System and method for monitoring the performance of a server

• US 7,155,641 B2
• Filed: 05/15/2003
• Issued: 12/26/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 05/15/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Sonkin, Dmitry, Prang, Bruce
• Primary Examiner(s): Beausoliel, Robert
• Assistant Examiner(s): GUYTON, PHILIP A
• Application Number:
  US10/439,254
• Publication Number:
  US 20040230874A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,321 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 714/47.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3466 Performance evaluation by tracing or monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3636 by tracing the execution of the program
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2201/86 Event-based monitoring

Abstract

A monitoring tool requests traceable information from a server. Such traceable information preferably includes traceable events and associated columns. The monitoring tool preferably generates a display of the traceable information, from which a user may select information to be traced. The monitoring tool requests a trace of the selected information. The trace is preferably displayed to the user, and the user may use the trace to identify and correct problems occurring at the server.

Claims

1. A method of communication between a monitoring tool and a server for requesting traceable information, the method comprising:

providing a schema to the server, wherein

a first-level element corresponds to a definition of a trace, the first level element comprising;

a first second-level element corresponding to information about the server;

a second second-level element corresponding to traceable events, the traceable events being events occurring at the server; and

a third second-level element corresponding to traceable columns, the traceable columns being associated with the traceable events and including data describing the traceable events; and

receiving from the server data formatted according to the schema.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first second-level element comprises:

a first third-level element corresponding to a name of the server;

a second third-level element corresponding to a type of the server; and

a third third-level element corresponding to a version of the server.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the second second-level element corresponds to a list of categories of the traceable events.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the second second-level element comprises a plurality of third-level elements each corresponding to a category of traceable events in the list.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein each third-level element comprises:

a first fourth-level element corresponding to a name of the category;

a second fourth-level element corresponding to a description of the category;

a third fourth-level element corresponding to a type of the category; and

a fourth fourth-level element corresponding to a list of traceable events in the category of events.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the fourth fourth-level element comprises a plurality of fifth-level elements each corresponding to a traceable event in the list of traceable events.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein each fifth-level element comprises:

a first sixth-level element corresponding to a name of the event;

a second sixth-level element corresponding to a description of the event;

a third sixth-level element corresponding to an identifier of the event; and

a fourth sixth-level element corresponding to a list of traceable columns associated with the event.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the identifier of the event is selected from a plurality of ranges of identifiers.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the plurality of ranges of identifiers comprises:

a first range of identifiers corresponding to trace special events;

a second range of identifiers corresponding to monitoring tool special events; and

a third range of identifiers corresponding to server defined events.

10. The method of claim 7, wherein the fourth sixth-level element comprises a plurality of seventh-level elements, each corresponding to a traceable column in the list of traceable columns.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein each seventh-level element comprises a first eighth-level element corresponding to an identifier of the column.

12. The method of claim 2, wherein the third second-level element corresponds to a list of the traceable columns.

13. The method of claim 2, wherein the third second-level element comprises a plurality of third-level elements each corresponding to a traceable column in the list.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein each third-level element comprises:

a first fourth-level element corresponding to a name of the column;

a second fourth-level element corresponding to a description of the column;

a third fourth-level element corresponding to a type of the column;

a fourth fourth-level element corresponding to an identifier of the column;

a fifth fourth-level element corresponding to an indication of whether the column is filterable; and

a sixth fourth-level element corresponding to an indication of whether the column is repeatable.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the identifier is selected from a plurality of ranges of identifiers.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the plurality of ranges of identifiers comprises:

a first range of identifiers corresponding to trace special columns;

a second range of identifiers corresponding to monitoring tool special columns;

a third range of identifiers corresponding to predetermined columns; and

a fourth range of identifiers corresponding to server defined columns.

17. A method of communication between a server and a monitoring tool for providing a trace of selected events and associated columns to the monitoring tool, the method comprising:

formatting data from the server into a stream of data comprising a plurality of data fields, each data field corresponding to a selected event and comprising;

a first field corresponding to a trace begin record special column;

a second field corresponding to a length of the trace begin record special column;

a third field corresponding to an identifier of the event;

a fourth field corresponding to a length of the event; and

a plurality of sets of fields each corresponding to an associated column; and

sending the data to the monitoring tool.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein each set of fields comprises:

a fifth field corresponding to an identifier of the column;

a sixth field corresponding to a length of the column; and

a seventh field corresponding to data stored in the column.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein the stream of data further comprises a header field.