Resource-aware system, method and program product for managing request traffic based on a management policy

• US 7,986,625 B2
• Filed: 12/10/2002
• Issued: 07/26/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 12/10/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Telford, Richard D., Chase, Jeffrey S., Kaminsky, David L., Doyle, Ronald P., Ogle, David M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Grey; Christopher P
• Application Number:
  US10/315,339
• Publication Number:
  US 20040109410A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,150 Days
• Field of Search: 370229-235, 370/236, 370/236.1, 370/236.2, 370/252, 370/253, 370/395.21, 3229-235, 709223-226
• US Class Current: 370/231
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0816 the condition being an adaptation, e.g. in response to network events
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0893 Assignment of logical groups to network elements
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0894 Policy-based network configuration management
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/14 Network analysis or design
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/149 for prediction of maintenance
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/5025 by proactively reacting to service quality change, e.g. by reconfiguration after service quality degradation or upgrade
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/00 Arrangements for monitoring or testing data switching networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/16 Threshold monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/70 Admission control; Resource allocation

Abstract

Under the present invention, the performance of a set of system resources is monitored in response to incoming request traffic. When a system resource is approaching an overload condition, a corrective action is identified and implemented. Overload thresholds for each system resource and appropriate corrective actions are contained within a management policy. Based on a performance history of the corrective actions, the management policy can be changed/revised.

Claims

1. A resource-aware system for managing request traffic based on a management policy, comprising:

a node comprising;

an analyzer system individually monitoring a performance, responsive to the request traffic, of each of a plurality of system resources in a set of system resources, every system resource in the set of system resources being of a different hardware type and handle handling a portion of the request traffic, and

determine when at least one of the set of system resources is approaching an overload condition based on the management policy and a monitored performance of the at least one of the set of system resources; and

a planning system identifying and implementing a corrective action to avoid the overload condition, the corrective action including

restricting selected requests, having a first load characteristic, handled by the at least one of the system resources approaching the overload condition without restricting other requests, having a second load characteristic lower than the first load characteristic, handled by the at least one system resource,

the restricting based upon the respective load characteristics, wherein the corrective action is identified based on the at least one system resource that is approaching the overload condition and the management policy, and wherein the corrective action comprises adjusting a queue priority of a type of request in the request traffic based on the at least one system resource that is approaching the overload condition.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising

a learning system configured to change the management policy based on a performance history of the implemented corrective action.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein

the learning system works in conjunction with the analyzer system to monitor the performance history of the implemented corrective action.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein

the management policy contains overload thresholds and corrective actions to be taken.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the corrective action further comprises excluding at least one request in the request traffic based on the at least one system resource that is approaching the overload condition.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the corrective action further comprises limiting a type of request in the request traffic based on a consumption of the at least one system resource that is approaching the overload condition.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein

the set of system resources for which performance is monitored includes a storage device, a server and a network.

8. A resource-aware method executed by a computer device for managing request traffic based on a management policy, comprising:

receiving the request traffic;

individually monitoring a performance, responsive to the request traffic, of each of a plurality of system resources in a set of system resources, every system resource in the set of system resources being of a different hardware type and handling a portion of the request traffic;

determining when at least one of the set of system resources is approaching an overload condition based on the management policy, and a monitored performance of the at least one of the set of system resources;

identifying a corrective action to avoid the overload condition based on the at least one system resource that is approaching the overload condition and the management policy; and

restricting selected incoming requests, having a first load characteristic, handled by the at least one of the system resources approaching the overload condition without restricting other incoming requests, having a second load characteristic lower than the first load characteristic, handled by the at least one system resource, the restricting based upon the respective load characteristics, wherein the corrective action comprises adjusting a queue priority of a type of request in the request traffic based on the at least one system resource that is approaching the overload condition.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising

changing the management policy based on a performance history of the corrective action.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein

the management policy contains overload thresholds and corrective actions to be taken.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein the corrective action further comprises excluding at least one request in the request traffic based on the at least one system resource that is approaching the overload condition.

12. The method of claim 8, wherein the corrective action further comprises limiting a type of request in the request traffic based on a consumption of the at least one system resource that is approaching the overload condition.

13. The method of claim 8, wherein

the set of system resources for which performance is monitored includes a storage device, a server and a network.

14. A program product including a computer recordable storage device having stored therein computer usable program code for managing request traffic based on a management policy, the computer usable program code which when executed by a computer hardware device, causes the computer to perform receiving the request traffic;

individually monitoring a performance, responsive to the request traffic, of each of a plurality of system resources in a set of system resources, every system resource in the set of system resources being of a different hardware type and handling a portion of the request traffic;

determining when at least one of the set of system resources is approaching an overload condition based on the management policy, and a monitored performance of the at least one of the set of system resources;

identifying a corrective action to avoid the overload condition based on the at least one system resource that is approaching the overload condition and the management policy; and

restricting selected incoming requests, having a first load characteristic, handled by the at least one of the system resources approaching the overload condition without restricting other incoming requests, having a second load characteristic lower than the first load characteristic, handled by the at least one system resource, the restricting based upon the respective load characteristics, wherein the corrective action comprises adjusting a queue priority of a type of request in the request traffic based on the system resource that is approaching the overload condition.

15. The program product of claim 14, further comprising program code for changing the management policy based on a performance history of the corrective action.

16. The program product of claim 15, wherein the program code for changing the management policy works in conjunction with the program code for monitoring to monitor the performance history of the corrective action.

17. The program product of claim 14, wherein the management policy contains overload thresholds and corrective actions to be taken.

18. The program product of claim 14, wherein the corrective action further comprises excluding at least one request in the request traffic based on the at least one system resource that is approaching the overload condition.

19. The program product of claim 14, wherein the corrective action further comprises limiting a type of request in the request traffic based on a consumption of the at least one system resource that is approaching the overload condition.

20. The program product of claim 14, wherein the set of system resources for which performance is monitored includes a storage device, a server and a network.