US6108700A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Application end-to-end response time measurement and decomposition
Assignee: International Business Machines Corp
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Filing: 1997-08-01
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Granted: 2000-08-22
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Expires: 2017-08-01
Abstract
Abstract A method, computer program product and a program storage device embodying software for measuring of the response time of an application (including distributed applications in a client/server or Internet environment) as perceived by an end-user. One aspect deals with the measurement of components of the response time and relating those components to user response time. In addition, the components of one transaction can be matched (or correlated) to each other even though they are measured on different systems. The generation of events and transactions can be controlled, allowing their creation to occur as close to their point of origin as practical. Both aggregate and detail reporting facilities provide overall performance and availability information as well as exceptions and/or detail transactions including the decomposition of overall availability and performance metrics into smaller measurements representing the contribution made by select transaction components. An interactive reporting facility enables the selection of a level of transaction decomposition desired. This enables the identification of the transaction components that are introducing delays or faults. The system is extensible, enabling the addition of components to the system that extend its measurement and reporting capabilities. In particular, a language has been created to facilitate the definition of the end-to-end business application transactions. Also, select APIs as well as application data structures allow the addition of software and/or hardware modules to extend the system. The system can also adapt to the presence or absence of select streams of events without having to change its mode of operation. Measurement sources that generate events can be dynamically activated and deactivated.
Inventors
- 👤 Mark M. Maccabee
- 👤 W. Nathaniel Mills, III
- 👤 John Joseph Edward Turek
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-03 08:59
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04L; H04L41/00; H04L41/50; H04L41/5003; H04L41/06; H04L41/0631; G; G06; G06F; G06F11/00; G06F11/30; G06F11/34; G06F11/3409; G06F11/3419; G06F11/3466; G06F11/3495; G06F2201/00; G06F2201/805; G06F2201/86; G06F2201/87; H04L41/5009; H04L41/5012; H04L41/5032
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 39
Claim 1
Independent Claim
87 words
In a system wherein a client requests services involving a multistage computer process, a method for service level management of the process, comprising the steps of: defining events describing the potential stages of the process; monitoring and recording events describing the actual stages of the process; correlating and collating recorded events into one or more transactions describing service level attributes and the actual stages of the process; and reporting the service level attributes for one or more stages of the process from the one or more transactions.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
87 words
In a system wherein a client requests services involving a multistage computer process, a method for service level management of the process, comprising the steps of: defining events describing the potential stages of the process; monitoring and recording events describing the actual stages of the process; correlating and collating recorded events into one or more transactions describing service level attributes and the actual stages of the process; and reporting the service level attributes for one or more stages of the process from the one or more transactions.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
28 words
The method of claim 1, wherein said reporting further comprises the step of describing the service level attributes in terms of one of performance, capacity, utilization and availability.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
26 words
The method of claim 1, wherein said correlating and collating further comprises the step of aggregating the recorded events into a subtransaction associated with the process.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
23 words
The method of claim 1, wherein said reporting further comprises the step of aggregating multiple transactions; and reporting statistics for the multiple transactions.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
17 words
The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of defining a transaction as rules linking events.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
47 words
The method of claim 5, further comprising the steps of: deriving the rules from an external transaction definition; generating one or more transactions to be reported on, said transactions based on derived rules, wherein said monitoring and recording events are limited to events necessary for said reporting.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
45 words
The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of: sensors comparing a change in state against rules for generating events; and generating an event according to the rules, the event describing the change in state, an event identifier, a time stamp, and correlation data.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
33 words
The method of claim 1, wherein the process is a business transaction, further comprising the steps of: decomposing the business transaction into subtransactions; and reporting the service level attributes associated with the subtransactions.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
34 words
The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of: decomposing the process into one or more levels of subtransactions; and said reporting includes the step of interactively reporting a requested level of decomposition.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
37 words
The method of claim 1, for extending the measurement or reporting facilities of the system, further comprising the steps of: providing APIs and application data structures for defining new events; providing a language for defining new transactions.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
96 words
The method of claim 1, wherein said correlating and collating recorded events into transactions comprises the steps of: determining if the recorded events starts the transaction and storing the recorded event within the transaction according to predefined transaction generation rules and controls; linking the recorded event to events stored within the transaction according to predefined transaction generation rules and controls; determining if the recorded event completes the transaction, linking and storing the recorded event with the transaction; and storing a completed transaction in response to said determining; wherein said reporting is in response to said storing.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
48 words
The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of: dynamically activating a collection of additional sensor events and deactivating the collection of sensor events; said sensors generating said additional events; and said monitoring and recording includes monitoring and recording said additional events, in response to said generating.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
105 words
A program storage device readable by a machine, tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by the machine to perform method steps for a service level management of client requests for services involving a multistage computer process, said method steps comprising the steps of: defining events describing the potential stages of the process; monitoring and recording events describing the actual stages of the process; correlating and collating recorded events into one or more transactions describing service level attributes and the actual stages of the process; and reporting the service level attributes for one or more stages of the process from the one or more transactions.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
105 words
A program storage device readable by a machine, tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by the machine to perform method steps for a service level management of client requests for services involving a multistage computer process, said method steps comprising the steps of: defining events describing the potential stages of the process; monitoring and recording events describing the actual stages of the process; correlating and collating recorded events into one or more transactions describing service level attributes and the actual stages of the process; and reporting the service level attributes for one or more stages of the process from the one or more transactions.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
30 words
The program storage device of claim 13, wherein said reporting further comprises the step of describing the service level attributes in terms of one of performance, capacity, utilization and availability.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
28 words
The program storage device of claim 13, wherein said correlating and collating further comprises the step of aggregating the recorded events into a subtransaction associated with the process.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
25 words
The program storage device of claim 13, wherein said reporting further comprises the step of aggregating multiple transactions; and reporting statistics for the multiple transactions.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
19 words
The program storage device of claim 13, further comprising the step of defining a transaction as rules linking events.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
49 words
The program storage device of claim 17, further comprising the steps of: deriving the rules from an external transaction definition; generating one or more transactions to be reported on, said transactions based on derived rules, wherein said monitoring and recording events are limited to events necessary for said reporting.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
47 words
The program storage device of claim 13, further comprising the steps of: sensors comparing a change in state against rules for generating events; and generating an event according to the rules, the event describing the change in state, an event identifier, a time stamp, and correlation data.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
35 words
The program storage device of claim 13, wherein the process is a business transaction, further comprising the steps of: decomposing the business transaction into subtransactions; and reporting the service level attributes associated with the subtransactions.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
36 words
The program storage device of claim 13, further comprising the steps of: decomposing the process into one or more levels of subtransactions; and said reporting includes the step of interactively reporting a requested level of decomposition.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
39 words
The program storage device of claim 13, for extending the measurement or reporting facilities of the system, further comprising the steps of: providing APIs and application data structures for defining new events; providing a language for defining new transactions.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
98 words
The program storage device of claim 13, wherein said correlating and collating recorded events into transactions comprises the steps of: determining if the recorded events starts the transaction and storing the recorded event within the transaction according to predefined transaction generation rules and controls; linking the recorded event to events stored within the transaction according to predefined transaction generation rules and controls; determining if the recorded event completes the transaction, linking and storing the recorded event with the transaction; and storing a completed transaction in response to said determining; wherein said reporting is in response to said storing.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
50 words
The program storage device of claim 13, further comprising the steps of: dynamically activating a collection of additional sensor events and deactivating the collection of sensor events; said sensors generating said additional events; and said monitoring and recording includes monitoring and recording said additional events, in response to said generating.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
128 words
A computer program product comprising: computer usable medium having computer readable program code means embodied therein for a service level management of client requests for services involving a multistage computer process, the computer readable program code means in said computer program product comprising: computer readable program code means for defining events describing the potential stages of the process; computer readable program code means for monitoring and recording events describing the actual stages of the process; computer readable program code means for correlating and collating recorded events into one or more transactions describing service level attributes and the actual stages of the process; and computer readable program code means for reporting the service level attributes for one or more stages of the process from the one or more transactions.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
128 words
A computer program product comprising: computer usable medium having computer readable program code means embodied therein for a service level management of client requests for services involving a multistage computer process, the computer readable program code means in said computer program product comprising: computer readable program code means for defining events describing the potential stages of the process; computer readable program code means for monitoring and recording events describing the actual stages of the process; computer readable program code means for correlating and collating recorded events into one or more transactions describing service level attributes and the actual stages of the process; and computer readable program code means for reporting the service level attributes for one or more stages of the process from the one or more transactions.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
39 words
The computer program product of claim 25, wherein said computer readable program code means for reporting further comprises computer readable program code means for describing the service level attributes in terms of one of performance, capacity, utilization and availability.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
37 words
The computer program product of claim 25, wherein said computer readable program code means for correlating and collating further comprises computer readable program code means for aggregating the recorded events into a subtransaction associated with the process.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
34 words
The computer program product of claim 25, wherein said computer readable program code means for reporting further comprises computer readable program code means for aggregating multiple transactions; and reporting statistics for the multiple transactions.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
22 words
The computer program product of claim 25, further comprising computer readable program code means for defining a transaction as rules linking events.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
64 words
The computer program product of claim 29, further comprising: computer readable program code means for deriving the rules from an external transaction definition; computer readable program code means for generating one or more transactions to be reported on, said transactions based on derived rules; wherein said computer readable program code means for monitoring and recording events are limited to events necessary for said reporting.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
55 words
The computer program product of claim 25, further comprising: computer readable program code means for comparing a change in state against rules for generating events; and computer readable program code means for generating an event according to the rules, the event describing the change in state, an event identifier, a time stamp, and correlation data.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
44 words
The computer program product of claim 25, wherein the process is a business transaction, further comprising: computer readable program code means for decomposing the business transaction into subtransactions; and computer readable program code means for reporting the service level attributes associated with the subtransactions.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
48 words
The computer program product of claim 25, further comprising: computer readable program code means for decomposing the process into one or more levels of subtransactions; and said computer readable program code means for reporting includes computer readable program code means for interactively reporting a requested level of decomposition.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
42 words
The computer program product of claim 25, for extending the measurement or reporting facilities of the system, further comprising: computer readable program APIs and application data structures for defining new events; and computer readable program code language means for defining new transactions.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
125 words
The computer program product of claim 25, wherein said computer readable program code means for correlating and collating recorded events into transactions comprises: computer readable program code means for determining if the recorded events starts the transaction and storing the recorded event within the transaction according to predefined transaction generation rules and controls; computer readable program code means for linking the recorded event to events stored within the transaction according to predefined transaction generation rules and controls; computer readable program code means for determining if the recorded event completes the transaction, linking and storing the recorded event with the transaction; and computer readable program code means for storing a completed transaction in response to said determining; wherein said reporting is in response to said storing.
Claim 39
Dependent Claim
75 words
The computer program product of claim 25, further comprising: computer readable program code means for dynamically activating a collection of additional sensor events and deactivating the collection of sensor events; computer readable program code means for generating said additional events; and said computer readable program code means for monitoring and recording includes computer readable program code means for monitoring and recording said additional events, in response to said computer readable program code means for generating.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2003-08-22 | 2004-02-21 | 2004-08-22 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2007-08-22 | 2008-02-21 | 2008-08-22 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2011-08-22 | 2012-02-21 | 2012-08-22 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |