Application of genetic algorithms to computer system tuning

• US 20060047794A1
• Filed: 09/02/2004
• Published: 03/02/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 09/02/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Jezierski, Eduardo
• Application Number:
  US10/933,655
• Publication Number:
  US 20060047794A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/221
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0823 characterised by the purposes of a change of settings, e.g. optimising configuration for enhancing reliability for optimising operational conditions of wireless networks H04W24/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/125 involving control of end-device applications over a network

Abstract

The software and/or hardware components of a multi-purposed computer system may be tuned by using a genetic algorithm. The genetic algorithm may be used to optimize a plurality of configuration parameters of the components of the computer system.

Claims

1. A method of tuning a multi-purposed computer system comprising:

(a) optimizing a plurality of configuration parameters of the multi-purposed computer system using a genetic algorithm, the multi-purposed computer system comprising a plurality of computer system components, the plurality of configuration parameters including at least a first configuration parameter of a first computer system component and a second configuration parameter of a second computer system component.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein optimizing comprises optimizing the speed of performance of the computer system.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein optimizing comprises optimizing the security of the computer system.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein optimizing comprises optimizing the scalability of the computer system.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of computer system components includes at least two of a computer processing unit, an application, a storage unit, a communication port, and an operating system.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein at least two of the plurality of computer system components are heterogeneous.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of computer system components includes a first application and a second application.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the first application and the second application are heterogeneous.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the first application and the second application are produced by different entities.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising automatically selecting the configuration parameters to optimize based on effect on the optimizing.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein optimizing includes modifying the relevant configuration parameters and sending the modified configuration parameters to the computer system.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the computer system includes a predetermined topology indicating a communication link between at least two components of the computer system.

13. A computer readable medium having computer executable steps for performing the steps recited in claim 1.

14. A computer readable medium having computer-executable instructions for performing steps comprising:

(a) using a genetic algorithm, generating a first configuration parameter for a first software component of a computer system;

(b) using the genetic algorithm, generating a second configuration parameter for a second software component of the computer system;

(c) based on the first and second configuration parameters, receiving results data from the computer system;

(d) evaluating the results data;

(e) using the genetic algorithm, modifying at least one of the first configuration parameter and the second configuration parameter to tune the computer system.

15. The computer readable medium of claim 14, wherein the computer system is a multi-purposed computer system.

16. The computer readable medium of claim 14, wherein the computer system includes a predetermined topology indicating a communication link between at least two components of the computer system.

17. The computer readable medium of claim 14, wherein the second configuration parameter includes a plurality of configuration parameters of the second software component, and the first configuration parameter is different from each of the plurality of configuration parameters of the second software component.

18. The computer readable medium of claim 14, wherein the first software component is different from the second software component.

19. The computer readable medium of claim 18, wherein the second configuration parameter includes a plurality of configuration parameters of the second software component, and the first configuration parameter is different from each of the plurality of configuration parameters of the second software component.

20. The computer readable medium of claim 18, wherein the first configuration parameter is identical to the second configuration parameter.

21. A system for tuning a multi-purposed computer system, the system comprising:

(a) a first computer system component having a first configuration parameter and a first purpose;

(b) a second computer system component having a second configuration parameter and a second purpose, wherein the second purpose is different from the first purpose;

(c) an actuator processor for applying the first configuration parameter to the first computer component and applying the second configuration parameter to the second computer component;

(d) a testing harness having an output for generating operational inputs for at least one of the first computer system component and the second computer system component;

(e) a genetic algorithm optimizer component comprising a genetic algorithm having an output for optimizing the first and second configuration parameters based on the output of the stress testing component;

(f) a monitoring engine for receiving the optimized first and second configuration parameters.

22. The computer readable medium of claim 21, further comprising an actuator component for applying the configuration parameters to the first computer system component and the second computer system component.

23. The computer readable medium of claim 21, wherein the genetic algorithm optimizer includes a population generator component, a population evaluator component, and a stop condition comparator component.

24. The computer readable medium of claim 21, wherein the first configuration parameter is different from the second configuration parameter.

25. The computer readable medium of claim 21, wherein the first computer system component is one a group consisting of a computer processing unit, an application, a communication port, and an operating system, and the second computer system component is a storage unit.

26. A method of tuning a computer system having a plurality of computer system components, the method comprising:

(a) generating a first set of values of a plurality of configuration parameters for the plurality of computer system components;

(b) applying the values to the plurality of computer system components;

(c) determining a first response of the computer system based on the first set of values;

(d) using a genetic algorithm, generating a second set of values for the plurality of configuration parameters for the plurality of computer system components;

(e) determining a second response of the computer system based on the second set of values;

(f) evaluating the second response for fitness;

(g) applying the second set of values to the plurality of computer system components.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein the computer system is a multi-purposed computer system.

28. The method of claim 26, wherein the computer system includes a predetermined topology indicating a communication link between at least two computer system components of the computer system.

29. The method of claim 26, wherein the configuration parameters includes a first configuration parameter of a first computer system component and a plurality of configuration parameters of a second computer system component, the first configuration parameter being different from each of the plurality of configuration parameters of the second software component.

30. The method of claim 26, wherein determining the first response of the computer system includes generating simulated operational inputs to the computer system.