Tool for optimizing system performance and methods relating to same

• US 20060149703A1
• Filed: 12/30/2004
• Published: 07/06/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 12/30/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Regional Resources Ltd (Imperial Metals Corp.)
• Original Assignee: SAP AG (SAP SE)
• Inventors: Poyourow, David
• Granted Patent: US 7,516,239 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/24553 of query operations
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/24568 Data stream processing; Continuous queries

Abstract

One or more embodiments of the invention enable improved communication with a database comprising multiple clients utilizing multiple large data objects concurrently. For example when a client system interacts with a server with respect to a data object that is over a threshold size, the system may utilizing a communication methodology that minimizes system resource usage such as CPU utilization and network utilization. In one embodiment of the invention when a client request for an object falls within the relevant size threshold, one or more embodiments of the invention segment the object into smaller size chunks. Hence the server is not required to assemble all data associated with a request at once, but is instead able to immediately start transmitting smaller segments of data. Allowing for the transmission of smaller data chunks prevents the server from allocating large blocks of memory to one object and although the server may be required to handle more memory allocations, each allocation is smaller in size and can therefore be processed much faster. The determination of the chunk size is dependent on inherent system resources such as the amount of server memory, and the available bandwidth of the network. In addition, the determination of chunk size is dependent on environmental factors such as the time of day, the day of the week, the number of users, the number of predicted users for a given time and day based on historical logging, and the current and predicted network utilization for a given time and day. One or more embodiments of the invention obtain the chunk size and optionally obtain a chunk transfer size from a server that may alter these quantities dynamically in order to minimize resource utilization.

Claims

1. In a computer system, a method for optimizing system performance comprising:

obtaining a time window via computer readable program code;

obtaining a utilization over said time window;

obtaining a number of users;

performing a function on said utilization and said number of users;

setting a chunk size; and

,

returning said chunk size for use in transferring a BLOB data type from a database to a client system.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

waiting for a configurable time period; and

,

repeating said obtaining said time window, said obtaining said utilization, said obtaining said number of users, said performing a function, said setting a chunk size and said returning said chunk size.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein said utilization is selected from a group consisting of current and historical utilization.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein said utilization is associated with server memory.

5. The method of claim 3 wherein said utilization is associated with network bandwidth.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein said performing said function is based on an environmental factor.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein said environmental factor is based on a time of day.

8. The method of claim 6 wherein said environmental factor is based on a day of the week.

9. The method of claim 6 wherein said environmental factor is based on a number of users.

10. The method of claim 6 wherein said environmental factor is based on a number of predicted users.

11. The method of claim 6 wherein said environmental factor is based on a network utilization.

12. The method of claim 6 wherein said environmental factor is based on a predicted network utilization.

13. A computer program product for optimizing network performance comprising:

a computer usable memory medium having computer readable program code embodied therein wherein said computer readable program code comprises a data chunking interface module that is configured to;

obtain a time window via computer readable program code;

obtain a utilization over said time window;

obtain a number of users;

perform a function on said utilization and said number of users;

set a chunk size; and

,

return said chunk size for use in a transfer of a BLOB data type from a database to a client system.

14. The computer program product of claim 13 wherein said computer readable program code is further configured to:

wait for a configurable time period; and

,

repeat said obtain said time window, said obtain said utilization, said obtain said number of users, said perform a function, said set a chunk size and said return said chunk size.

15. The computer program product of claim 13 wherein said utilization is selected from a group consisting of current and historical utilization.

16. The computer program product of claim 15 wherein said utilization is associated with server memory.

17. The computer program product of claim 15 wherein said utilization is associated with network bandwidth.

18. The computer program product of claim 13 wherein said perform said function is based on an environmental factor.

19. The computer program product of claim 18 wherein said environmental factor is based on a time of day.

20. The computer program product of claim 18 wherein said environmental factor is based on a day of the week.

21. The computer program product of claim 18 wherein said environmental factor is based on a number of users.

22. The computer program product of claim 18 wherein said environmental factor is based on a number of predicted users.

23. The computer program product of claim 18 wherein said environmental factor is based on a network utilization.

24. The computer program product of claim 18 wherein said environmental factor is based on a predicted network utilization.

25. In a computer system, an apparatus configured to calculate a chunk size comprising:

means for obtaining a time window via computer readable program code;

means for obtaining a utilization over said time window;

means for obtaining a number of users;

means for performing a function on said utilization and said number of users;

means for setting a chunk size; and

,

means for returning said chunk size for use in transferring a BLOB data type from a database to a client system.

26. The apparatus of claim 25 further comprising:

means for waiting for a configurable time period; and

,

means for repeating said means for obtaining said time window, said means for obtaining said utilization, said means for obtaining said number of users, said means for performing a function, said means for setting a chunk size and said means for returning said chunk size.