METHODS AND SYSTEMS FOR PREDICTING APPLICATION PERFORMANCE

• US 20090198482A1
• Filed: 02/05/2008
• Published: 08/06/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 02/05/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Original Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Inventors: Schumacher, Hans Josef
• Granted Patent: US 8,165,862 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 703/13
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3419 by assessing time
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3447 Performance evaluation by modeling
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3457 Performance evaluation by simulation

Abstract

A method for identifying and evaluating potential computer network configuration problems as related to deployment of one or more computer applications accessed via an associated computer network architecture is described. The method includes emulating the computer network architecture and a capability associated with network interconnections between computer application points of use and associated with the computer network architecture, identifying computer applications hosted at each of the computer systems within the computer architecture, estimating response times for hosted computer applications for a plurality of network architecture interconnection conditions, and determining, based on the response time estimates, at least one network architecture reconfiguration scenario for improving performance of the network architecture with respect to a specific computer application.

Claims

1. A method for identifying and evaluating potential computer network configuration problems as related to deployment of one or more computer applications accessed via an associated computer network architecture, said method comprising:

emulating the computer network architecture and a capability associated with network interconnections between computer application points of use and associated with the computer network architecture;

identifying computer applications hosted at each of the computer systems within the computer architecture;

estimating response times for hosted computer applications for a plurality of network architecture interconnection conditions; and

determining, based on the response time estimates, at least one network architecture reconfiguration scenario for improving performance of the network architecture with respect to a specific computer application.

2. A method according to claim 1 wherein emulating the computer network architecture and a capability associated with network interconnections comprises:

specifying unique computer systems within the computer network architecture; and

entering a number of users using each unique computer system.

3. A method according to claim 1 wherein estimating response times for hosted computer applications comprises computing an estimated response time of each unique computer system, the estimated response time taking into account other unique computer systems whose traffic is routed through the same network interconnection.

4. A method according to claim 1 wherein estimating response times for hosted computer applications for a plurality of network architecture interconnection conditions comprises determining an effect on response times by changing at least one of bandwidth, packet loss, latency, and line utilization for at least one of the computer systems.

5. A method according to claim 1 wherein estimating response times for hosted computer applications for a plurality of network architecture interconnection conditions comprises running a single computer system through a set of network conditions.

6. A method according to claim 5 wherein running a single computer system through a single set of network condition tests comprises:

defining and testing a computer system over a range of bandwidth, latencies, packet losses and line utilization values; and

storing the response time for each test in a database.

7. A method according to claim 1 wherein emulating the computer network architecture comprises operating a user interface to create representations of custom network architectures, specify network conditions for wide area network and internet connections, specify computer systems used at each network location, specify a number of users of the specified computer system at each network location, and specify a routing of system traffic for the network architecture representation.

8. A method according to claim 1 wherein estimating response times for hosted computer applications for a plurality of network architecture interconnection conditions comprises generating a report of expected end-user response times for a variety of computer network architecture configurations.

12. A computer system according to claim 1 wherein to test each network architecture representation under a variety of network interconnection configurations, said user interface and said processing device are operable to a test a network architecture representation under a range of bandwidth, latency, packet loss, and line utilization conditions.

9. A computer system for evaluating and designing network architectures suitable for a suite of network applications, said computer system comprising:

a user interface operable to create representations of custom network architectures;

a processing device, operable to receive data relating to the representations created via said user interface, and further programmed to provide application performance profiles based on the custom network architecture representations; and

a database configured to store the application performance profiles.

10. A computer system according to claim 9 wherein to create representations of custom network architectures said user interface is operable to specify network conditions for wide area network and internet connections, specify computer systems used at a number of office locations, specify a number of users of the computer systems at each location, and specify a routing for interconnections between the computer systems.

11. A computer system according to claim 9 wherein to provide application performance profiles based on the custom network architecture representations, said processing device is programmed to:

test each computer application under a variety of network interconnection configurations; and

generate and store resulting computer application response times for each test in said database.

13. A computer system according to claim 9 wherein said processing device is programmed to predict a performance of a computer network architecture representation when running multiple networked computer applications.

14. A computer system according to claim 9 wherein said processing device is programmed to:

analyze the application performance profiles; and

recommend changes to the computer systems and interconnections associated with the computer network architecture to improve a performance of at least one networked computer application.

15. A computer system according to claim 9 wherein to create representations of custom network architectures, said user interface is operable to:

specify unique computer systems within the custom network architecture; and

entering a number of users using each unique computer system within the architecture.

16. A computer system according to claim 9 wherein to provide application performance profiles based on the custom network architecture representations, said processing device is programmed to estimate a response time by taking into account the traffic of other computer systems within the architecture that is routed through a single network interconnection.

17. A computer system according to claim 9 wherein to provide application performance profiles based on the custom network architecture representations said processing device is operable to change at least one of bandwidth, packet loss, latency, and line utilization for at least one computer system within the architecture.

18. A computer system according to claim 9 wherein to provide application performance profiles said processing device is programmed to run a single computer system within the custom network architecture representation through a set of network conditions.

19. A method for evaluating the response time of a network application comprising:

testing a response time of an application under multiple network configuration permutations;

storing results of each test in a database;

using the stored results to predict end-user response times for the network application for each network configuration permutation.

20. A method according to claim 19 wherein testing the configuration profile of the architecture under multiple network configuration permutations comprises changing at least one of bandwidth, packet loss, latency, and line utilization for at least one computer system within the architecture.