Approach to monitor application states for self-managing systems

• US 20060026570A1
• Filed: 08/02/2004
• Published: 02/02/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 08/02/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Kephart, Jeffrey Owen, Chan, Hoi Yeung, Chieu, Trieu C.
• Granted Patent: US 7,487,494 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 717/127
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2209/542 Intercept
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/316 Aspect-oriented programming techniques

Abstract

The present invention is directed to systems and methods that treat the monitoring of a software application as a separate and independent concern from the software application itself. The present invention utilizes aspect oriented programming to intercept, analyze, decompose the application states of a software application and then to link appropriate non-invasive constructs into the software application code to provide application state information to an autonomic manager through a plurality of sensors. The autonomic manager analyzes the application state information for compliance pre-defined parameters, and takes appropriate corrective action including modifying the software application states using a plurality of effectors. The sensors and effectors are linked as non-invasive constructs to the software application, and in aspect oriented programming constitute aspects. In order to prevent any adverse or undesirable effects to the software application as a result of the application state analysis and selected action, a safety mechanism is included in communication with the effectors.

Claims

1. A method for monitoring application states of software applications, the method comprising:

monitoring one or more of the application states associated with one or more software applications at run time for compliance with pre-defined performance parameters; and

executing corrective actions at run time when the application states are out of compliance;

wherein at least one of monitoring the application states and executing corrective actions is conducted without modifying any source code associated with the software applications.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of monitoring the application states comprises:

monitoring values of application variables;

monitoring application process sequences; and

analyzing the variables and sequences for compliance with the pre-defined performance parameters.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the step of executing corrective actions comprises modifying at least one of the values of the application variables and the process sequences.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

creating an autonomic manager capable of monitoring the application states and executing the corrective actions;

linking the autonomic manager to appropriate linkage points in the software application to facilitate monitoring the application states and executing the corrective actions.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the step of creating the autonomic manager comprises using an architecture neutral programming language to create the autonomic manager.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the architecture neutral programming language comprises JAVA.

7. The method of claim 4, wherein the step of linking the autonomic manager comprises:

intercepting code associated with the software application;

analyzing the intercepted code;

identifying the application states within the application code;

decomposing the identified application states;

linking non-invasive constructs to the application code.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising providing application state information to the autonomic manager using the linked, non-invasive constructs.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising inhibiting the corrective actions from adversely affecting operation of the software application.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the step of inhibiting the corrective actions from adversely affecting operation comprises using a variable map to constrain the corrective actions within acceptable bounds as defined by the variable map.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising using historical application state information to generate the variable map.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein the step of inhibiting the corrective actions from adversely affecting operation comprises using a heuristic function to constrain the corrective actions within acceptable bounds as defined by the heuristic function.

13. A computer readable medium containing a computer executable code that when read by a computer causes the computer to perform a method for monitoring application states of software applications, the method comprising:

monitoring one or more of the application states associated with one or more software applications at run time for compliance with pre-defined performance parameters; and

executing corrective actions at run time when the application states are out of compliance;

wherein at least one of monitoring the application states and executing corrective actions is conducted without modifying any source code associated with the software applications.

14. The computer readable medium of claim 13, wherein the step of monitoring the application states comprises:

monitoring values of application variables;

monitoring application process sequences; and

analyzing the variables and sequences for compliance with the pre-defined performance parameters.

15. The computer readable medium of claim 14, wherein the step of executing corrective actions comprises modifying at least one of the values of the application variables and the process sequences.

16. The computer readable medium of claim 13, further comprising:

creating an autonomic manager capable of monitoring the application states and executing the corrective actions;

linking the autonomic manager to appropriate locations in the software application to facilitate monitoring the application states and executing the corrective actions.

17. The computer readable medium of claim 16, wherein the step of creating the autonomic manager comprises using an architecture neutral programming language to create the autonomic manager.

18. The computer readable medium of claim 17, wherein the architecture neutral programming language comprises JAVA.

19. The computer readable medium of claim 16, wherein the step of linking the autonomic manager comprises:

intercepting code associated with the software application;

analyzing the intercepted code;

identifying the application states within the application code;

decomposing the identified application states;

linking non-invasive constructs to the application code.

20. The computer readable medium of claim 19, further comprising providing application state information to the autonomic manager using the linked, non-invasive constructs.

21. The computer readable medium of claim 13, further comprising inhibiting the corrective actions from adversely affecting operation of the software application.

22. The computer readable medium of claim 21, wherein the step of inhibiting the corrective actions from adversely affecting operation comprises using a variable map to constrain the corrective actions within acceptable bounds as defined by the variable map.

23. The computer readable medium of claim 22, further comprising using historical application state information to generate the variable map.

24. The computer readable medium of claim 21, wherein the step of preventing the corrective actions from adversely affecting operation comprises using a heuristic function to constrain the corrective actions within acceptable bounds as defined by the heuristic function.

25. A system for monitoring application states of software applications, the system comprising:

at least one software application comprising one or more application states; and

an external entity in communication with and independent of the software application, the external entity capable of monitoring the application states and executing corrective actions to the software application without modifying any source code associated with the software application.

26. The system of claim 25, wherein the external entity comprises an autonomic manager.

27. The system of claim 25, where in the external entity comprises:

a plurality of sensors in communication with the software application to receive information regarding the application states;

a processor to analyze the application state information for compliance with one or more pre-defined performance parameters and to select actions based upon the analysis of the application state information; and

a plurality of effectors in communication with the software application to execute the selected actions within the software application.

28. The system of claim 27, a plurality of non-invasive constructs disposed between the external entity and the software application, each non-invasive construct in communication with at least one of the sensors and effectors.

29. The system of claim 28, further comprising a guarantee mechanism in communication with at least one of the non-invasive constructs to prevent the actions selected by the external entity from adversely affecting operation of the software application.

30. The system of claim 28, wherein the system utilizes aspect oriented programming and each non-invasive construct comprises an aspect.

31. The system of claim 25, wherein the external entity monitors one or more of a plurality of user-selectable concerns associated with the software application.