Systems, methods and computer programs for determining dependencies between logical components in a data processing system or network
First Claim
1. A method, implemented in a data processing system, for determining run-time dependencies between logical components of a data processing environment, the method comprising the steps of:
- monitoring run-time activity of each of a first logical component and a second logical component of the data processing environment;
comparing the monitored run-time activity of the first logical component with the monitored run-time activity of the second logical component to identify correlations between the monitored run-time activity of the first and second logical components; and
in response to identification of a positive correlation between the monitored run-time activity of the first and second logical components, recording the existence of a dependency relationship between the first and second logical components.
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Abstract
Described are methods, apparatus and computer programs for determining run-time dependencies between logical components of a data processing environment. Components of the data processing environment are monitored by monitoring agents accessing run-time activity data via APIs of the managed system. A dependency generator identifies correlations between the run-time activity of the monitored components. For synchronous monitored systems, the dependency generator calculates an activity period for monitored components and determines which component'"'"'s activity periods contain the activity periods of other components. Containment is used as an indicator of a likely dependency relationship, and a weighting is computed for each dependency relationship based on the consistency of containment.
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Citations
35 Claims
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1. A method, implemented in a data processing system, for determining run-time dependencies between logical components of a data processing environment, the method comprising the steps of:
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monitoring run-time activity of each of a first logical component and a second logical component of the data processing environment;
comparing the monitored run-time activity of the first logical component with the monitored run-time activity of the second logical component to identify correlations between the monitored run-time activity of the first and second logical components; and
in response to identification of a positive correlation between the monitored run-time activity of the first and second logical components, recording the existence of a dependency relationship between the first and second logical components. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A method of fault management comprising the steps of:
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monitoring run-time activity of each of a first logical component and a plurality of additional logical components of a data processing environment;
comparing the monitored run-time activity of the first logical component with the monitored run-time activity of each of the plurality of logical components, to identify positive correlations between the monitored run-time activity of the first logical component and the monitored run-time activity of any of the plurality of logical components;
recording the existence of a dependency relationship between the first logical component and any of the plurality of logical components for which a positive correlation is identified;
aggregating the recorded dependency relationships to determine a set of logical components having dependency relationships with the first logical component; and
responding to identification of a problem affecting the first logical component by analysing the set of logical components having dependency relationships with the first logical component. - View Dependent Claims (21)
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22. A method for determining a set of logical components of a data processing environment which are likely to be affected by termination of a first logical component of the data processing environment, the method comprising:
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monitoring run-time activity of each of a first logical component and a plurality of additional logical components of a data processing environment;
comparing the monitored run-time activity of the first logical component with the monitored run-time activity of each of the plurality of logical components, to identify positive correlations between the monitored run-time activity of the first logical component and the monitored run-time activity of any of the plurality of logical components; and
recording the existence of a dependency relationship between the first logical component and any of the plurality of logical components for which a positive correlation is identified; and
aggregating the recorded dependency relationships to determine a set of logical components having dependency relationships with the first logical component.
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23. A program storage device readable by computer, tangibly embodying a program of instructions for controlling the operation of a data processing system on which the program code executes to determine run-time dependencies between logical components of a data processing environment, the method comprising:
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monitoring agent for monitoring run-time activity data of logical components of the data processing environment, and for sending the monitored run-time activity data to a correlation identifier;
receiving monitored run-time activity data of each of a first logical component and a second logical component of a data processing environment, and for comparing the monitored run-time activity data of the first logical component with the monitored run-time activity data of the second logical component to identify positive correlations between the monitored run-time activity of the first and second logical components; and
responding to identification of a positive correlation between the monitored run-time activity of the first and second logical components by recording the existence of a dependency relationship between the first and second logical components.
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24. A program storage device readable by computer, tangibly embodying a program of instructions for controlling the operation of a data processing system on which the program code executes to determine run-time dependencies between logical components of a data processing environment, the method comprising:
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receiving monitored run-time activity data of each of a first logical component and a second logical component of a data processing environment, and for comparing the monitored run-time activity data of the first logical component with the monitored run-time activity data of the second logical component to identify positive correlations between the monitored run-time activity of the first and second logical components; and
responding to identification of a positive correlation between the monitored run-time activity of the first and second logical components by generating a representation of the existence of a dependency relationship between the first and second logical components.
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25. A data processing apparatus comprising:
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a data processing unit;
a data storage unit;
a correlation identifier operable for receiving, from at least one monitoring agent, monitored run-time activity data of each of a first logical component and a second logical component of a data processing environment, and for comparing the monitored run-time activity data of the first logical component with the monitored run-time activity data of the second logical component to identify positive correlations between the monitored run-time activity of the first and second logical components; and
a dependency generator operable for responding to identification of a positive correlation between the monitored run-time activity of the first and second logical components by recording in the data storage unit the existence of a dependency relationship between the first and second logical components. - View Dependent Claims (26)
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27. A distributed data processing system comprising:
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a first data processing apparatus comprising a set of logical components to be monitored, and at least one monitoring agent for monitoring run-time activity data for the set of logical components and for sending the monitored run-time activity data to a correlation identifier on a second data processing apparatus; and
a second data processing apparatus comprising;
a data processing unit;
a data storage unit;
a correlation identifier operable for receiving, from the at least one monitoring agent, monitored run-time activity data of each of a first logical component and a second logical component of a data processing environment, and for comparing the monitored run-time activity data of the first logical component with the monitored run-time activity data of the second logical component to identify positive correlations between the monitored run-time activity of the first and second logical components; and
a dependency generator operable for responding to identification of a positive correlation between the monitored run-time activity of the first and second logical components by recording in the data storage unit the existence of a dependency relationship between the first and second logical components. - View Dependent Claims (28, 29)
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30. A method for discovering dependencies between monitored components of a managed data processing system, comprising the steps of:
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accessing, from the managed data processing system, run-time activity data for the monitored components;
comparing the accessed run-time activity data of the monitored components to identify positive correlations between the run-time activity of the monitored components; and
generating an identification of a dependency relationship between components for which a positive correlation is identified. - View Dependent Claims (31, 32, 33, 34, 35)
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Specification