Database monitor replay

• US 20070124676A1
• Filed: 11/30/2005
• Published: 05/31/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 11/30/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AirBNB Incorporated
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Santosuosso, John, Amundsen, Lance
• Granted Patent: US 8,261,189 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/704
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/28 Databases characterised by their database models, e.g. relational or object models
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/955 using information identifiers, e.g. uniform resource locators [URL]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/451 Execution arrangements for user interfaces

Abstract

Method, article of manufacture and apparatus for playing back recorded database activity in a graphical user interface. Chronologically ordered database event information is dynamically displayed in a user interface having user-selectable graphical elements associated with predefined playback controls.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for presenting chronologically ordered database event information through a user interface, comprising:

displaying a graphical user interface having user-selectable graphical elements associated with predefined playback controls;

receiving user inputs with respect to the graphical elements to invoke the respective predefined playback controls; and

in response to at least one of the user inputs, visually playing back, in the graphical user interface, a recording showing graphical objects being acted upon by chronologically ordered events;

the graphical objects including at least representative icons for tables within a database system;

wherein the recording is based on information captured by one or more database monitors monitoring the database system.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the information is representative of the tables and the chronologically ordered events acting on the tables, and wherein playing back the recording comprises accessing a database monitor log containing the information.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the recording is played back according to predefined user selections that specify a manner in which the graphical objects are visually displayed in the user interface.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the recording is played back in a manner allowing a user watching the recording in the graphical user interface to distinguish between different types of events acting on the graphical objects.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the different types of events acting on the graphical objects comprise database input/output operations comprising select operations, insert operations, delete operations and update operations.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein a plurality of customizable, visually discernable attributes are applied to the representative icons in response to specific database events acting upon the respective tables, whereby a user watching the recording can determine the occurrence of the specific database events acting on the respective tables.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving user input selecting the graphical elements in order to affect a location of the graphical icons within the user interface and a speed of the play back.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising manipulating the playback of the recording in response to user inputs selecting at least one of a fast-forward button, a rewind button, and a skip ahead button included with the playback controls.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving user input selecting a button included with the playback controls configured to halt playback of the recording at a desired point in time and allow a user to examine a state of the database system at the desired point in time.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the graphical user interface includes a configuration screen and further comprising receiving user input selecting configuration options from the configuration screen specifying a manner in which the events acting on the graphical objects will be visually displayed during playback of the recording so that different kinds of events will be visually discernable from one another.

11. A tangible computer-readable storage medium containing a program which, when executed by a processor, performs operations for presenting chronologically ordered database information through a user interface, comprising:

receiving user inputs to a displayed graphical user interface having user-selectable graphical elements associated with predefined playback controls to invoke the respective predefined playback controls; and

in response to at least one of the user inputs, visually playing back, in the graphical user interface, a record showing graphical objects being acted upon by chronologically ordered events;

the graphical objects including at least representative icons for tables within a database system;

wherein the recording is based on information captured by one or more database monitors monitoring the database system.

12. The tangible computer-readable storage medium of claim 11, wherein the operations further comprise playing back the recording according to predefined user selections that specify a manner in which the graphical objects are visually displayed in the user interface.

13. The tangible computer-readable storage medium of claim 11, wherein the operations further comprise playing back the recording in a manner allowing a user watching the recording in the graphical user interface to distinguish between different types of events acting on the graphical objects.

15. The tangible computer-readable storage medium of claim 11, wherein the operations further comprise applying a plurality of customizable, visually discernable attributes to the representative icons in response to specific database events acting upon the respective tables, whereby a user watching the recording can determine the occurrence of the specific database events acting on the respective tables.

16. The tangible computer-readable storage medium of claim 11, wherein the operations further comprise receiving user input selecting the graphical elements in order to affect a location of the graphical icons within the user interface and a speed of the play back.

17. The tangible computer-readable storage medium of claim 11, wherein the operations further comprise manipulating the playback of the recording in response to user inputs selecting a fast-forward button and a rewind button included with the playback controls.

18. The tangible computer-readable storage medium of claim 11, wherein the operations further comprise receiving a user input selecting a button included with the playback controls configured to halt playback of the recording at a desired point in time and allow a user to examine a state of the database system at the desired point in time.

19. The tangible computer-readable storage medium of claim 11, wherein the operations further comprise displaying the graphical user interface which includes a configuration screen and further comprising receiving user input selecting configuration options from the configuration screen specifying a manner in which the events acting on the graphical objects will be visually displayed during playback of the recording so that different kinds of events will be visually discernable from one another.

14. The tangible computer-readable storage medium of claim 14, wherein the different types of events acting on the graphical objects comprise database input/output operations comprising select operations, insert operations, delete operations and update operations.

20. A system for presenting chronologically ordered database event information in a user interface, comprising:

a processor configurable with a graphical user interface having user-selectable graphical elements associated with predefined playback controls, wherein the processor is configured to;

in response to at least one user input received with respect to the graphical elements to invoke the respective predefined playback controls, visually play back in the graphical user interface, a recording showing graphical objects being acted upon by chronologically ordered events;

the graphical objects including at least representative icons for tables within a database system;

wherein the recording is based on information captured by one or more database monitors monitoring the database system.

21. The system of claim 20, wherein one of the user-selectable graphical elements is a button corresponding to one of the playback controls and which, when selected, fast-forwards the playback of the recording and allows a user to review events in the database system at an accelerated rate.

22. The system of claim 20, wherein one of the user-selectable graphical elements is a button corresponding to one of the playback controls and which, when selected, rewinds the play back of the recording and allows a user to view events in the database system in reverse chronological order at an accelerated rate.

23. The system of claim 20, wherein one of the user-selectable graphical elements is a button corresponding to one of the playback controls and which, when selected, stops the playback of the recording at the desired point in time of the database system and allows a user to examine a state of the database system at the desired point in time.

24. The system of claim 20, wherein the graphical user interface includes a configuration screen which presents a plurality of configuration options;

the configuration options specifying a manner in which graphical database event information is displayed in the graphical user interface.