Internal monitoring of applications in a distributed management framework

• US 7,739,689 B1
• Filed: 02/27/2004
• Issued: 06/15/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 02/27/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Veritas Technologies, LLC (Whitehouse Group Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Symantec Operating Corporation (Gen Digital Inc.)
• Inventors: Spertus, Michael P., Stuckmann, David A., Metcalf, Christopher D., Schooler, Richard
• Primary Examiner(s): Sough; Hyung S
• Assistant Examiner(s): VERDI, KIMBLEANN C
• Application Number:
  US10/789,902
• Time in Patent Office: 2,300 Days
• Field of Search: 719/317, 719/330, 717/130
• US Class Current: 719/317
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/0709 in a distributed system consisting of a plurality of standalone computer nodes, e.g. clusters, client-server systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/0715 in a system implementing multitasking multitasking per se G06F9/46
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/0748 in a remote unit communicating with a single-box computer node experiencing an error/fault remote testing G06F11/2294
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/076 by exceeding a count or rate limit, e.g. word- or bit count limit
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/0766 Error or fault reporting or storing
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/328 Computer systems status display G06F11/327 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3495 for systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2201/865 Monitoring of software
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/4484 Executing subprograms

Abstract

Methods and systems are provided for internal monitoring of applications. A distributed management framework may comprise a plurality of applications and application servers, wherein each of the applications is configured to make function calls to standard programming functions. The function calls to the standard programming functions are intercepted. The function calls are routed to alternative implementations of the standard programming functions, and the alternative implementations are used to collect availability metrics for the plurality of applications. Manager threads may be used for internal monitoring of application execution. Applications may be modified with additional instructions to monitor program execution and automatically generate output comprising an execution history.

Claims

1. A method for use in a distributed management framework comprising a plurality of applications, wherein each of the plurality of applications is configured to make function calls to standard programming functions, the method comprising:

inserting a respective agent into each of the plurality of applications upon a launch of each of the plurality of applications;

by using the agents, intercepting the function calls to the standard programming functions made by each of the plurality of applications, wherein each of the standard programming functions comprises memory functions and implementation program code which is located external to each of the plurality of applications calling the standard programming functions;

routing the function calls to alternative implementations of the standard programming functions, wherein each of the alternative implementations of the standard programming functions is internal to a respective each of the plurality of applications calling the standard programming functions;

executing one of the alternative implementations of the standard programming functions inside an application process of one of the plurality of applications instead of executing the implementation program code of the corresponding standard programming function, wherein the executed one of the alternative implementations of the standard programming functions replaces functionality of the corresponding standard programming function; and

using the alternative implementations of the standard programming functions to collect availability metrics for each of the plurality of applications.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the intercepting the function calls comprises intercepting the function calls in a production environment.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

modifying program code of at least one of the plurality of applications to enable the intercepting the function calls to the standard programming functions.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

using the availability metrics for performance management of each of the plurality of applications in the distributed management framework.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

configuring the distributed management framework to monitor a subset of the plurality of applications.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

aggregating the availability metrics for each of the plurality of applications at a console for performance management.

7. A computer-readable storage medium comprising program instructions for use in a distributed management framework comprising a plurality of applications, wherein each of the plurality of applications is configured to make function calls to standard programming functions, wherein the program instructions are computer-executable to implement:

inserting a respective agent into each of the plurality of applications upon a launch of each of the plurality of applications;

by using the agents, intercepting the function calls to the standard programming functions made by each of the plurality of applications, wherein each of the standard programming functions comprises memory functions and implementation program code which is located external to each of the plurality of applications calling the standard programming functions;

routing the function calls to alternative implementations of the standard programming functions, wherein each of the alternative implementations of the standard programming functions is internal to a respective each of the plurality of applications calling the standard programming functions;

executing one of the alternative implementations of the standard programming functions inside an application process of one of the plurality of applications instead of executing the implementation program code of the corresponding standard programming function, wherein the executed one of the alternative implementations of the standard programming functions replaces functionality of the corresponding standard programming function; and

using the alternative implementations of the standard programming functions to collect availability metrics for each of the plurality of applications.

8. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 7, wherein the intercepting the function calls comprises intercepting the function calls in a production environment.

9. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 7, wherein the program instructions are further computer-executable to implement:

modifying program code of at least one of the plurality of applications to enable the intercepting the function calls to the standard programming functions.

10. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 7, wherein the program instructions are further computer-executable to implement:

aggregating the availability metrics for each of the plurality of applications at a console for performance management.

11. A system comprising:

at least one processor; and

at least one memory coupled to the at least one processor, wherein the at least one memory stores program instructions that are executable by the at least one processor to;

insert a respective agent into each of the plurality of applications upon a launch of each of the plurality of applications;

use the agents to intercept one or more function calls to one or more standard programming functions made by each of the plurality of applications, wherein each of the one or more standard programming functions comprises memory functions and implementation program code which is located external to each of the plurality of applications calling the one or more standard programming functions;

route the function calls to alternative implementations of the one or more standard programming functions, wherein each of the alternative implementations of the one or more standard programming functions is internal to a respective each of the plurality of applications calling the one or more standard programming functions; and

execute one of the alternative implementations of the standard programming functions inside an application process of one of the plurality of applications instead of executing the implementation program code of the corresponding standard programming function, wherein the executed one of the alternative implementation of the standard programming functions replaces functionality of the corresponding standard programming function; and

use the alternative implementations of the one or more standard programming functions to collect availability metrics for each of the plurality of applications.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the function calls are intercepted in a production environment.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein the program instructions are further executable by the at least one processor to:

modify program code of at least one of the plurality of applications to enable the interception of the function calls to the standard programming functions.

14. The system of claim 11, wherein the program instructions are further executable by the at least one processor to:

aggregate the availability metrics for each of the plurality of applications at a console for performance management.

15. A system for use in a distributed management framework comprising a plurality of applications, wherein each of the plurality of applications is configured to make function calls to standard programming functions, the system comprising:

means for inserting a respective agent into each of the plurality of applications upon a launch of each of the plurality of applications;

means for using the agents to intercept the function calls to the standard programming functions made by each of the plurality of applications, wherein each of the standard programming functions comprises memory functions and implementation program code which is located external to each of the plurality of applications calling the standard programming functions;

means for routing the function calls to alternative implementations of the standard programming functions, wherein each of the alternative implementations of the standard programming functions is internal to a respective each of the plurality of applications calling the standard programming functions;

means for executing one of the alternative implementations of the standard programming functions inside an application process of one of the plurality of applications instead of executing the implementation program code of the corresponding standard programming function, wherein the executed one of the alternative implementations of the standard programming functions replaces functionality of the corresponding standard programming function; and

means for using the alternative implementations of the standard programming functions to collect availability metrics for each of the plurality of applications.