Framework for collecting, storing, and analyzing system metrics

• US 20060161387A1
• Filed: 12/30/2004
• Published: 07/20/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 12/30/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Jowett, Alan T.G., Padisetty, Sivaprasad V., Bhat, Thirumalesh K., Santhanam, Balaji, Sathanur, Ravishankar V.
• Granted Patent: US 7,162,390 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 702/182
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3616 using software metrics

Abstract

The invention provides a framework for collecting, storing, and analyzing system metrics concerning a computing system or a computer component. A configuration module is provided to configure settings specific to a metric. A data collection module is provided to collect metric data according to the settings in the configuration module and in one or more component specific plug-ins that extend and customize the framework according to specific needs of the component. The data collection module collects metrics at specified time intervals and periodically updates metric data stored in a central metrics storage module. An analysis module is provided to analyze metric data stored in the central metrics storage module online or offline. The analysis module may analyze a metric statistically or graphically, individually or combined with other metrics.

Claims

1. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable modules for collecting and reporting one or more metrics concerning one or more computer components, comprising:

a configuration module for configuring a metric;

a data collection module for collecting the metric; and

a central metrics storage module for storing the metric.

2. The computer-readable medium of claim 1, further comprising an analysis module for analyzing one or more metrics.

3. The computer-readable medium of claim 1, further comprising one or more component specific plug-ins that provide custom settings for the computer component that the metric concerns.

4. The computer-readable medium of claim 3, wherein the component specific plug-in includes an item selected from the group consisting of:

a configuration plug-in, a data collection plug-in, and an IPF plug-in.

5. The computer-readable medium of claim 4, wherein an IPF plug-in includes:

an IPF UI plug-in for setting one or more thresholds on a metric; and

an IPF client plug-in for monitoring the metric at run time and taking appropriate action if the metric falls outside the thresholds.

6. The computer-readable medium of claim 5, wherein the data collection module:

feeds the metric to the IPF client plug-in;

obtains a result from the IPF client plug-in;

continues collecting the metric if the result is positive; and

stops collecting the metric and removes the metric already collected if the result is negative.

7. The computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein the configuration module includes a configuration UI for receiving configuration information concerning a metric.

8. The computer-readable medium of claim 2, wherein the analysis module further includes an analysis UI.

9. A computer-implemented method for collecting and reporting one or more metrics during the run time of one or more client systems, comprising:

configuring a metric;

collecting the metric during run time of one or more client systems, at specified time intervals; and

storing the metric.

10. The computer-implemented method of claim 9, further comprising monitoring the metric when collecting the metric.

11. The computer-implemented method of claim 9, further comprising analyzing the metric.

12. The computer-implemented method of claim 9, wherein configuring a metric includes:

identifying a log file that records metric information during run time of a client system;

specifying the time interval for storing the metric; and

specifying the metric.

13. The computer-implemented method of claim 12, wherein specifying the metric includes selecting an information item from the group consisting of:

events contained in an event log file on the client system;

available performance counters on the client system;

available data on drivers on the client system; and

available processes on the client system.

14. The computer-implemented method of claim 12, wherein configuring a metric further includes receiving component specific information.

15. The computer-implemented method of claim 10, wherein monitoring the metric during collection of the metric includes using one or more IPF client plug-ins to verify the metric.

16. The computer-implemented method of claim 15, further comprising:

stopping collection of the metric if at least one IPF client plug-in returns a negative result; and

continuing collection of the metric if the IPF client plug-in returns a positive result.

17. The computer-implemented method of claim 9, wherein storing the metric includes transforming the metric to a predefined format before storing the metric.

18. The computer-implemented method of claim 9, wherein all metric data are stored in one location.

19. The computer-implemented method of claim 11, wherein analyzing the metric includes analyzing the metric along with one or more other metrics.

20. The computer-implemented method of claim 11, wherein analyzing the metric includes graphing the metric along with one or more other metrics.