Method and apparatus for identifying slow links and for providing application-based responses to slow links in a distributed computer network
First Claim
1. A computer implemented method for identifying slow links from a plurality of links of a distributed network comprising a plurality of computers having a plurality of endpoints, said endpoints being connected in said network by the plurality of links, the method comprising the steps of:
- defining an original link speed factor by a system administrator with a predicted speed value of each of said plurality of links;
dynamically performing at least one runtime measurement of at least one runtime link speed indicator of each of said plurality of links;
calculating a runtime link speed factor based on said runtime measurement of at least one runtime link speed indicator of each of said plurality of links;
comparing the original link speed factor with the runtime link speed factor of each of said plurality of links;
designating at the least one link as a slow link when the runtime link speed factor satisfies a desired relationship to the original link speed factor; and
notifying the system administrator by sending a notification to at least one of said plurality of computers about the at least one slow link.
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Abstract
A system and method for programming applications to respond to slow links. The programming may be done during configuration of a system, or it may be implemented dynamically in response to a recently-detected change in network performance. The method includes the steps of continually monitoring links in a network, periodically calculating runtime link speeds for the links, and identifying slow links based on the monitoring and calculating. The method may additionally include the preliminary step of predefining so-called original link speed factors for the links. Runtime determination of runtime link speed factors for the respective links and comparison of the original link speed factors to the real-time link speed factors will then be used for the identification of slow links. A variety of application responses may be programmed as slow link responses.
23 Citations
18 Claims
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1. A computer implemented method for identifying slow links from a plurality of links of a distributed network comprising a plurality of computers having a plurality of endpoints, said endpoints being connected in said network by the plurality of links, the method comprising the steps of:
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defining an original link speed factor by a system administrator with a predicted speed value of each of said plurality of links; dynamically performing at least one runtime measurement of at least one runtime link speed indicator of each of said plurality of links; calculating a runtime link speed factor based on said runtime measurement of at least one runtime link speed indicator of each of said plurality of links; comparing the original link speed factor with the runtime link speed factor of each of said plurality of links; designating at the least one link as a slow link when the runtime link speed factor satisfies a desired relationship to the original link speed factor; and notifying the system administrator by sending a notification to at least one of said plurality of computers about the at least one slow link. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. A computer implemented method for dynamically adjusting application usage of links of a plurality of links of a distributed network comprising a plurality of computers having a plurality of endpoints, said endpoints being connected in said network by a plurality of links, the method comprising the steps of:
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defining an original link speed factor by a system administrator with a predicted speed value of each of said plurality of links; dynamically performing at least one runtime measurement of at least one runtime link speed indicator of each of said plurality of links; calculating a runtime link speed factor based on said runtime measurement of at least one runtime link speed indicator of each of said plurality of links; comparing the original link speed factor with the runtime link speed factor of each of said plurality of links; designating at least one link as a slow link when the runtime link speed factor satisfies a desired relationship to the original link speed factor; determining which specific applications require access to the at least one slow link; and adjusting application usage of the at least one slow link by said each of said specific applications. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. Apparatus for identifying slow links from a plurality of links of a distributed network comprising a plurality of computers having a plurality of endpoints, said endpoints being connected in said network by a plurality of links comprising:
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at least one storage location for storing an original link speed factor defined by a system administrator with a predicted speed value of each of said plurality of links; at least one measurement component for dynamically performing at least one runtime measurement of at least one runtime link speed indicator of each of said plurality of links; a processing component for calculating a runtime link speed factor based on said runtime measurement of at least one runtime link speed indicator of each of said plurality of links; a comparator component for comparing the original link speed factor with the runtime link speed factor of each of said plurality of links; and wherein said processing component further comprises a component for designating at least one link as a slow link when the runtime link speed factor satisfies a desired relationship to the original link speed factor and for notifying a system administrator by generating and sending a notification to at least one of said plurality of computers about the at least one slow link. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13)
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14. Apparatus for dynamically adjusting application usage of links from a plurality of links of a distributed network comprising a plurality of computers having a plurality of endpoints, said endpoints being connected in said network by a plurality of links comprising:
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at least one storage location for storing an original link speed factor defined by a system administrator with a predicted speed value of each of said plurality of links; at least one measurement component for dynamically performing at least one runtime measurement of at least one runtime link speed indicator of each of said plurality of links; a processing component for calculating a runtime link speed factor based on said runtime measurement of at least one runtime link speed indicator of each of said plurality of links; a comparator component for comparing the original link speed factor with the runtime link speed factor of each of said plurality of links; and wherein said processing component further comprises a component for designating at least one link as a slow link when the runtime link speed factor satisfies a desired relationship to the original link speed factor and a component for determining which specific applications requires access to said at least one slow link; and
for adjusting application usage of at least one link by said each of said specific applications. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16)
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17. A program storage device readable by machine, embodying a program of instructions executable by the machine to perform a method for identifying slow links from a plurality of links of a distributed network comprising a plurality of computers having a plurality of endpoints, said endpoints being connected in said network by a plurality of links, said method comprising the steps of:
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defining an original link speed factor by a system administrator with a predicted speed value of each of said plurality of links; dynamically performing at least one runtime measurement of at least one runtime fink speed indicator of each of said plurality of links; calculating a runtime link speed factor based on said runtime measurement of at least one runtime link speed indicator of each of said plurality of links; comparing the original link speed factor to the runtime link speed factor of each of said plurality of links; designating at least one link as a slow link when the runtime link speed factor satisfies a desired relationship to the original link speed factor; and notifying the system administrator by sending a notification to at least one of said plurality of computers about the at least one slow link.
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18. A program storage device readable by machine, embodying a program of instructions executable by the machine to perform a method for dynamically adjusting application usage of links of a plurality of links of a distributed network comprising a plurality of computers having a plurality of endpoints, said endpoints being connected in said network by a plurality of links, said method comprising the steps of:
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defining an original link speed factor by a system administrator with a predicted speed value of each of said plurality of links; dynamically performing at least one runtime measurement of at least one runtime link speed indicator of each of said plurality of links; calculating a runtime link speed factor based on said runtime measurement of at least one runtime link speed indicator of each of said plurality of links; comparing the original link speed factor with the runtime link speed factor of each of said plurality of links; designating at least one link as a slow link when the runtime link speed factor satisfies a desired relationship to the original link speed factor; determining which specific applications require access to the at least one said detected slow link; and adjusting application usage of the at least one slow link by said each of said specific applications.
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Specification