Optimization of a message handling system

• US 20060230177A1
• Filed: 03/09/2006
• Published: 10/12/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 03/24/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Braithwaite, Kevin Anthony, Dunn, Tim, Garza, Jose Emir
• Granted Patent: US 8,195,790 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/236
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/66 Arrangements for connecting between networks having differing types of switching systems, e.g. gateways

Abstract

A data processing method for optimizing one or more parameters of a message handling system comprises defining a test workload comprising a plurality of messages, simulating the normal operation of the message handling system, processing at least a portion of the test workload, changing one or more parameters of the message handling system, monitoring the performance of the message handling system, and generating an optimization of at least one parameter based upon the performance of the message handling system.

Claims

1. A data processing method for optimizing one or more parameters of a message handling system, said method comprising defining a test workload comprising a plurality of messages, simulating normal operation of the message handling system, processing at least a portion of the test workload, changing one or more parameters of the message handling system, monitoring the performance of the message handling system, and generating an optimization of at least one parameter based upon the performance of the message handling system.

2. A method according to claim 1, further comprising receiving a signal to trigger generating the optimization.

3. A method according to claim 2, wherein the signal is generated automatically by the message handling system.

4. A method according to claim 1, wherein defining a test workload is executed automatically by the message handling system by monitoring the normal operation of the message handling system.

5. A method according to claim 1, wherein defining a test workload is executed by a user of the message handling system.

6. A method according to claim 1, wherein the test workload includes a time period.

7. A method according to claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of messages in the test workload is designated by a type.

8. A method according to claim 7, wherein simulating the normal operation of the message handling system and processing at least a portion of the test workload are executed for each message type in turn.

9. A method according to claim 1, wherein simulating the normal operation of the message handling system and processing at least a portion of the test workload are executed for the entire test workload.

10. A method according to claim 1, wherein changing one or more parameters of the message handling system and monitoring the performance of the message handling system include using a genetic algorithm to modify the parameters of the message handling system.

11. A method according to claim 1, wherein changing one or more parameters of the message handling system and monitoring the performance of the message handling system comprise changing only a single parameter and monitoring the effects of the single change of parameter.

12. A message handling system, comprising a plurality of interconnected processing components for maintaining, communicating and processing messages, the plurality of interconnected processing components including a facility arranged to define a test workload comprising a plurality of messages, to simulate the normal operation of the message handling system, to process at least a portion of the test workload, to change at least one parameter of the message handling system, to monitor the performance of the message handling system, and to generate an optimization of at least one parameter based upon the performance of the message handling system.

13. A system according to claim 12, wherein the facility is arranged to define the test workload in response to receipt of a signal.

14. A system according to claim 13, wherein the signal is generated automatically by the message handling system.

15. A system according to claim 12, wherein defining the test workload is executed automatically by the message handling system by monitoring the normal operation of the message handling system.

16. A system according to claim 12, wherein defining the test workload is executed by a user of the message handling system.

17. A system according to claim 12, wherein the test workload includes a time period.

18. A system according to claim 12, wherein each of the plurality of messages in the test workload is designated by a type.

19. A system according to claim 18, wherein the facility, when simulating the normal operation of the message handling system, and processing at least a portion of the test workload, is arranged to repeat these operations for each message type in turn.

20. A computer program product on a computer readable medium comprising instructions for optimizing one or more parameters of a message handling system, said instructions comprising defining a test workload comprising a plurality of messages, simulating the normal operation of the message handling system, processing at least a portion of the test workload, changing one or more parameters of the message handling system, monitoring the performance of the message handling system, and generating an optimization of at least one parameter based upon the performance of the message handling system.