Managing server resources for hosted applications

• US 7,174,379 B2
• Filed: 08/03/2001
• Issued: 02/06/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 08/03/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Kumar, Arun, Agarwal, Vikas, Karnik, Neeran Mohan, Varma, Pradeep, Kundu, Ashish, Shahabuddin, Johara, Chafle, Girish
• Primary Examiner(s): Follansbee; John
• Assistant Examiner(s): PATEL, ASHOKKUMAR B
• Application Number:
  US09/921,868
• Publication Number:
  US 20030028642A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,013 Days
• Field of Search: 709/226, 709/229, 709/104, 709/105, 705/412, 718/104, 718/105, 718/1, 718/100, 717162-167, 719/312, 707/104.1
• US Class Current: 709/226
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/505 considering the load
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/5055 considering software capabilities, i.e. software resources associated or available to the machine
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/53 using third party service providers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/535 Tracking the activity of the user network monitoring arrangements H04L43/00; recording of computer activity G06F11/34
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]

Abstract

In an ASP server farm, requests to use an application are directed to a particular executing instance of the application (or an appropriate component thereof) that is identified as being the least loaded of the available such instances of the application or its component. The number of such instances is dynamically increased or decreased in response to the number of requests for the application or components thereof. Requests may be directed (in accordance with the first aspect) or the instances adjusted (in accordance with a second aspect) on a per client-basis, in which instances of the application and/or components thereof are reserved for the use of a user or a particular group of users. Operation in this manner facilitates compliance with service agreements with respective users or groups of users.

Claims

1. A method of providing access for a plurality of application-level users to an application comprising a plurality of resource class components comprising tiered layers of web servers, commerce servers, and database servers collectively executing on multiple networked machines, the method comprising:

receiving an incoming flow of requests from application-level users to use an application and components of said application;

providing, for each of the application-level users, respective sets of one or more application instances of each resource class component for the application on one or more machines, to service the incoming requests from respective application-level users to use the application;

directing each of the incoming requests to a particular application instance of an appropriate resource class component;

monitoring, for each of the application-level users, the number of request serviced by the application instances of the resource class components of the application;

identifying, within a time constraint, failures on any of said multiple networked machines;

changing the number of application instances of one or more resource class components in response to the monitored number of requests for each resource class component and based on machines comprising failures;

maintaining a record of the current rate of requests received from respective application-level users, based on the monitored number of serviced requests; and

collectively and automatically allocating fractions of different resource class components to a particular application-level user in response to the changed number of application instances of one or more resource class components by using a computational load of each request imposing on said application, wherein said computational load corresponds to a number of requests allocated for each resource instance, wherein said machines comprising failures are prevented from receiving allocations of resources.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising directing each of the incoming requests from respective application-level users to a particular application instance of an appropriate resource class component from a respective set of one or more application instances of each resource class component said particular application instance being identified as the least loaded of the application instances of the appropriate resource class component from that respective set.

3. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the step of providing application instances of each resource class component further comprises:

initiating one or more application instance of one or more resource class on a plurality of machines to service incoming requests to use the application; and

terminating one or more application instances of each resource class on a plurality of machines to service incoming requests to use the application.

4. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein requests from application-level users to use the application are stored in a queue for execution by a particular application instance of the appropriate resource class on a first-in-first-out basis.

5. The method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising maintaining a record of service obligations to respective application-level users.

6. The method as claimed in claim 5, further comprising changing, for each of the application-level users, the number of application instances of each resource class component in response tote monitored number of requests for each resource class component, wherein the service obligations to respective application-level users are at least met.

7. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said step of changing the number of application instances of said one or more resource classes is (i) at least partly based upon said recorded current rate of requests received from respective application-level users, and (ii) at least partly based on predetermined information that correlates changes in request rates with charges in the corresponding number of application instances of said one or more resource classes required to service said request rates.

8. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein one or more of the application-level users are organizations, and the requests are generated by individuals associated with the respective organization.

9. A method of providing access for a plurality of application-level users to an application comprising a plurality of resource class components comprising tiered layers of web servers, commerce servers, and database servers collectively executing on multiple networked machines, the method comprising:

receiving an incoming flow of requests from application-level users to use an application and components of said application;

providing, for each of the application-level users, respective sets of one or more application instances of each resource class component to service the incoming requests from the application-level users to use the application;

monitoring, for each of the application-level users, the resources currently available and resources currently consumed by the requests serviced by application instances of the resource class components of the application;

identifying, within a time constraint, failures on any of said multiple networked machines;

maintaining a record of resources currently available to respective application-level users; and

a record of resources currently consumed by respective application-level users;

both records of said resources being maintained in respect of each of the one or more application instances of each resource class components;

adjusting the respective numbers of said one or more application instances of each resource class component; and

collectively and automatically allocating fractions of different resource class components to a particular application-level user in response to a fluctuating number of application instances of one or more resource class components by using a computational load of each request imposing on said application, wherein said computational load corresponds to a number of requests allocated for each resource instance, wherein said machines comprising failures are prevented from receiving allocations of resources, and

wherein said application instances of each resource class component are adjusted for each application-level user based (i) at least partly on said records of resources currently available and currently consumed by respective application-level users (ii) at least partly on predetermined information that estimates the number of each resource class components required to service requests for said application instances of the resource class components, and (iii) at least partly on machines comprising failures.

10. A system for providing access for a plurality of application-level users to an application comprising a plurality of resource class components comprising tiered layers of web servers, commerce servers, and database servers collectively executing on multiple networked machines, the system comprising:

means for receiving an incoming flow of requests from application-level users to use an application and components of said application;

means for providing, for each of the application-level users, respective sets of one or more application instances of each resource class component to service the incoming requests form respective application-level users to use the application;

means for directing each of the incoming requests to a particular application instance of an appropriate resource class component;

means for monitoring, for each of the application-level users, the number of requests serviced by the application instances of the resource class components of the application;

means for identifying, within a time constraint, failures on any of said multiple networked machines;

means for changing the number of application instances of one or more resource class components in response to the monitored number of requests for each resource class component and based on machines comprising failures;

means for maintaining a record of the current rate of requests received from respective application-level users, based on the monitored number of serviced requests; and

means for collectively and automatically allocating fractions of different resource class components to a particular application-level user in response to the changed number of application instances of one or more resource class components by using a computational load of each request imposing on said application, wherein said computational load corresponds to a number of requests allocated for each resource instance, wherein said machines comprising failures are prevented from receiving allocations of resources.

11. A computer software program, recorded on a medium and capable of execution by computing means able to interpret the computer software program, for providing access for a plurality of application-level users to an application comprising a plurality of resource class components comprising tiered layers of web servers, commerce servers, and database servers collectively executing on multiple networked machines, the computer software program comprising:

code means for receiving an incoming flow of requests from application-level users to use an application and components of said application;

code means for providing, for each of the application-level users, respective sets of one or more application instances of each resource class component to service the incoming requests from respective application-level users to use the application;

code means for directing each of the incoming requests to a particular application instance of an appropriate resource class component;

code means for monitoring, for each of the application-level users, the number of requests serviced by the application instances of the resource class components of the application;

code means for identifying, within a time constraint, failures on any of said multiple networked machines;

code means for changing the number of application instances of one or more resource class components in response to the monitored number of requests for each resource class component and based on machines comprising failures;

code means for maintaining a record of the current rate of requests received from respective application-level users, based on the monitored number of serviced requests; and

code means for collectively and automatically allocating fractions of different resource class components to a particular application-level user in response to the changed number of application instances of one or more resource class components by using a computational load of each request imposing on said application, wherein said computational load corresponds to a number of requests allocated for each resource instance, wherein said machines comprising failures are prevented from receiving allocations of resources.

12. A system for providing access for a plurality of application-level users to an application comprising a plurality of resource class components comprising tiered layers of web servers, commerce servers, and database servers collectively executing on multiple networked machines, the system comprising:

means for receiving an incoming flow of requests from application-level users to use an application and components of said application;

means for providing, for each of the application-level users, respective sets of one or more application instances of each resource class component to service the incoming requests from the application-level users to use the application;

means for monitoring, for each of the application-level users, the resources currently available and resources currently consumed byte requests serviced by application instances of the resource class components of the application;

means for identifying, within a time constraint, failures on any of said multiple networked machines;

means for maintaining a record of resources currently available to respective application-level users; and

a record of resources currently consumed by respective application-level users;

both records of said resources being maintained in respect of each of the one or more application instances of each resource class components;

means for adjusting the respective numbers of said one or more application instances of each resource class component; and

means for collectively and automatically allocating fractions of different resource class components to a particular application-level user in response to a fluctuating number of application instances of one or more resource class components by using a computational load of each request imposing on said application, wherein said computational load corresponds to a number of requests allocated for each resource instance, wherein said machines comprising failures are prevented from receiving allocations of resources, and

wherein said application instances of each resource class component are adjusted for each application-level user based (i) at least partly on said records of resources currently available and currently consumed by respective application-level users, (ii) at least partly on predetermined information that estimates the number of each resource class components required to service requests for said application instances of the resource class components, and (iii) at least partly on machines comprising failures.

13. A computer software program recorded on a medium and able to be executed by computing means able to interpret the computer software program, for providing access for a plurality of application-level users to an application comprising a plurality of resource class components comprising tiered layers of web servers, commerce servers, and database servers collectively executing on multiple networked machines, the computer software program comprising:

code means for receiving an incoming flow of requests from application-level users to use an application and components of said application;

code means for providing, for each of the application-level users, respective sets of one or more application instances of each resource class component to service the incoming requests from the application-level users to use the application;

code means for monitoring, for each of the application-level users, the resources currently available and resources currently consumed by the requests serviced by application instances of the resource class components of the application;

code means for identifying, within a time constraint, failures on any of said multiple networked machines;

code means for maintaining a record of resources currently available to respective application-level users; and

a record of resources currently consumed by respective application-level users;

both records of said resources being maintained in respect of each of the one or more application instances of each resource class components

code means for adjusting the respective numbers of said one or more application instances of each resource class component in response to monitored number of requests for each resource class component and based on machines comprising failures; and

code means for collectively and automatically allocating fractions of different resource class components to a particular application-level user in response to a fluctuating number of application instances of one or more resource class components by using a computational load of each request imposing on said application, wherein said computational load corresponds to a number of requests allocated for each resource instance, wherein said machines comprising failures are prevented from receiving allocations of resources, and

wherein said application instances of each resource class component are adjusted for each application-level user based (i) at least partly on said records of resources currently available and currently consumed by respective application-level users, (ii) at least partly on predetermined information that estimates the number of each resource class components required to service requests for said application instances of the resource class components, and (iii) at least partly on machines comprising failures.