Client-based application availability and response monitoring and reporting for distributed computing environments

• US 6,070,190 A
• Filed: 05/11/1998
• Issued: 05/30/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 05/11/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: ServiceNow Incorporated
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Vedati, Keshavprasad, Luzzi, Joseph, Reps, Steven M.
• Primary Examiner(s): COULTER, KENNETH R
• Application Number:
  US09/075,629
• Time in Patent Office: 750 Days
• Field of Search: 709/224, 709/203
• US Class Current: 709/224
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/321 Display for diagnostics, e.g. diagnostic result display, self-test user interface
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/323 Visualisation of programs or trace data
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3495 for systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2201/87 Monitoring of transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2201/875 Monitoring of systems including the internet
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0213 Standardised network management protocols, e.g. simple network management protocol [SNMP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/22 comprising specially adapted graphical user interfaces [GUI]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/5009 Determining service level performance parameters or violations of service level contracts, e.g. violations of agreed response time or mean time between failures [MTBF]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/5016 based on statistics of service availability, e.g. in percentage or over a given time
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/5096 wherein the managed service relates to distributed or central networked applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/16 Threshold monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/50 Testing arrangements

Abstract

In a distributed computing environment, a method, system and program product for monitoring, from a client computer system the performance of an application program residing on a server computer system. A probe program residing at the client computer generates requests for the services of the application program and records transaction records based upon service responses therefrom. The requests and transaction record generation is controlled by a set of probe configuration information at the client computer. Transaction records are provided to a central repository whereat statistical information is pre-processed and inserted into statistics tables. A display system enables a computer user to interactively request and view a plurality of displays of data sets of the monitoring data. Each data set includes data elements which may be interactively indicated by the viewer to cause the retrieval and display of related data sets having data elements associated with those in the original display.

Claims

1. In a computer network having a server computer coupled to a client computer, the server computer providing application services to the client computer over the network via an application program on the server computer, a method for monitoring and recording at said client computer, information related to the performance of said application services by said application program, the method comprising the steps of:

A. establishing a set of parameters for use by the client computer for recording the performance of said application services by said application program, wherein said set of parameters may include the definition of an interval for iteratively assessing the performance of the application program;

B. sending a service request from the client computer to the server computer, said service request requesting the performance of said application services by the application program based upon the established set of parameters;

C. receiving a service response from the server computer at the client computer and generating a transaction record at the client computer based upon the received service response, said generated transaction record including the information related to the performance of said application services by said application program; and

D. repeating steps B-C as required in accordance with the defined interval of iteration.

2. A method according to claim 1 wherein the set of parameters further includes the information required to send the service requests to the application program at the server computer.

3. A method according to claim 1 wherein the set of parameters includes the frequency at which the service requests are to be sent.

4. A method according to claim 1 wherein the client computer includes a timer for determining the duration of the period from the sending of the service request to the receiving of the service response.

5. A method according to claim 1 wherein the generated transaction record includes an indication of the duration of the period from the sending of the service request to the receiving of the service response.

6. A method according to claim 1 wherein the transaction record includes an indication of whether the service response was successful or unsuccessful and wherein the set of parameters include a maximum duration for the period from the sending of the service request to the receiving of the service response.

7. A method according to claim 6 wherein if said maximum duration is exceeded the service request is re-sent from the client computer to the server computer.

8. A method according to claim 7 wherein the operation of re-sending the service request may be repeated if the maximum duration is exceeded after the first re-sending operation and wherein the set of parameters further include a limit on said re-sending operation said limit based upon the duration of the repeated re-sending operations or on the number of times the re-sending operation is repeated.

9. A method according to claim 8 wherein if said limit is exceeded the service response is recorded as unsuccessful.

10. A method according to claim 6 wherein if the application program fails to provide application services in response to the service request, the service response is recorded as unsuccessful.

11. A method according to claim 10 wherein if the service response is unsuccessful, the application program is unavailable and wherein the generated transaction record includes an indication of whether the application program is available or unavailable.

12. A method according to claim 11 wherein the set of parameters further include a maximum amount of time within a determined time period for which the application program may be unavailable.

13. A method according to claim 1 wherein the set of parameters further include a schedule corresponding to times when the application program will be available to respond to the service requests.

14. A method according to claim 13 wherein the schedule is used to enable and disable the sending of the service requests or wherein the generated transaction record includes an indication of whether the application program was available in accordance with the schedule.

15. A method according to claim 1 wherein the set of parameters include a set of thresholds related to the performance of the application services and wherein the method further includes the steps of:

analyzing the generated transaction record to determine if any of the thresholds in the set of thresholds has been exceeded by the response to the transaction request; and

sending an alert signal to an alerting mechanism if it is determined that any of the thresholds in the set of thresholds has been exceeded.

16. A method according to claim 15 further including the steps of:

analyzing a subsequently generated transaction record to determine if said exceeded threshold is no longer being exceeded; and

sending a cancellation signal to the alerting mechanism canceling said previously sent alert signal.

17. A method according to claim 15 wherein said alert signal includes information related to the monitored application program, the server computer and the threshold which has been exceeded.

18. A method according to claim 17 wherein said alerting mechanism uses said alert signal to contact a service entity.

19. A method according to claim 1 wherein said generated transaction records are stored in a repository, the location of the repository being included in the set of parameters.

20. A method according to claim 1 wherein the received service response is related to the sent service request and the generation of the service response by the application program requires no authentication of the client computer sending the service request.

21. A method according to claim 1 wherein the set of parameters for use by the client computer for recording the performance of said application services by said application program are provided via a user interface from a user of the client computer to the client computer and wherein information related to the received service responses and generated transaction records are provided from the client computer to the user interface for viewing by said user.

22. In a computer network having a server computer coupled to a client computer, the server computer providing application services to the client computer over the network via an application program on the server computer, an apparatus for monitoring and recording at said client computer, information related to the performance of said application services by said application program, the apparatus comprising:

means for establishing a set of parameters for use by the client computer for recording the performance of said application services by said application program, wherein said set of parameters may include the definition of an interval for iteratively assessing the performance of the application program;

means for sending a service request from the client computer to the server computer, said service request requesting the performance of said application services by the application program based upon the established set of parameters;

means for receiving a service response from the server computer at the client computer and means for generating a transaction record at the client computer based upon the received service response, said generated transaction record including the information related to the performance of said application services by said application program.

23. An apparatus according to claim 22 wherein the set of parameters further includes the information required to send the service requests via said sending means to the application program at the server computer.

24. An apparatus according to claim 22 wherein the set of parameters includes the frequency at which the service requests are to be sent by said sending means.

25. An apparatus according to claim 22 wherein the client computer includes a timer for determining the duration of the period from the sending of the service request by said sending means to the receiving of the service response by said receiving means.

26. An apparatus according to claim 22 wherein the generated transaction record includes an indication of the duration of the period from the sending of the service request to the receiving of the service response.

27. An apparatus according to claim 22 wherein the transaction record includes an indication of whether the service response was successful or unsuccessful and wherein the set of parameters include a maximum duration for the period from the sending of the service request by said sending means to the receiving of the service response by said receiving means.

28. An apparatus according to claim 27 wherein if said maximum duration is exceeded the service request is re-sent by said sending means from the client computer to the server computer.

29. An apparatus according to claim 28 wherein the operation of re-sending the service request may be repeated if the maximum duration is exceeded after the first re-sending operation and wherein the set of parameters further include a limit on said re-sending operation said limit based upon the duration of the repeated re-sending operations or on the number of times the re-sending operation is repeated.

30. An apparatus according to claim 29 wherein if said limit is exceeded the service response is recorded as unsuccessful.

31. An apparatus according to claim 27 wherein if the application program fails to provide application services in response to the service request, the service response is recorded as unsuccessful.

32. An apparatus according to claim 31 wherein if the service response is unsuccessful, the application program is unavailable and wherein the generated transaction record includes an indication of whether the application program is available or unavailable.

33. An apparatus according to claim 32 wherein the set of parameters further include a maximum amount of time within a determined time period for which the application program may be unavailable.

34. An apparatus according to claim 22 wherein the set of parameters further include a schedule corresponding to times when the application program will be available to respond to the service requests.

35. An apparatus according to claim 34 wherein the schedule is used to enable and disable the sending of the service requests by the sending means or wherein the generated transaction record includes an indication of whether the application program was available in accordance with the schedule.

36. An apparatus according to claim 22 wherein the set of parameters include a set of thresholds related to the performance of the application services and wherein the apparatus further includes:

means for analyzing the transaction record form the generation means to determine if any of the thresholds in the set of thresholds has been exceeded by the response to the transaction request; and

means for sending an alert signal to an alerting mechanism if it is determined that any of the thresholds in the set of thresholds has been exceeded.

37. An apparatus according to claim 36 further including:

means for analyzing a subsequently generated transaction record to determine if said exceeded threshold is no longer being exceeded; and

means for sending a cancellation signal to the alerting mechanism canceling said previously sent alert signal.

38. An apparatus according to claim 36 wherein said alert signal includes information related to the monitored application program, the server computer and the threshold which has been exceeded.

39. An apparatus according to claim 38 wherein said alerting mechanism uses said alert signal to contact a service entity.

40. An apparatus according to claim 22 wherein said transaction records are stored in a repository, the location of the repository being included in the set of parameters.

41. An apparatus according to claim 22 wherein the received service response at said receiving means is related to the sent service request from said sending means and the generation of the service response by the application program requires no authentication of the client computer sending the service request.

42. An apparatus according to claim 22 wherein the set of parameters for use by the client computer for recording the performance of said application services by said application program are provided via a user interface from a user of the client computer to the client computer and wherein information related to the received service responses and generated transaction records are provided from the client computer to the user interface for viewing by said user.

43. In a computer network having a server computer coupled to a client computer, the server computer providing application services to the client computer over the network via an application program on the server computer, a program storage device readable by a digital processing apparatus and tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by the digital processing apparatus to perform method steps for monitoring and recording at said client computer, information related to the performance of said application services by said application program, the method comprising the steps of:

A. establishing a set of parameters for use by the client computer for recording the performance of said application services by said application program, wherein said set of parameters may include the definition of an interval for iteratively assessing the performance of the application program;

B. sending a service request from the client computer to the server computer, said service request requesting the performance of said application services by the application program based upon the established set of parameters;

C. receiving a service response from the server computer at the client computer and generating a transaction record at the client computer based upon the received service response, said generated transaction record including the information related to the performance of said application services by said application program; and

D. repeating steps B-C as required in accordance with the defined interval of iteration.

44. A program storage device according to claim 43 wherein the set of parameters further includes the information required to send the service requests to the application program at the server computer.

45. A program storage device according to claim 43 wherein the set of parameters includes the frequency at which the service requests are to be sent.

46. A program storage device according to claim 43 wherein the client computer includes a timer for determining the duration of the period from the sending of the service request to the receiving of the service response.

47. A program storage device according to claim 43 wherein the generated transaction record includes an indication of the duration of the period from the sending of the service request to the receiving of the service response.

48. A program storage device according to claim 43 wherein the transaction record includes an indication of whether the service response was successful or unsuccessful and wherein the set of parameters include a maximum duration for the period from the sending of the service request to the receiving of the service response.

49. A program storage device according to claim 48 wherein if said maximum duration is exceeded the service request is re-sent from the client computer to the server computer.

50. A program storage device according to claim 49 wherein the operation of re-sending the service request may be repeated if the maximum duration is exceeded after the first re-sending operation and wherein the set of parameters further include a limit on said re-sending operation said limit based upon the duration of the repeated re-sending operations or on the number of times the re-sending operation is repeated.

51. A program storage device according to claim 50 wherein if said limit is exceeded the service response is recorded as unsuccessful.

52. A program storage device according to claim 48 wherein if the application program fails to provide application services in response to the service request, the service response is recorded as unsuccessful.

53. A program storage device according to claim 52 wherein if the service response is unsuccessful, the application program is unavailable and wherein the generated transaction record includes an indication of whether the application program is available or unavailable.

54. A program storage device according to claim 53 wherein the set of parameters further include a maximum amount of time within a determined time period for which the application program may be unavailable.

55. A program storage device according to claim 43 wherein the set of parameters further include a schedule corresponding to times when the application program will be available to respond to the service requests.

56. A program storage device according to claim 55 wherein the schedule is used to enable and disable the sending of the service requests or wherein the generated transaction record includes an indication of whether the application program was available in accordance with the schedule.

57. A program storage device according to claim 43 wherein the set of parameters include a set of thresholds related to the performance of the application services and wherein the method further includes the steps of:

analyzing the generated transaction record to determine if any of the thresholds in the set of thresholds has been exceeded by the response to the transaction request; and

sending an alert signal to an alerting mechanism if it is determined that any of the thresholds in the set of thresholds has been exceeded.

58. A program storage device according to claim 57 further including the steps of:

analyzing a subsequently generated transaction record to determine if said exceeded threshold is no longer being exceeded; and

sending a cancellation signal to the alerting mechanism canceling said previously sent alert signal.

59. A program storage device according to claim 57 wherein said alert signal includes information related to the monitored application program, the server computer and the threshold which has been exceeded.

60. A program storage device according to claim 59 wherein said alerting mechanism uses said alert signal to contact a service entity.

61. A program storage device according to claim 43 wherein said generated transaction records are stored in a repository, the location of the repository being included in the set of parameters.

62. A program storage device according to claim 43 wherein the received service response is related to the sent service request and the generation of the service response by the application program requires no authentication of the client computer sending the service request.

63. A program storage device according to claim 43 wherein the set of parameters for use by the client computer for recording the performance of said application services by said application program are provided via a user interface from a user of the client computer to the client computer and wherein information related to the received service responses and generated transaction records are provided from the client computer to the user interface for viewing by said user.