Application performance monitoring expert

• US 6,801,940 B1
• Filed: 01/11/2002
• Issued: 10/05/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 01/10/2002
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Network General Technology
• Original Assignee: Networks Associates Technology, Inc. (McAfee, LLC)
• Inventors: Liubinskas, Tauras, Moran, Mike, Goral, Jack
• Primary Examiner(s): Jean, Frantz B.
• Assistant Examiner(s): DINH, KHANH Q
• Application Number:
  US10/045,773
• Time in Patent Office: 998 Days
• Field of Search: 709/203, 709/216, 709/218, 709/220, 709/223, 709/224, 709/225, 709/226, 709/228, 709/235, 705/1, 370/245, 370/230, 370/329, 714/25
• US Class Current: 709/224
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/10 Flow control; Congestion control
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/2433 Allocation of priorities to traffic types
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/2441 relying on flow classification, e.g. using integrated services [IntServ]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/2458 Modification of priorities while in transit
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/29 using a combination of thresholds
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/326 with random discard, e.g. random early discard [RED]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/745 Reaction in network
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/762 triggered by the network
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 49/90 Buffering arrangements

Abstract

A system, method, and computer program product are provided for expert application performance analysis. An application is monitored. Performance data is gathered during the monitoring. A set of metrics is generated based on the performance data. A performance of the application is measured from at least one of a client perspective, a server perspective, and a network perspective using the metrics.

Claims

1. A method for expert application performance analysis, comprising:

receiving a set of enabled applications;

monitoring a network for traffic related to the enabled applications;

filtering performance data relating to the enabled applications from the network traffic;

categorizing the performance data into flows;

prioritizing the flows;

processing the flows based on the priority;

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generating a set of metrics in real time based on the processed flows;

measuring a performance of the applications from a;

client perspective,

a server perspective, and

a network perspective using the metrics; and

performing threshold-based actions based on the metrics;

wherein the performance data is gathered for transaction-oriented transactions, stream-oriented transactions, and throughput-oriented transactions;

wherein the metrics generated for the transaction-oriented transactions include a command time per transaction, a response time per transaction, an elapsed time from a start of a command to a start of a response, an elapsed time from a start of a command to an end of a response, and a number of failures;

wherein the metrics generated for the stream-oriented transactions include a type of service expected during setup, a type of service actually received, a number of transactions, a number of successful transactions, and a ratio for an accumulated time of disrupted service over transaction time;

wherein the metrics generated for the throughput-oriented transactions include a number of transactions, a number of successful transactions, throughput calculations per transaction, byte rate during the transaction, and response size; and

identifying application subtypes within the application;

wherein flows of the performance data are prioritized;

wherein multiple applications are monitored;

wherein each of the applications is monitored simultaneously when in a flat mode;

wherein each of the applications is monitored sequentially when in a roving mode;

wherein the sequential monitoring is based on an allotted amount of time.

2. A method as set forth in claim 1, wherein an application server module is included.

3. A method as set forth in claim 2, wherein the application server module includes a system controller, administrative functions, and a user interface.

4. A method as set forth in claim 1, wherein a gigabit Ethernet media module is included.

5. A method as set forth in claim 4, wherein the gigabit Ethernet media module includes an analysis engine, and expert applications.

6. A method as set forth in claim 1, wherein a probe enclosure is included.

7. A method as set forth in claim 6, wherein the probe enclosure houses an application server module and a media module.

8. A method as set forth in claim 1, wherein a shelf enclosure is included.

9. A method as set forth in claim 8, wherein the shelf enclosure houses an application server module and a plurality of media modules.

10. A system for expert application performance analysis capable of carrying out a method, the method comprising:

receiving a set of enabled applications;

monitoring a network for traffic related to the enabled applications;

filtering performance data relating to the enabled applications from the network traffic;

categorizing the performance data into flows;

prioritizing the flows;

processing the flows based on the priority;

generating a set of metrics in real time based on the processed flows;

measuring a performance of the applications from a;

client perspective,

a server perspective, and

a network perspective using the metrics; and

performing threshold-based actions based on the metrics;

wherein the performance data is gathered for transaction-oriented transactions, stream-oriented transactions, and throughput-oriented transactions;

wherein the metrics generated for the transaction-oriented transactions include a command time per transaction, a response time per transaction, an elapsed time from a start of a command to a start of a response, an elapsed time from a start of a command to an end of a response, and a number of failures;

wherein the metrics generated for the stream-oriented transactions include a type of service expected during setup, a type of service actually received, a number of transactions, a number of successful transactions, and a ratio for an accumulated time of disrupted service over transaction time;

wherein the metrics generated for the throughput-oriented transactions include a number of transactions, a number of successful transactions, throughput calculations per transaction, byte rate during the transaction, and response size; and

identifying application subtypes within the application;

wherein flows of the performance data are prioritized;

wherein multiple applications are monitored;

wherein each of the applications is monitored simultaneously when in a flat mode;

wherein each of the applications is monitored sequentially when in a roving mode;

wherein the sequential monitoring is based on an allotted amount of time.

11. A system as set forth in claim 10, wherein an application server module is included.

12. A system as set forth in claim 11, wherein the application server module includes a system controller, administrative functions, and a user interface.

13. A system as set forth in claim 10, wherein a gigabit Ethernet media module is included.

14. A system as set forth in claim 13, wherein the gigabit Ethernet media module includes an analysis engine, and expert applications.

15. A system as set forth in claim 10, wherein a probe enclosure is included.

16. A system as set forth in claim 15, wherein the probe enclosure houses an application server module and a media module.

17. A method as set forth in claim 10, wherein a shelf enclosure is included.

18. A method as set forth in claim 17, wherein the shelf enclosure houses an application server module and a plurality of media modules.

19. A computer program product embodied on a computer readable medium for expert application performance analysis capable of carrying out a method, the method comprising:

receiving a set of enabled applications;

monitoring a network for traffic related to the enabled applications;

filtering performance data relating to the enabled applications from the network traffic;

categorizing the performance data into flows;

prioritizing the flows;

processing the flows based on the priority;

generating a set of metrics in real time based on the processed flows;

measuring a performance of the applications from a;

client perspective,

a server perspective, and

a network perspective using the metrics; and

performing threshold-based actions based on the metrics;

wherein the performance data is gathered for transaction-oriented transactions, stream-oriented transactions, and throughput-oriented transactions;

wherein the metrics generated for the transaction-oriented transactions include a command time per transaction, a response time per transaction, an elapsed time from a start of a command to a start of a response, an elapsed time from a start of a command to an end of a response, and a number of failures;

wherein the metrics generated for the stream-oriented transactions include a type of service expected during setup, a type of service actually received, a number of transactions, a number of successful transactions, and a ratio for an accumulated time of disrupted service over transaction time;

wherein the metrics generated for the throughput-oriented transactions include a number of transactions, a number of successful transactions, throughput calculations per transaction, byte rate during the transaction, and response size; and

identifying application subtypes within the application;

wherein flows of the performance data are prioritized;

wherein multiple applications are monitored;

wherein each of the applications is monitored simultaneously when in a flat mode;

wherein each of the applications is monitored sequentially when in a roving mode;

wherein the sequential monitoring is based on an allotted amount of time.