System and method for service response monitoring

• US 20060064483A1
• Filed: 09/23/2004
• Published: 03/23/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 09/23/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hewlett Packard Enterprise Development LP (Hewlett-Packard Enterprise Company)
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Patel, Rikin S.
• Granted Patent: US 8,738,759 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/224
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3419 by assessing time
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2201/87 Monitoring of transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2201/875 Monitoring of systems including the internet
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0852 Delays
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/535 Tracking the activity of the user network monitoring arrangements H04L43/00; recording of computer activity G06F11/34

Abstract

A method, system, and computer program product for monitoring the response time for a web service provider is provided. In one embodiment, receiving a web service inbound transaction is received at a web service proxy server. The web service proxy server invokes a response time monitoring service and provides the response time monitoring service with a unique transaction identifier for the inbound transaction. The web service proxy server also invokes, on the web service provider, a web service requested by the inbound transaction. The proxy server later receives an outbound transaction from the web service provider corresponding to the original inbound transaction and invokes the response time monitoring service, once again, providing the unique transaction identifier to the response time monitoring service. The response time monitoring service determines a time for the inbound transaction and for the outbound transaction corresponding to the same unique transaction identifier and sets a response time as the difference in times between the time for the outbound transaction and the time for the inbound transaction.

Claims

1. A method for monitoring the response time for a web service provider, the method comprising:

receiving a web service inbound transaction;

invoking a response time monitoring service and providing the response time monitoring service with a unique transaction identifier for the inbound transaction;

invoking on the web service provider a web service requested by the inbound transaction;

receiving an outbound transaction from the web service provider;

invoking the response time monitoring service and providing the unique transaction identifier to the response time monitoring service;

determining a time for the inbound transaction and for the outbound transaction corresponding to the same unique transaction identifier;

setting a response time as the difference in times between a time for the outbound transaction and a time for the inbound transaction.

2. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

recording the response time in a log file.

3. The method as recited in claim 2, wherein the log file comprises a plurality of response times and further comprising:

monitoring response times recorded in the log file and determining whether the response times are in accord with requirements of a service level agreement.

4. The method as recited in claim 2, further comprising:

responsive to a determination that a percentage of response times that exceed a response time specified in a service level agreement is greater than a threshold value, alerting an administrator.

5. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

adjusting charges billed to an enterprise by a web service provider based on a comparison of actual response times with a formula for determining billing charges.

6. A computer program product in a computer readable media for use in a data processing system for monitoring the response time for a web service provider, the computer program product comprising:

first instructions for receiving a web service inbound transaction;

second instructions for invoking a response time monitoring service and providing the response time monitoring service with a unique transaction identifier for the inbound transaction;

third instructions for invoking on the web service provider a web service requested by the inbound transaction;

fourth instructions for receiving an outbound transaction from the web service provider;

fifth instructions for invoking the response time monitoring service and providing the unique transaction identifier to the response time monitoring service;

sixth instructions for determining a time for the inbound transaction and for the outbound transaction corresponding to the same unique transaction identifier;

seventh instructions for setting a response time as the difference in times between a time for the outbound transaction and a time for the inbound transaction.

7. The computer program product as recited in claim 6, further comprising:

eighth instructions for recording the response time in a log file.

8. The computer program product as recited in claim 7, wherein the log file comprises a plurality of response times and further comprising:

ninth instructions for monitoring response times recorded in the log file and determining whether the response times are in accord with requirements of a service level agreement.

9. The computer program product as recited in claim 7, further comprising:

ninth instructions for alerting an administrator in response to a determination that a percentage of response times that exceed a response time specified in a service level agreement is greater than a threshold value.

10. The computer program product as recited in claim 6, further comprising:

eighth instructions for adjusting charges billed to an enterprise by a web service provider based on a comparison of actual response times with a formula for determining billing charges.

11. A system in a computer readable media for use in a data processing system for monitoring the response time for a web service provider, the system comprising:

first means for receiving a web service inbound transaction;

second means for invoking a response time monitoring service and providing the response time monitoring service with a unique transaction identifier for the inbound transaction;

third means for invoking on the web service provider a web service requested by the inbound transaction;

fourth means for receiving an outbound transaction from the web service provider;

fifth means for invoking the response time monitoring service and providing the unique transaction identifier to the response time monitoring service;

sixth means for determining a time for the inbound transaction and for the outbound transaction corresponding to the same unique transaction identifier;

seventh means for setting a response time as the difference in times between a time for the outbound transaction and a time for the inbound transaction.

12. The system as recited in claim 11, further comprising:

eighth means for recording the response time in a log file.

13. The system as recited in claim 12, wherein the log file comprises a plurality of response times and further comprising:

ninth means for monitoring response times recorded in the log file and determining whether the response times are in accord with requirements of a service level agreement.

14. The system as recited in claim 12, further comprising:

ninth means for alerting an administrator in response to a determination that a percentage of response times that exceed a response time specified in a service level agreement is greater than a threshold value.

15. The system as recited in claim 11, further comprising:

eighth means for adjusting charges billed to an enterprise by a web service provider based on a comparison of actual response times with a formula for determining billing charges.

16. A web service response time monitoring service, comprising:

a web service proxy server;

a web service provider; and

a response time monitoring service;

wherein the web service proxy server receives a web service inbound transaction having a unique transaction identifier from a web service consumer, invokes the response time monitoring service, and invokes the web service requested by the web service inbound transaction;

wherein the web service proxy server receives a web service outbound transaction corresponding to the unique transaction identifier, invokes the response time monitoring service; and

transmits the web service outbound transaction to the web service consumer;

wherein the response time monitoring service determines a response time for the web service transaction based upon a time associated with the proxy server receiving the web service inbound transaction and the time associated with the proxy server receiving the web service outbound transaction; and

the web service provider provides a web service to the web service consumer.

17. The web service response time monitoring service as recited in claim 16, further comprising:

an application response measurement server; and

a log file;

wherein the application response measurement server receives a response time for a transaction from the response time service and records the response time in the log file.

18. The web service response time monitoring service 17, further comprising:

a management console for monitoring response times recorded in the log file.