means configured to send the sampled aggregated performance statistics from the node including the servicing component to a measurement server in the network;

wherein the memory includes a reporting database on the measurement server for storing the sampled aggregating performance statistics.

17. The system of claim 13, wherein the correlator includes:

a parent transaction identifier;

a root transaction identifier;

a consumer identifier identifying a consumer of the transaction; and

a requesting component identifier.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the performance statistics are aggregated across combinations of transaction keys, including:

the root transaction type;

the parent transaction type;

the transaction type;

the consumer identifier;

the requesting component identifier; and

a servicing component identifier.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the logic configured to aggregate comprises:

logic configured to combine the performance statistics of related transaction types;

logic configured to combine the performance statistics of related consumers; and

logic configured to combine the performance statistics of related requesting and servicing components.

20. The system of claim 13, wherein the logic configured to generate a correlator is included in a node including the servicing component.

21. The system of claim 20, wherein the logic configured to record and aggregate are included in the node including the servicing component.

22. The system of claim 20, comprising:

communication means configured to send the correlator from the node including the servicing component to a node including the requesting component;

communication means configured to send the correlator and the recorded transaction completion event from the node including the requesting component to a measurement server in the network, wherein the logic configured to aggregate is included in the measurement server; and

logic configured to sample the aggregated performance statistics on a periodic basis;

wherein the memory includes a reporting database on the measurement server for storing the sampled aggregating performance statistics.

23. The system of claim 20, wherein the node including the requesting component is an unmanaged node in the network, the system comprising:

logic configured to generate an identifier for the requesting component at the node including the servicing component.

24. The system of claim 20, wherein the transaction is configured to probe an availability of a service of the servicing component, and a consumer identifier identifying a consumer of the transaction as a probe is included in the correlator.

25. A computer-readable medium having stored thereon a data structure for correlating performance statistics on a transaction between a requesting component and a servicing component in a managed computer network environment, the data structure comprising:

a first field containing data representing a parent transaction of the transaction;

a second field containing data representing a root transaction of the transaction;

a third field containing data representing a parent transaction type of the transaction;

a fourth field containing data representing a root transaction type of the transaction;

a fifth field containing data representing a consumer of the transaction; and

a sixth field containing data representing the requesting component.

26. The data structure of claim 25, comprising:

a seventh field containing data representing a length of the data structure;

an eighth field containing data representing a format of the data structure; and

a ninth field containing data representing a number of flags configured to control the aggregation of performance statistics on the transaction.

27. A computer-readable medium containing a computer program for monitoring transaction performance in a managed computer network environment having a requesting component configured to request a transaction of a servicing component, wherein the computer program performs the method of:

classifying the transaction into a transaction type;

generating a correlator for the transaction including information identifying a parent transaction type and a root transaction type of the transaction;

recording an event associated with a completion of the transaction; and

aggregating performance statistics on the transaction completion event in the context of the information included in the correlator.

28. The computer-readable medium of claim 27, wherein the correlator is generated at a node including the requesting component, the method comprising:

sending the correlator from the node including the requesting component to a node including the servicing component prior to starting the transaction.

29. The computer-readable medium of claim 27, wherein the recording and aggregating occur at the node including the servicing component.

30. The computer-readable medium of claim 29, wherein the method comprises:

sampling the aggregated performance statistics on a periodic basis;

sending the sampled aggregated performance statistics from the node including the servicing component to a measurement server in the network; and

storing the sampled aggregated performance statistics in a reporting database on the measurement server.

31. The computer-readable medium of claim 27, wherein the correlator includes:

a parent transaction identifier;

a root transaction identifier;

a consumer identifier identifying a consumer of the transaction; and

a requesting component identifier.

32. The computer-readable medium of claim 31, wherein the performance statistics are aggregated across combinations of transaction keys, including:

the root transaction type;

the parent transaction type;

the transaction type;

the consumer identifier;

the requesting component identifier; and

a servicing component identifier.

33. The computer-readable medium of claim 32, wherein the aggregating comprises:

combining the performance statistics of related transaction types;

combining the performance statistics of related consumers; and

combining the performance statistics of related requesting and servicing components.

34. The computer-readable medium of claim 27, wherein the correlator is generated at a node including the servicing component.

35. The computer-readable medium of claim 34, wherein the recording and aggregating occur at the node including the servicing component.

36. The computer-readable medium of claim 34, wherein the method comprises:

sending the correlator from the node including the servicing component to a node including the requesting component;

sending the correlator and the recorded transaction completion event from the node including the requesting component to a measurement server in the network, wherein the aggregating occurs at the measurement server;

sampling the aggregated performance statistics on a periodic basis; and

37. The computer-readable medium of claim 34, wherein the requesting component is included in an unmanaged node in the network, and wherein the method comprises:

generating an identifier for the requesting component at the node including the servicing component.

38. The computer-readable medium of claim 34, wherein the transaction is configured to probe an availability of a service of the servicing component, and a consumer identifier identifying a consumer of the transaction as a probe is included in the correlator.