METHOD FOR USING DYNAMICALLY SCHEDULED SYNTHETIC TRANSACTIONS TO MONITOR PERFORMANCE AND AVAILABILITY OF E-BUSINESS SYSTEMS

• US 20090144409A1
• Filed: 11/30/2007
• Published: 06/04/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 11/30/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Klazynski, James Nicholas, Dickerson, Scott Stephen
• Granted Patent: US 8,326,971 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/224
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3495 for systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2201/87 Monitoring of transactions

Abstract

A method and apparatus is provided for monitoring operations of a specified transaction server that has an associated network topology. One embodiment comprises the steps of defining a plurality of zones within the network topology, and assigning one or more monitoring agents to each of the zones, wherein each agent is adapted to selectively run synthetic transactions with the specified server. The method further comprises monitoring results of successive synthetic transactions carried out by the agents, in order to detect any errors associated with the successive transactions. In response to detecting a performance or an availability problem, selectively, that is associated with a particular synthetic transaction run by a particular one of the agents, one or more agents is dynamically scheduled to run synthetic transactions, wherein each scheduled transaction has a specified relationship with the particular transaction.

Claims

1. A method for monitoring operations of a specified transaction server that has an associated network topology, wherein said method comprises the steps of:

defining a plurality of zones within said network topology;

assigning one or more monitoring agents to each of said zones, wherein each agent is adapted to selectively run synthetic transactions with said specified server;

monitoring results of successive synthetic transactions carried out by said agents, in order to detect any errors associated with said successive transactions; and

in response to detecting a problem associated with a particular synthetic transaction run by a particular one of said agents, dynamically scheduling one or more agents to run synthetic transactions, wherein each scheduled transaction has a specified relationship with said particular synthetic transaction.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein:

results of each of said scheduled synthetic transactions are selectively correlated with one another, in order to determine the cause of said detected problem

3. The method of claim 1, wherein:

said scheduled transactions are respectively run immediately, following detection of said problem associated with said particular synthetic transaction.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein:

said scheduling and correlating tasks are carried out by a monitoring server connected to each of said agents.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein:

said correlated results and said determined cause are presented to a user of said specified transaction server.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein:

upon detecting said problems, a normal mode of operation, wherein said monitoring agents are respectively scheduled to run said synthetic transactions at pre-specified times, is overridden.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein:

one or more agents assigned to the same zone as said particular agent are respectively scheduled to run said particular synthetic transaction.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein:

said detected failure is determined to be caused by said specified server, and information pertaining to previous transactions utilizing said specified server are retrieved and selectively analyzed.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein:

said monitored results of said successive synthetic transactions are stored at a specified location, for use in analyzing subsequent detected errors associated with synthetic transactions.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein:

one or more of said agents are dynamically scheduled to run synthetic transactions that are each known to use infrastructure that is common to said particular synthetic transaction.

7. The method of claim L, wherein:

agents are scheduled to run said particular synthetic transaction in each of said zones, other than the zone to which said particular agent is assigned.

12. A computer program product executable in a computer readable medium for monitoring operations of a specified transaction server that has an associated network topology, wherein said computer program product comprises:

instructions for defining a plurality of zones within said network topology;

instructions for assigning one or more monitoring agents to each of said zones, wherein each agent is adapted to selectively run synthetic transactions with said specified server;

instructions for monitoring results of successive synthetic transactions carried out by said agents, in order to detect any errors associated with said successive transactions; and

instructions responsive to detecting a problem associated with a particular synthetic transaction run by a particular one of said agents, for dynamically scheduling one or more agents to run synthetic transactions, wherein each scheduled transaction has a specified relationship with said particular synthetic transaction.

13. The computer program product of claim 12, wherein:

results of each of said scheduled synthetic transactions are selectively correlated with one another, in order to determine the cause of said detected problem.

14. The computer program product of claim 12, wherein:

said scheduled transactions are respectively run immediately, following detection of said error associated with said particular synthetic transaction.

15. The computer program product of claim 12, wherein:

agents are scheduled to run said particular synthetic transaction in each of said zones, other than the zone to which said particular agent is assigned.

16. The computer program product of claim 12, wherein:

one or more agents assigned to the same zone as said particular agent are respectively scheduled to run said particular synthetic transaction.

17. An apparatus for monitoring operations of a specified transaction server that has an associated network topology, wherein said apparatus comprises:

a plurality of monitoring agents, each assigned to one of a plurality of zones within said network topology, wherein each agent is adapted to selectively run synthetic transactions with said specified server;

means for monitoring results of successive synthetic transactions carried out by said agents, in order to detect any errors associated with said successive transactions; and

means responsive to detecting a problem associated with a particular synthetic transaction run by a particular one of said agents, for dynamically scheduling one or more agents to run synthetic transactions, wherein each scheduled transaction has a specified relationship with said particular synthetic transaction.

18. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein:

said apparatus includes a correlator component for correlating the results of said scheduled synthetic transactions with one another, in order to determine the cause of said detected problem.

19. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein:

said scheduled transactions are respectively run immediately, following detection of said error associated with said particular synthetic transaction.

20. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein:

said scheduling and correlating tasks are carried out by a monitoring server connected to each of said agents.