Method of semi-automatic data collection, data analysis, and model generation for the performance analysis of enterprise applications

• US 7,290,048 B1
• Filed: 01/29/2003
• Issued: 10/30/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 03/29/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: HyPerformix, Inc. (Broadcom, Inc.), Celion Networks, Inc.
• Original Assignee: HyPerformix, Inc. (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Inventors: Zauli, Tom, Braddock, Daniel M., Clarke, Allan Drew, Barnett, Paul T., Zink, Kenneth, DuPré´, David Leigh, Ramachandran, Rajinikala, Gimarc, Richard, Palmer, Annette, Lehr, Theodore F., West, Carolyn, Wise, Timothy E., Renyolds, James, Spellman, Amy Carolyn
• Primary Examiner(s): Vaughn; William
• Assistant Examiner(s): Chea; Philip J.
• Application Number:
  US10/354,230
• Time in Patent Office: 1,735 Days
• Field of Search: 709/224, 709/223, 709/226, 719/312, 719/313, 719/328
• US Class Current: 709/223
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3414 Workload generation, e.g. scripts, playback
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3419 by assessing time
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3495 for systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2201/86 Event-based monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2201/87 Monitoring of transactions

Abstract

A method of semi-automatic data collection, data analysis and model generation for performance analysis of computer networks and software is provided. The invention provides a graphical user interface which indicates the overall data flow in the performance analysis process and guides the user through the proper sequence of steps in that process. Underneath the graphical user interface, the invention provides software tools which include novel data pipeline for transformation of network traces, resource data and application data into organized hash tables, and further into spreadsheets for introduction into computer network simulation programs. The invention also provides novel algorithms for recognizing transaction and parentage between transactions from low level network trace data. The invention further provides novel methods of visualization of trace data and transaction and parentage associations.

Claims

1. A method of assigning parentage of a set of network transactions in time comprising:

choosing a first network transaction;

sorting the network transactions into groups of partial enclosers, full enclosers and non-busy full enclosers relative to the first network transaction;

assigning parentage of the first network transaction through the following steps;

if the non-busy full encloser group includes one and only one network transaction, the non-busy full encloser network transaction is assigned as a parent of the first network transaction;

if the non-busy full encloser group includes more than one network transaction, a difference in timing between the first network transaction and each non-busy full network transaction in the non-busy full encloser group is calculated to determine the non-busy full encloser network transaction having the smallest difference in timing wherein the non-busy full encloser network transaction having the smallest difference in timing is assigned as a parent of the first network transaction;

if the full encloser group includes one and only one network transaction, the full encloser network transaction is assigned as parent of the first network transaction;

if the full encloser group includes more than one network transaction, a difference in timing between the first network transaction and each full encloser network transaction in the full encloser group is calculated to determine the full encloser network transaction having the smallest difference in timing wherein the full encloser network transaction having the smallest difference in timing is assigned as a parent of the first network transaction;

if the partial encloser group includes one and only one network transaction, the partial encloser network transaction is assigned as parent of the first network transaction;

if the partial encloser group includes more than one network transaction, a difference in timing between the first network transaction and each partial encloser network transaction in the partial encloser group is calculated to determine the partial encloser network transaction having the smallest difference in timing wherein the partial encloser network transaction having the smallest difference in timing is assigned as a parent of the first network transaction.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein parentage spans more than one tier in a network.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the parentage spans at least two enterprise applications.

4. A method of assigning parentage to a first network transaction relative to other network transactions in a set of network transactions, comprising:

selecting a first network transaction from said set of network transactions wherein non-selected network transactions of the set of network transactions comprise said other network transactions;

sorting said other network transactions into enclosure groups based on enclosure relationships between each of the other network transactions and the first network transaction, wherein said enclosure groups comprise a partial encloser group, a full encloser group and a non-busy full encloser group;

assigning parentage to the first network transaction in accordance with the sorted network transactions in the enclosure groups, wherein;

if the non-busy full encloser group includes one and only one network transaction, the non-busy full encloser network transaction is assigned as a parent of the first network transaction;

if the non-busy full encloser group includes more than one network transaction, a difference in timing between the first network transaction and each non-busy full network transaction in the non-busy full encloser group is calculated to determine the non-busy full encloser network transaction having the smallest difference in timing wherein the non-busy full encloser network transaction having the smallest difference in timing is assigned as a parent of the first network transaction;

if the full encloser group includes one and only one network transaction, the full encloser network transaction is assigned as parent of the first network transaction;

if the full encloser group includes more than one network transaction, a difference in timing between the first network transaction and each full encloser network transaction in the full encloser group is calculated to determine the full encloser network transaction having the smallest difference in timing wherein the full encloser network transaction having the smallest difference in timing is assigned as a parent of the first network transaction;

if the partial encloser group includes one and only one network transaction, the partial encloser network transaction is assigned as parent of the first network transaction;

if the partial encloser group includes more than one network transaction, a difference in timing between the first network transaction and each partial encloser network transaction in the partial encloser group is calculated to determine the partial encloser network transaction having the smallest difference in timing wherein the partial encloser network transaction having the smallest difference in timing is assigned as a parent of the first network transaction.