JP2007520806A - Method, system, data processing system and computer program for monitoring system performance and communicating detailed system performance data via an advanced graphical user interface (method for multidimensional visual correlation of system management data ) - Google Patents

Abstract

The mechanism of the present invention provides an interface in the form of a graphical user interface (GUI) that communicates multiple layers of system performance data to the operator. The operator monitors this display of information and uses it to determine how to tune the system to optimize system performance. This mechanism of the present invention provides immediate feedback to the operator by displaying a trail of weighing points, which indicates the status of system performance over a period of time. In this way, the display mechanism of the present invention provides an immediate indication of whether the system is operating within a given margin, the results of performance adjustments made to the system, and the predictions or trends for the system. To the operator.

Description

  The present invention relates to computers and data processing systems, and more particularly to network computing. More particularly, the invention relates to monitoring system performance and communicating detailed system performance data through an advanced graphical user interface.

  Computers are increasingly becoming a necessity in modern life for both individuals and businesses. As the Internet emerges and the competition in the market continues to increase, stand-alone computers no longer provide the services and functions that users need. Many, if not most, companies need to share information among multiple groups, often in different cities or even in different countries. Networked computers are connected to each other by a gateway that handles data transfer and conversion of messages from the sending computer to the protocol used by the receiving computer (in packets if necessary). Providing information transfer between computers (sometimes not similar).

  As a result, as information sources continue to expand and grow, networks have become cultural fixtures as information sources. However, as the system continues to expand, its complexity has increased and network management has become difficult. For example, many companies use networks that include hundreds of thousands of devices rather than a few computers and devices. A system may include multiple interrelated components such as hardware, software, network, data, connections, databases, processes, and procedures. The process may use a variety of techniques of essentially different types. To manage these systems, an operator may monitor system performance to know where to update, configure, and tune the system to increase customer satisfaction.

  The current method of monitoring and displaying system performance information consists of providing a static type interface to the operator. Information is usually presented to the operator by a “stop light” or “speedometer” type display. However, these static interfaces only provide a brief overview of the current state of the system. To obtain more detailed information about a potential problem, the operator must access a report or printout that contains such additional information.

  Accordingly, it would be advantageous to have a method, apparatus, and computer program that provides an advanced display for conveying system performance data, thereby enabling multiple layers of system performance information to be quickly and efficiently provided. It is possible to communicate to the operator.

  The present invention provides a method, apparatus, and computer program for monitoring system performance. The mechanism of the present invention provides an interface in the form of a graphical user interface (GUI) that communicates multiple layers of system performance data to the operator. The operator monitors this display of information and uses it to determine how to tune the system to optimize system performance. This mechanism of the present invention provides immediate feedback to the operator by displaying a trail of weighing points, which indicates the status of system performance over a period of time. In this way, the display mechanism of the present invention provides an immediate indication of whether the system is operating within a given margin, the results of performance adjustments made to the system, and the predictions or trends for the system. To the operator. As a result, multiple layers of system performance information can be communicated to the operator quickly and efficiently.

  The novel features believed characteristic of the invention are set forth in the appended claims. However, the present invention itself, together with preferred modes of use, its further objects and advantages, will be best understood by reading the following detailed description of the exemplary embodiments in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

  Referring now to the figures, FIG. 1 depicts a pictorial diagram of a network of data processing systems in which the present invention may be implemented. The network data processing system 100 is a network of computers that can implement the present invention. The network data processing system 100 includes a network 102, which is a medium used to provide a communication link between various devices and computers connected together in the network data processing system 100. The network 102 may include connections such as wires, wireless communication links, or fiber optic cables.

  In the depicted example, server 104 is connected to network 102 along with storage unit 106. In addition, clients 108, 110, and 112 are connected to the network 102. These clients 108, 110, and 112 can be, for example, personal computers, transaction systems, or network computers. In the depicted example, server 104 provides data such as boot files, operating system images, and applications to clients 108-112. The clients 108, 110, and 112 are clients to the server 104, or applications to applications in the case of a transaction system. The network data processing system 100 can include additional servers, clients, and other devices not shown. In the depicted example, the network data processing system 100 is the Internet, and the network 102 is a network and gateway that uses, for example, the Transmission Control Protocol / Internet Protocol (TCP / IP) suite of protocols to communicate with each other. Represents the worldwide collection. At the heart of the Internet is a high-speed data communication line between major nodes or host computers consisting of thousands of commercial, governmental, educational, and other computer systems that route data and messages. There is a backbone. Of course, the network data processing system 100 may be implemented as several different types of networks, such as an intranet, a local area network (LAN), or a wide area network (WAN). FIG. 1 is intended as an example and not as a structural limitation for the present invention.

  The system may span one or more networks, such as network data processing system 100, for example. The system can also include multiple client-servers, client-to-client, and stand-alone data processing systems.

  With reference to FIG. 2, a block diagram of a data processing system is depicted that may be implemented as a server, such as server 104 of FIG. 1, in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention. Data processing system 200 preferably includes a graphical user interface (GUI) that may be implemented by system software residing on a computer readable medium operating within data processing system 200. Data processing system 200 may be a symmetric multiprocessor (SMP) system that includes a plurality of processors 202 and 204 connected to system bus 206. Alternatively, a single processor system can be used. A memory controller / cache 208 is also connected to the system bus 206, which provides an interface to the local memory 209. The I / O bus bridge 210 is connected to the system bus 206 and provides an interface to the I / O bus 212. Memory controller / cache 208 and I / O bus bridge 210 may be integrated as shown.

  A peripheral component interconnect (PCI) bus bridge 214 connected to the I / O bus 212 provides an interface to the PCI local bus 216. Several modems can be connected to the PCI local bus 216. A typical PCI bus implementation supports four PCI expansion slots or add-in connectors. Communication links to clients 108-112 in FIG. 1 may be provided through modem 218 and network adapter 220 connected to PCI local bus 216 through add-in boards.

  Additional PCI bus bridges 222 and 224 provide an interface for additional PCI local buses 226 and 228 from which additional modems or network adapters can be supported. In this way, the data processing system 200 allows connection to multiple network computers. A memory-mapped graphics adapter 230 and hard disk 232 may also be connected to the I / O bus 212 as shown, either directly or indirectly.

  Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the hardware depicted in FIG. 2 can vary. For example, other peripheral devices such as optical disk drives may be used in addition to or instead of the hardware shown. The depicted example is not intended to imply architectural limitations with respect to the present invention. The data processing system depicted in FIG. 2 is, for example, IBM's eServer, a product of International Business Machines of Armonk, New York, running the Advanced Interactive Executive (AIX) operating system or the Linux operating system. It may be a pSeries (registered trademark of IBM Corporation) system. With reference now to FIG. 3, a block diagram illustrating a data processing system in which the present invention may be implemented is depicted. Data processing system 300 is an example of a client computer. Data processing system 300 preferably includes a graphical user interface (GUI) that may be implemented by system software residing on a computer readable medium operating within data processing system 300. Data processing system 300 uses a peripheral component interconnect (PCI) local bus architecture. Although the illustrated example uses a PCI bus, other bus architectures such as Accelerated Graphics Port (AGP) and Industry Standard Architecture (ISA) can also be used. The processor 302 and the main memory 304 are connected to the PCI local bus 306 through the PCI bridge 308. The PCI bridge 308 can also include an integrated memory controller and cache memory for the processor 302. Additional connections to the PCI local bus 306 can be made through direct component interconnection or through add-in boards. In the illustrated example, a local area network (LAN) adapter 310, a SCSI host bus adapter 312, and an expansion bus interface 314 are connected to the PCI local bus 306 by direct component connection. In contrast, audio adapter 316, graphics adapter 318, and audio / video adapter 319 are connected to PCI local bus 306 by add-in boards inserted into expansion slots. Expansion bus interface 314 provides connections for keyboard and mouse adapter 320, modem 322, and additional memory 324. Small computer system interface (SCSI) host bus adapter 312 provides a connection for hard disk drive 326, tape drive 328, and CD-ROM drive 330. Typical PCI local bus implementations support 3 or 4 PCI expansion slots or add-in connectors.

  An operating system runs on processor 302 and coordinates and controls the various components in data processing system 300 of FIG. The operating system may be a commercially available operating system such as “Windows XP” (which is a trademark of Microsoft Corporation). An object oriented programming system, such as Java, can operate in conjunction with the operating system and provide calls to the operating system from a Java program or application executing on the data processing system 300. “Java” is a trademark of Sun Microsystems. Instructions for the operating system, object-oriented operating system, and applications or programs may be placed in a storage device such as hard disk drive 326 and loaded into main memory 304 for execution by processor 302.

  Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the hardware of FIG. 3 may vary depending on the implementation. Use other internal hardware or peripheral devices such as flash read-only memory (ROM), equivalent non-volatile memory, or optical disk drive in addition to or instead of the hardware depicted in FIG. Can do. The process of the present invention can also be applied to multiprocessor data processing systems.

  As another example, data processing system 300 may be a stand-alone system configured to be bootable without relying on any type of network communication interface. In another example, the data processing system 300 may be a personal digital assistant (PDA) device that provides non-volatile memory for storing operating system files and / or user-created data. And ROM or flash ROM or both.

  The example depicted in FIG. 3 and the above example are not intended to imply architectural limitations. For example, the data processing system 300 may be a notebook computer or handheld computer in addition to taking the form of a PDA.

  The present invention provides methods, apparatus, and instructions for monitoring system performance by providing an advanced display of system performance data. This advanced display provides the operator with a quick and efficient display of multiple layers of system performance information.

  In known system management systems, performance data is displayed to the operator using a static display of system performance.

  Although the current system management interface provides a quick overview of the current state of the system, operators can access reports or printouts containing this additional information to obtain more detailed information about potential problems. There must be.

  For example, one typical system performance data display uses a “stop light” display screen to communicate system information to the operator.

  The stoplight consists of green, yellow, and red lights, where the green represents “satisfactory” performance, yellow represents “improvement”, and red represents “unacceptable” performance. These colored lights can be used to indicate the current state of the system and whether the system is working within a set margin. For example, if the stoplight for a particular performance indicator in the display is green, the green light indicates that the system performance is within the acceptable range for that particular indicator, so the operator No action is required. If the stoplight for the performance indicator in the display is yellow, the system may have deviated from a predetermined goal and may need to be worried. Each change in the display screen is usually associated with an event or problem, and with the severity and action to be taken to improve the event. The action to improve the event may be triggered automatically, or the action may be performed manually by the operator to return the system to its original path to achieve the goal. Examples of possible actions include no action, warning message, email, or a page that informs the operator of the event, and an automatic system response such as starting a program that automatically improves the event. is there.

  If the stoplight for one performance indicator is red, the system may have deviated from a predetermined goal and may need to take immediate action. Service providers need to make immediate adjustments because they may have to penalize customers for unacceptable performance. However, the known stoplight display shown below in FIG. 4 merely tells whether the system is operating within a predetermined margin. If the operator wishes to obtain more detailed information about the problem identified from the stoplight criteria, the operator must access a report or printout to obtain that additional information. Referring now to FIG. 4, a known system management graphical user interface is shown. In particular, FIG. 4 shows a graphical user product of Produce Plus, a business performance management software product available from Golem Integrated Microelectronics Solutions GmbH in Vienna, Austria. Indicates the interface. The graphical user interface 400 may be implemented with the data processing system 200 of FIG. 2, or with the data processing system 300 shown in FIG. 3, or both. In this example interface, various system performance information is displayed on the graphical user interface 400. The performance information may include performance indicators for the assessment area, such as work production 402, quality 404, total effective efficiency 406, performance / efficiency 408, cost 410, labor performance 412, etc. Indicators are typically selected to focus on the most important assessment areas that an operator needs to optimize the system. An operator can view this performance information in the form of a “stoplight” display, such as the stoplight display 414, to determine if there is a problem with system performance. Once the operator has confirmed the problem, he can view the corresponding reports and printouts containing more detailed information to determine the adjustments to be made to system operation to correct the identified problem. An operator can determine how to adjust system operation by comparing detailed current system information with predetermined target information.

  As mentioned above, the present invention provides a graphical user interface through which multiple layers of system performance can be communicated to the operator. A display mechanism is provided that conveys a detailed display of current system performance. This mechanism provides immediate feedback to the operator by displaying a trail of weighing points, which indicates the status of system performance over a period of time. In this way, the display mechanism of the present invention provides an immediate indication of whether the system is operating within a given margin, the results of performance adjustments made to the system, and the predictions or trends for the system. To the operator. As a result, multiple layers of system performance information can be communicated to the operator quickly and efficiently.

  Turning now to FIG. 5, a representative diagram depicting a graphical user interface for monitoring system performance is depicted in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

  The graphical user interface 500 may be implemented in the data processing system 200 of FIG. 2, or in the data processing system 300 shown in FIG. 3, or both.

  As shown in FIG. 5, the graphical user interface provides multiple layers of system performance data quickly and efficiently in the form of targeted management vector displays. The management vector display 500 is shown as a target display having a vertical axis and a horizontal axis. Vertical axis 502 and horizontal axis 504 are attributes set by the operator, such as database response time, server connection time, proxy connection time, number of request / response headers delivered, and number of transactions per second. Draw. An industry baseline metric can be used when setting the attribute. The ideal or target operating state of the monitored area of the system is the point where the vertical axis 502 and horizontal axis 504 on the management vector display 500 intersect.

  The management vector display image 500 also includes three areas indicating the state of the system operation at a specific time. Each region may be drawn using different colors such as green, yellow, and red. Region 506 can represent “satisfactory” system performance, region 508 can represent “needs improvement”, and region 510 can represent “unacceptable” system performance.

  Region 506, the green region, includes the target operating state. The performance status of a particular area of the system at a particular time is indicated by a single dot or metering point on the management vector display 500. When a weighing point, such as weighing point 512, is within the green area 506, the system is considered to be working within an acceptable operating margin. In this state, the operator does not have to do anything.

  If a weighing point, such as weighing point 514, is within area 508, the yellow area, the system is determined to be outside acceptable operation. In order to return system performance to a satisfactory operating margin and back into the green area 506, adjustments to system operation may be recommended. If a metering point, such as metering point 516, is within red region 510, the system is determined to be outside of acceptable operation. Placing system operation in the red area 510 may result in a penalty for this “unacceptable” system performance, and in this situation the system operation needs to be adjusted immediately.

  Metering points 512, 514, 516 are used to indicate the current state of system performance at a particular time. As shown in FIG. 5, the weighing points 512, 514, and 516 draw a trail of state information determined at regular intervals. You can use this trail of state information to observe trends in system performance. The management vector display 500 displays these trends in a concise manner that allows multiple metrics, each having its own state trail or history, to be shown simultaneously on the management vector display 500.

  For example, each point in the management display image 500 can represent a system performance state that is periodically determined every hour. At the first time, the system performance is in the red area 510 as indicated by the metering point 516. At this time, the operator can adjust the system operation to move the system state from the red region 510 toward the target operation state. Subsequent metering points determined at regular intervals, such as metering points 514 in yellow region 508, indicate that system performance has improved after metering points 516 have been entered. Although the weighing point 514 is still in the yellow area 508, the weighing point 514 indicates that the system performance status has improved, but additional adjustments have been made to move the system status into an acceptable margin. It shows that it is necessary. The metering point 512 in the green area 506 indicates “acceptable” system performance over several constant time intervals.

  Management vector display 500 also provides information regarding the results of performance adjustments made to the system. For example, the weighing points 512, 514, 516 also indicate the state of the system over a period of time. An operator can use the metering trail to quickly see the changes made to system operation and determine the effect of those changes on system performance.

  As shown in FIG. 5, the closer the metering point is to the previous metering point, the slower the system changes over a period of time. Conversely, the farther away the measurement point is from the previous measurement point, the faster the change in the value of the measurement point. For example, the interval between the plurality of weighing points 512 in the green region 506 is narrow. Although the weighing point 512 is shown as having acceptable performance, the operator can make adjustments to system operation to bring the weighing point closer to the target operating state in the center of the green area 506. The small effects of these adjustments made over a period of time are conveyed through the weighing points 512, which show a slow rate of change because the weighing points 512 are entered close together. In contrast, the distance between weighing points 516 and 514 shows a large change in system performance over the same period of time. In some cases, when an operator adjusts system operating parameters to improve performance and move to a target operating state, those adjustments may be deliberate, such as drifting away from the target operating state. Have the potential to produce results that are not. The mechanism of the present invention provides multiple layers of system performance data to the operator quickly and efficiently including the current state of system performance, the results of previous performance adjustments, and future system performance predictions / trends. provide.

  Further, the vertical axis 502 and the horizontal axis 504 do not necessarily have a fixed ratio. The management vector display 500 can take any shape, including the circular target shape shown in FIG. Furthermore, the green area 506, the yellow area 508, and the red area 510 in the management vector display image 500 may have any size or shape. For example, it may be advantageous to allocate more space to the area having parameters to be treated by the operator.

  Management vector display 500, shown in FIG. 5 as a single system management display, is on a panel display with additional management vector displays each representing system performance and trends for a different set of variables. May be presented. In this way, the graphical user interface presented to the operator can include multiple target management vector displays on the same panel, each monitoring different areas of system performance. Turning now to FIG. 6, a flowchart of a process for presenting multiple layers of system performance data is depicted in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention. The process illustrated in FIG. 6 may be implemented in a data processing system such as data processing system 200 of FIG. 2 and / or data processing system 300 illustrated in the figure.

  The process begins by querying the current configuration for monitoring the system (step 602). The system configuration is obtained from a BIOS call, a configuration file, or a console or database. The configuration data can provide information such as which items to monitor, data polling intervals, where to send data, thresholds for one action, and what action to perform. Next, system data is monitored using instructions obtained from the BIOS call, configuration file, console, or database (step 604). System data may be polled at predetermined intervals according to the system configuration (step 606), or system data may be sent as an event. Thereafter, it is determined whether or not the retrieved data has a reporting value (step 608). Whether the data has reporting value depends on several criteria. For example, if the data is a copy, or if the user configuration indicates that the user is not interested in the data, the data has no reporting value and should be discarded. If the data is reportable, a determination is made as to which report should be used to convey the data and what information to include in the report (step 610). Returning to step 608, if the data is not reportable, the process proceeds directly to step 612, where the data is formatted and sent for display in the graphical user interface. If the data I approaches or crosses one of the displayed thresholds, an alarm may be issued. Each previously displayed data point is deemphasized using color or brightness, and the oldest point is most deemphasized. The number of displays that are maintained and before “gradually weakening” depends on the configuration of the display and the frequency of the updated data points. For data points that are updated more frequently, fewer points should be displayed to prevent clutter and improve comprehension of the trend direction of the data points. Next, a determination is made as to whether additional data has been received (step 614). If additional data is received, the process returns to step 606. If no additional data is received, the process ends.

  The mechanism of the present invention can also be enhanced to include additional system management parameters for the operator. These parameters include boundaries derived from service level agreements (SLAs) and organization action thresholds. A service level agreement is an informal contract between a service provider and a customer that defines the terms of the service provider's responsibility to the customer. Service level agreements also include the type and extent of compensation if those responsibilities are not met. Organization defines a set of rules for the process flow, where the process is performed according to these defined rules to achieve a common goal between the parties in the process. These rules can be used by the system to “organize responses” to changes in the system. Turning now to FIG. 7, a representative illustrating a graphical user interface for displaying acceptable parameters of system operation based on service level agreements and / or organized action thresholds in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention. The diagram is drawn. The graphical user interface 700 may be implemented in the data processing system 200 of FIG. 2 and / or the data processing system 300 shown in FIG.

  As shown in FIG. 7, the graphical user interface provides an additional layer of system management data, including service level agreements and / or organized action thresholds. Service level agreements and / or organized action thresholds are defined in the management vector display 700. As described also in FIG. 5, the management vector display image 700 includes three areas indicating the state of the system operation at a specific time. Each region may be drawn using distinct colors such as green, yellow, and red. Region 706 may indicate “satisfactory” system performance, region 708 may indicate “needs improvement”, and region 710 may indicate “unacceptable” system performance. The SLA boundary 718 presented in the management vector display image 700 represents the measurement boundary of the service level agreement at the current time point. Although the SLA boundary 718 is shown at a particular location on the management vector display 700, the SLA boundary 718 may change according to a predetermined period. For example, the operator can monitor the load and response time on the CPU using the service level agreement represented by the SLA boundary 718. Since the CPU load and response time can change according to customer usage, the boundaries of service level agreements can be changed according to a predetermined period. For example, the boundaries of service level agreements during periods where customer usage is expected to be large, such as normal work days, set for periods where customer usage is expected to be low, for example, around midnight. Perhaps different from the bounds.

  As described above, the performance status of a particular region of the system at a particular time is indicated by a single dot or metering point, such as metering point 716. An SLA boundary 718 representing the metering boundary of the service level agreement at the current time allows the operator to monitor and measure service level performance. Since weighing points, such as weighing point 716, are plotted on the management vector display 700, the operator can determine whether the system performance is in accordance with the service level agreement. If the weighing point is plotted outside the SLA boundary 718, the system is not operating within the predetermined operating parameters. As a result, the operator must adjust system operation to return the system to its original path to comply with the operating parameters defined in the service level agreement. Due to unacceptable performance, a penalty for not meeting the parameters of the agreement would also have to be paid.

  If the metering point is plotted within the SLA boundary 718, the system is currently operating within predetermined operating parameters and no penalty is incurred. For example, the weighing point 716 is plotted in the red area 710. Typically, if the system performance is in the red area 710, the operator will determine that the current system performance is unacceptable and a penalty will occur. However, since the metric point 716 is plotted within the current service level agreement boundary 700 even though the metric point 716 is within the red area 710, the operator can add an additional system information layer for the SLA boundary 718. Can be used to determine that system performance is still within an acceptable range. Thus, even though it appears that the system performance is unacceptable because the weighing point 716 is plotted in the red area 710, the operator can ensure that the system performance is within an acceptable range according to the parameters of the service level agreement. It can be quickly and efficiently determined that there is. An organized action boundary 720 presented in the management vector display 700 represents a metric boundary of the organized action threshold boundary at the current time. Although the organized action boundary 720 is shown at a specific location on the management vector display 700, the organized action boundary 720 may change depending on the demand for system resources. Organization allows users to operate their IT environment in real time according to a predetermined policy to achieve a desired goal. Organization “senses” the growing demand for resources and automatically takes action to reallocate these resources accordingly, supplying them to the entire system. Thus, the system “organizes” the operations necessary to automatically meet the required service level.

  The organizational boundary 720 determines whether automatic workflow correction is triggered or manual correction is required to adjust system performance. For example, when the weighing point 716 is plotted on the management vector display 700, the operator can determine that the weighing point is in the “unacceptable” red area 710 and needs to be adjusted immediately. . However, because the metering point 716 is outside the organization boundary 720, adjustments to the system are made automatically without operator intervention. Workflow correction is automatically triggered to reallocate system resources accordingly.

  In contrast, when the weighing point 714 is plotted on the management vector display 700, the operator is in the yellow area 708 that needs to be improved and that an adjustment should be made. Can be determined. However, since the metering point 714 is also within the organizing boundary 720, the operator must manually make the necessary adjustments to the system to improve system performance. Thus, the organization boundary 720 provides the operator with an additional layer of quick and efficient feedback regarding system performance, since organization allows the system to correct itself. Turning now to FIG. 8, a flowchart of a process for displaying acceptable parameters of system operation based on service level agreements and / or organized action thresholds is shown in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention. . The process illustrated in FIG. 8 may be implemented in a data processing system such as data processing system 200 of FIG. 2 and / or data processing system 300 illustrated in the figure.

  The process begins by monitoring the polled data using a real time monitoring agent (step 802). System performance data is obtained by polling system data, such as the polled data obtained in step 606 of FIG. 6, although other ways of obtaining system performance data may be used. The poll monitor may be a push or pull monitor (ie polling or message sending). The polled data can include information such as response time data from the server. Referring to terms and rules in SLA data, if the number of transactions is large and the transactions are valid under the SLA terms, the polled data may be averaged, or the polled data is the best Can be used as a case / worst case scenario. Next, SLA boundaries are calculated for the type of display graphic (eg, server response time) (step 804). SLA boundaries can be calculated using contract data (rules) in an SLA agreement. The contract data in the SLA agreement may be stored as XML (extensible markup language), for example, OASIS (Organization for the Structured StandardLandX). A status marker indicating system performance is updated based on the current state (step 806). For example, status markers may be updated like radar echo fading, but there are other update methods that indicate the current state of the system, such as using a color that fades using the rainbow scale. Is possible. In the radar echo example, the current system performance marker may be highlighted and the other preceding markers are faded by at least one increment. A determination is made whether the real-time monitor is still receiving polled data (step 808). If so, the process returns to step 802 and continues. Returning to step 808, if it is determined that the real-time monitor is no longer receiving polled data, the process ends.

  Thus, the present invention provides improved methods, apparatus, and computer instructions for monitoring system performance and communicating detailed system performance data via an advanced graphical user interface. . The mechanism of the present invention can help system operators to monitor and manage system performance, which can ultimately result in customer satisfaction. The mechanism of the present invention provides an interface in the form of a graphical user interface (GUI) that conveys multiple layers of system performance data to the operator. An operator monitors this display of information and uses it to determine how to tune the system to optimize system performance.

  Since the current method of monitoring and displaying system performance information consists of providing the operator with a static type interface, the present invention provides advantages over known system management systems. Known system performance displays, such as “stoplight” displays, are static and simply provide a brief overview of the current state of the system. The present invention improves the current system management display by providing an advanced graphical user interface for conveying system performance data, thereby enabling multiple layers of system performance information to be quickly and Can communicate efficiently.

  Although the present invention has been described in the context of a fully functional data processing system, the process of the present invention can be distributed in various forms and in computer readable media of instructions and is actually used to perform the distribution. It is important to note that those skilled in the art will understand that the present invention can be applied equally regardless of the specific type of signal bearing medium being used. Examples of computer readable media include recordable type media such as flexible disks, hard disk drives, RAM, CD-ROMs, DVD-ROMs, and transmission forms such as digital and analog communication links such as radio frequency transmission and lightwave transmission. And a transmission type medium such as a wired or wireless communication link to be used. The computer readable medium may take the form of encoded formats that are decoded for actual use in a particular data processing system. The description of the present invention has been presented for purposes of illustration and description, and is not intended to be exhaustive or limited to the invention in the form disclosed. Many modifications and variations will be apparent to practitioners skilled in this art. The embodiments best explain the principles, practical applications of the invention, and allow other persons skilled in the art to understand the invention with respect to various embodiments with various modifications suitable for the particular application envisaged. Selected and described to enable.

(1) A method for monitoring system performance and communicating acceptable parameters of system operation via an advanced graphical user interface, obtaining system performance data for determining the current state of the system; Determining a display graphic; calculating a permissible system behavior boundary for the display graphic; and system performance indicating system performance at a particular point in time based on the current state of the system Updating the status marker; and displaying the updated system performance status marker and an acceptable boundary for system operation in a targeted management vector display screen, the display screen comprising: System A method that includes an area that represents the level of system performance.
(2) The method according to (1), wherein the boundary is calculated using contract data in a service level agreement.

(3) The method according to (2), wherein the contract data is stored in an XML format.

(4) The method according to (2), wherein the boundary represents the current service level agreement.
(5) The method according to (2), wherein a boundary of the service level agreement is changed according to a predetermined period.
(6) The method according to (2), wherein the position of the system performance status marker with respect to the service level agreement boundary indicates whether system performance is in accordance with the service level agreement.

(7) The method according to (1), wherein the system performance status marker indicates the state of a specific area of the system at a specific time.

(8) The method of (1), wherein updating the status marker includes highlighting a current system performance status marker and fading the remaining system performance status markers by at least one increment .
(9) The method of (1) above, wherein the boundary of system operation is based on an organized action threshold.
(10) The method according to (9), wherein the organized action threshold boundary changes according to a system resource demand.
(11) If the current system performance status marker is outside the organized action threshold boundary, an automatic workflow correction is triggered to adjust system performance, (9) The method described in 1.
(12) The method according to (1), wherein obtaining the system performance data includes polling the system data.
(13) A system for monitoring system performance and communicating acceptable parameters of system operation via an advanced graphical user interface comprising: a graphical user interface; and a graphical user interface within the graphical user interface Including a targeted management vector display that identifies an area representing the level of system performance, a boundary indicating acceptable system operating parameters, and a state of system performance at a particular point in time. A system that includes system performance status markers.
(14) A data processing system for monitoring system performance and communicating acceptable parameters of system operation via an advanced graphical user interface, wherein the system performance determines the current state of the system Based on the current state of the system, obtaining means for obtaining data, determining means for determining a display graphic, calculating means for calculating permissible system operating boundaries for the display graphic, and Updating means for updating a system performance status marker indicating system performance at a particular time, and targeting the updated system performance status marker and the allowable boundaries of system operation. Management vector A data processing system including display means for displaying in a display screen, the display screen including an area representing a level of system performance.

(15) The data processing system according to (14), wherein the boundary is calculated using contract data in a service level agreement.
(16) The data processing system according to (15), wherein the contract data is stored in an XML format.
(17) The data processing system according to (15), wherein the boundary represents the current service level agreement.
(18) The data processing system according to (15), wherein the boundary of the service level agreement is changed according to a predetermined period.
(19) The data processing system according to (15), wherein the position of the system performance status marker with respect to the service level agreement boundary indicates whether system performance conforms to the service level agreement.
(20) The data processing system according to (14), wherein the system performance status marker indicates the state of a specific area of the system at a specific time.
(21) The update of the status marker includes highlighting the current system performance status marker and fading the remaining system performance status marker by at least one increment. Data processing system.
(22) The data processing system according to (14), wherein the boundary of the system operation is based on an organized action threshold.
(23) The data processing system according to (22), wherein the organized action threshold boundary changes according to a system resource demand.
(24) If the current system performance status marker is outside the organized action threshold boundary, an automatic workflow correction is triggered to adjust system performance, (22) The data processing system described in 1.
(25) The data processing system according to (14), wherein obtaining the system performance data includes polling the system data.
(26) A computer program in a computer readable medium for monitoring system performance and communicating acceptable parameters of system operation via an advanced graphical user interface, comprising the above (1) to ( A computer program comprising program code for performing the step of any of 12).

1 illustrates a network of data processing systems in which the present invention can be implemented. 1 is a block diagram of a data processing system that can be implemented as a server in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention. 1 is a block diagram of a data processing system in which the present invention can be implemented. 1 is a diagram of a known system management graphical user interface. FIG. FIG. 2 is an exemplary diagram illustrating a graphical user interface for monitoring system performance in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention. 2 is a flowchart of a process for presenting multiple layers of system performance data according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 6 is a representative diagram illustrating a graphical user interface for displaying acceptable parameters of system operation based on service level agreements and / or organized operation thresholds in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 6 is a flow chart of a process for displaying acceptable parameters for system operation based on service level agreements and / or organized operation thresholds in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

Claims (28)

  A method for monitoring system performance and communicating detailed system performance data via an advanced graphical user interface, obtained from the current monitoring configuration and querying the current monitoring configuration Monitoring system performance using instructions; polling system data according to the current monitoring configuration; and displaying the polled system data on a graphical user interface; The graphical user interface includes a target management vector display that includes an area that represents a level of system performance, and a metering point within the display that identifies the current state of system performance at a particular point in time. Including .   Determining whether the polled system data is reportable, selecting a report displaying the polled system data, and in the report in the polled system data The method of claim 1, further comprising identifying information to be displayed.   The method of claim 1, wherein the metric point in the targeted management vector display provides a performance state of a particular area of the system at a particular time.   The method of claim 1, wherein the management vector display provides information regarding performance tuning results for the system.   The method of claim 1, wherein a plurality of weighing points are used in the display screen to identify a trail of system state information determined at regular intervals.   6. The method of claim 5, wherein the metric trail is used to determine the effect of adjustments to system operation on system performance.   The method of claim 5, wherein the distance between successive metering points indicates the rate of change of system performance over a period of time.   The method of claim 1, wherein the targeted management vector display includes a vertical axis and a horizontal axis representing user-defined attributes.   The method of claim 8, wherein the user-defined attribute comprises a long running transaction.   The method of claim 8, wherein an industry baseline metric is used to set the attribute.   The method according to claim 8, wherein a target operation state of a specific area of the system is a point where the vertical axis and the horizontal axis intersect on the management vector display screen.   The target-type management vector display includes three regions, the first region exhibits satisfactory performance, the second region exhibits performance that requires improvement, and the third region exhibits unacceptable performance. The method described.   The method of claim 1, wherein the graphical user interface includes a plurality of targeted management vector display images, each display image representing a system performance for a different set of variables.   A system for monitoring system performance and communicating detailed system performance data via an advanced graphical user interface, the system comprising a graphical user interface and the graphical user interface A target management vector display image, wherein the display image includes an area representing a level of system performance, and the weighing point in the display image indicates a current system performance at a particular point in time. A system that identifies the condition.   A data processing system for monitoring system performance and communicating detailed system performance data via an advanced graphical user interface, comprising: query means for querying a current monitoring configuration; Monitoring means for monitoring system performance using instructions obtained from the monitoring configuration, polling means for polling system data in accordance with the current monitoring configuration, and graphically analyzing the polled system data Display means for displaying on a user interface, the graphical user interface comprising a targeted management vector display image including an area representing a level of system performance, and system performance at a particular point in time. Present Wherein and a metering point in the display image, the data processing system for identifying the state.   Determining whether the polled system data is reportable, selecting a report to display the polled system data, and in the report in the polled system data 16. The data processing system of claim 15, further comprising identifying information to be displayed.   16. The data processing system of claim 15, wherein the metric point in the targeted management vector display provides a performance state of a particular area of the system at a particular time.   The data processing system according to claim 15, wherein the management vector display image provides information regarding a result of performance adjustment for the system.   The data processing system according to claim 15, wherein a plurality of weighing points are used in the display screen to identify a trail of system state information determined at regular intervals.   The data processing system of claim 19, wherein the metric trail is used to determine the effect of adjustments to system operation on system performance.   20. A data processing system according to claim 19, wherein the distance between successive weighing points indicates the rate of change of system performance over a period of time.   The data processing system according to claim 15, wherein the target-type management vector display image includes a vertical axis and a horizontal axis representing user-defined attributes.   The data processing system of claim 22, wherein the user-defined attribute comprises a long running transaction.   The data processing system of claim 22, wherein an industry baseline metric is used to set the attribute.   23. The data processing system according to claim 22, wherein a target operation state of a specific area of the system is a point where the vertical axis and the horizontal axis intersect on the management vector display image.   16. The target-type management vector display image includes three regions, the first region shows satisfactory performance, the second region shows performance that needs improvement, and the third region shows unacceptable performance. The data processing system described.   16. The data processing system of claim 15, wherein the graphical user interface includes a plurality of targeted management vector display images, each display image representing system performance for a different set of variables.   14. A computer program in a computer readable medium for monitoring system performance and communicating detailed system performance data via an advanced graphical user interface, comprising: A computer program comprising program code for performing the steps of

Images