Model-based system monitoring

• US 20060235650A1
• Filed: 04/15/2005
• Published: 10/19/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 04/15/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ServiceNow Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Voloshin, Vitaly, Rajarajan, Vij, Tabbara, Bassam, Mensching, Rob, Sanghvi, Ashvinkumar J., Outhred, Geoffrey, Hunt, Galen C., Lakshminarayanan, Anand, Grealish, Kevin, Welland, Robert V., Vinberg, Anders B., Hydrie, Aamer
• Granted Patent: US 7,802,144 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 702/182
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3447 Performance evaluation by modeling
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3495 for systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2201/86 Event-based monitoring

Abstract

Model-based system monitoring includes identifying multiple monitors configured to monitor multiple components in a system, and accessing multiple health models associated with the multiple monitors. A monitoring policy is generated to monitor the system. The monitoring policy is derived, at least in part, from the multiple health models.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

identifying a plurality of health monitors configured to monitor a plurality of components in a system, wherein the plurality of health monitors are defined by a common system definition model that describes the system;

accessing a plurality of health models associated with the plurality of monitors; and

generating a monitoring policy to monitor the system, the monitoring policy being derived at least in part from the plurality of health models.

2. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein accessing a plurality of health models includes accessing a plurality of health models from a plurality of different sources.

3. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein generating a monitoring policy includes:

generating a first monitoring policy to monitor a first health condition; and

generating a second monitoring policy to monitor a second health condition.

4. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the plurality of health monitors are defined during development of the system definition model.

5. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein each of the monitored components is includes an associated page of data that defines an operation of the monitored component.

6. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein each of the monitored components is includes an associated page of data that defines a service level agreement associated with the monitored component.

7. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein each of the monitored components includes an associated page of data that identifies relationships with other monitored components.

8. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein each health model includes a plurality of states and a plurality of transitions between the plurality of states, and wherein the plurality of states represent different health conditions that can be associated with a particular component.

9. A method as recited in claim 1, further comprising determining a health of the system by monitoring the health of each of the plurality of components in the system.

10. A method as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

determining a performance of the system; and

determining whether the performance of the system satisfies a service level agreement associated with the system.

11. A method as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

identifying a service level agreement associated with the system;

determining an aggregate performance of a plurality of components in the system; and

determining whether the aggregate performance of the plurality of components satisfies the service level agreement.

12. A method as recited in claim 1, further comprising suppressing error notices generated by a particular component if the particular component is not the cause of the error.

13. A method comprising:

identifying a plurality of components in a system;

identifying a plurality of monitors associated with, and configured to monitor, the plurality of components;

identifying a plurality of health models associated with the plurality of monitors;

determining relationships between the plurality of components;

generating a monitoring policy to monitor the system, the monitoring policy being derived at least in part from the plurality of health models and the relationships between the plurality of components; and

monitoring a health associated with the system.

14. A method as recited in claim 13, wherein each of the plurality of components is defined by a model that includes an associated page of data that defines an operation of the component.

15. A method as recited in claim 13, wherein each of the plurality of components is defined by a model that includes an associated page of data that defines a service level agreement associated with the component.

16. A method as recited in claim 13, further comprising:

determining a performance of the system; and

determining whether the performance of the system satisfies a service level agreement associated with the system.

17. A method as recited in claim 13, wherein monitoring a health associated with the system includes monitoring a health of each of the plurality of components in the system.

18. One or more computer readable media having stored thereon a plurality of instructions that, when executed by one or more processors, causes the one or more processors to:

identify a plurality of components in a system;

identify a service level agreement associated with the system;

monitor a health associated with each of the plurality of components;

determine a health associated with the system based on the monitored health associated with each of the plurality of components; and

determine whether the health associated with the system satisfies the service level agreement.

19. One or more computer readable media as recited in claim 18, wherein the one or more processors further identify relationships between the plurality of components, and wherein the one or more processors use those relationships, in part, to determine the health of the system.

20. One or more computer readable media as recited in claim 18, wherein the one or more processors further suppress error notices generated by a particular component if the particular component is not the cause of the error.