Real time determination of application problems, using a lightweight diagnostic tracer

• US 20050149809A1
• Filed: 12/10/2003
• Published: 07/07/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 12/10/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Draeger, David Robert, Salem, Hany A.
• Application Number:
  US10/732,626
• Publication Number:
  US 20050149809A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 714/746
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3447 Performance evaluation by modeling
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3495 for systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2201/865 Monitoring of software

Abstract

A solution provided here comprises monitoring one or more resources in a production environment, and in response to a triggering incident, outputting diagnostic data. The monitoring is performed within the production environment, and the diagnostic data is associated with the resources.

Claims

1. A method of handling errors in a computer system, said method comprising:

monitoring at least one resource in a production environment; and

in response to a triggering incident, outputting diagnostic data;

wherein;

said monitoring is performed within said production environment; and

said diagnostic data is associated with said at least one resource.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said monitoring further comprises:

measuring a condition; and

comparing said condition to a threshold value;

wherein said triggering incident occurs when said measured condition equals or exceeds said threshold value.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

minimizing overhead associated with said monitoring and said outputting; and

monitoring said resource throughout its life cycle.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said outputting further comprises outputting diagnostic data associated with a plurality of resources.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein said outputting further comprises outputting diagnostic data associated with an offending resource.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein said outputting further comprises outputting an identifier for said resource.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

configuring a diagnostic tracer to respond to at least one triggering incident of interest; and

activating said diagnostic tracer, when said diagnostic data is needed.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

providing multiple diagnostic options, concerning;

said triggering incident,

or said outputting diagnostic data,

or both.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein said outputting further comprises outputting one or more types of diagnostic data selected from the group consisting of

an informational message,

a timestamp designating the time of said, triggering incident,

a stack trace associated with an offending resource,

and stack traces associated with a plurality of resources.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising utilizing one or more types of triggering incident selected from the group consisting of

exceeding a timeout value,

throwing an exception,

and forcibly returning a connection to a pool.

11. A method of handling errors in a computer system, said method comprising:

creating a resource in a production environment;

monitoring said resource throughout its life cycle;

in response to a triggering incident, outputting diagnostic data; and

minimizing overhead associated with said monitoring and said outputting;

wherein;

said monitoring is performed within said production environment;

said monitoring is selectively performed when said diagnostic data is needed; and

said diagnostic data is associated with said resource.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein said creating further comprises:

creating a lightweight diagnostic tracer; and

embedding said tracer in said resource.

13. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

providing multiple diagnostic options, concerning;

said triggering incident,

or said outputting diagnostic data,

or both.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein said outputting further comprises outputting one or more types of diagnostic data selected from the group consisting of

an informational message,

a timestamp designating the time of said triggering incident,

a stack trace associated with an offending resource,

and stack traces associated with a plurality of resources.

15. The method of claim 11, further comprising utilizing one or more types of triggering incident selected from the group consisting of

exceeding a timeout value,

throwing an exception,

and forcibly returning a connection to a pool.

16. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

identifying an opportunity to improve the performance of an application, based on said diagnostic data.

17. A system of handling errors in a computer system, said system comprising:

means for monitoring at least one resource in a production environment; and

means responsive to a triggering incident, for outputting said diagnostic data;

wherein;

said means for monitoring operates within said production environment; and

said diagnostic data is associated with said at least one resource.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein said means for monitoring further comprises:

means for measuring a condition; and

means for comparing said condition to a threshold value;

wherein said triggering incident occurs when said measured condition equals or exceeds said threshold value.

19. The system of claim 17, wherein:

said means for outputting is lightweight; and

said means for outputting is associated with said resource throughout the life cycle of said resource.

20. The system of claim 17, wherein said means for monitoring is a throwable object.

21. The system of claim 17, wherein said means for outputting further comprises means for outputting diagnostic data associated with a plurality of resources.

22. The system of claim 17, wherein said means for outputting further comprises means for selectively outputting diagnostic data associated with an offending resource.

23. The system of claim 17, wherein:

said means for monitoring may be configured to specify at least one triggering incident of interest; and

said means for outputting may be configured to specify at least one type of diagnostic data.

24. A computer-usable medium, having computer-executable instructions for handling errors in a computer system, said computer-usable medium comprising:

means for monitoring at least one resource in a production environment; and

means responsive to a triggering incident, for outputting said diagnostic data;

wherein;

said means for monitoring operates within said production environment; and

said diagnostic data is associated with said at least one resource.

25. The computer-usable medium of claim 24, wherein said means for monitoring further comprises:

means for measuring a condition; and

means for comparing said condition to a threshold value;

wherein said triggering incident occurs when said measured condition equals or exceeds said threshold value.

26. The computer-usable medium of claim 24, wherein:

said means for outputting is lightweight; and

said means for outputting is associated with said resource throughout the life cycle of said resource.

27. The computer-usable medium of claim 24, wherein said means for monitoring is a throwable object.

28. The computer-usable medium of claim 24, wherein said means for outputting further comprises means for outputting diagnostic data associated with a plurality of resources.

29. The computer-usable medium of claim 24, wherein said means for outputting further comprises means for selectively outputting diagnostic data associated with an offending resource.

30. The computer-usable medium of claim 24, wherein:

said means for monitoring may be configured to specify at least one triggering incident of interest; and

said means for outputting may be configured to specify at least one type of diagnostic data