System and method for monitoring the performance of a server
View Patent ↗A monitoring tool requests traceable information from a server. Such traceable information preferably includes traceable events and associated columns. The monitoring tool preferably generates a display of the traceable information, from which a user may select information to be traced. The monitoring tool requests a trace of the selected information. The trace is preferably displayed to the user, and the user may use the trace to identify and correct problems occurring at the server.
1. A method of communication between a monitoring tool and a server for requesting traceable information, the method comprising:
providing a schema to the server, wherein
a first-level element corresponds to a definition of a trace, the first level element comprising:
a first second-level element corresponding to information about the server;
a second second-level element corresponding to traceable events, the traceable events being events occurring at the server; and
a third second-level element corresponding to traceable columns, the traceable columns being associated with the traceable events and including data describing the traceable events; and
receiving from the server data formatted according to the schema.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first second-level element comprises:
a first third-level element corresponding to a name of the server;
a second third-level element corresponding to a type of the server; and
a third third-level element corresponding to a version of the server.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the second second-level element corresponds to a list of categories of the traceable events.
4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the second second-level element comprises a plurality of third-level elements each corresponding to a category of traceable events in the list.
5. The method of claim 4 , wherein each third-level element comprises:
a first fourth-level element corresponding to a name of the category;
a second fourth-level element corresponding to a description of the category;
a third fourth-level element corresponding to a type of the category; and
a fourth fourth-level element corresponding to a list of traceable events in the category of events.
6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the fourth fourth-level element comprises a plurality of fifth-level elements each corresponding to a traceable event in the list of traceable events.
7. The method of claim 6 , wherein each fifth-level element comprises:
a first sixth-level element corresponding to a name of the event;
a second sixth-level element corresponding to a description of the event;
a third sixth-level element corresponding to an identifier of the event; and
a fourth sixth-level element corresponding to a list of traceable columns associated with the event.
8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the identifier of the event is selected from a plurality of ranges of identifiers.
9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the plurality of ranges of identifiers comprises:
a first range of identifiers corresponding to trace special events;
a second range of identifiers corresponding to monitoring tool special events; and
a third range of identifiers corresponding to server defined events.
10. The method of claim 7 , wherein the fourth sixth-level element comprises a plurality of seventh-level elements, each corresponding to a traceable column in the list of traceable columns.
11. The method of claim 10 , wherein each seventh-level element comprises a first eighth-level element corresponding to an identifier of the column.
12. The method of claim 2 , wherein the third second-level element corresponds to a list of the traceable columns.
13. The method of claim 2 , wherein the third second-level element comprises a plurality of third-level elements each corresponding to a traceable column in the list.
14. The method of claim 13 , wherein each third-level element comprises:
a first fourth-level element corresponding to a name of the column;
a second fourth-level element corresponding to a description of the column;
a third fourth-level element corresponding to a type of the column;
a fourth fourth-level element corresponding to an identifier of the column;
a fifth fourth-level element corresponding to an indication of whether the column is filterable; and
a sixth fourth-level element corresponding to an indication of whether the column is repeatable.
15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the identifier is selected from a plurality of ranges of identifiers.
16. The method of claim 15 , wherein the plurality of ranges of identifiers comprises:
a first range of identifiers corresponding to trace special columns;
a second range of identifiers corresponding to monitoring tool special columns;
a third range of identifiers corresponding to predetermined columns; and
a fourth range of identifiers corresponding to server defined columns.
17. A method of communication between a server and a monitoring tool for providing a trace of selected events and associated columns to the monitoring tool, the method comprising:
formatting data from the server into a stream of data comprising a plurality of data fields, each data field corresponding to a selected event and comprising:
a first field corresponding to a trace begin record special column;
a second field corresponding to a length of the trace begin record special column;
a third field corresponding to an identifier of the event;
a fourth field corresponding to a length of the event; and
a plurality of sets of fields each corresponding to an associated column; and
sending the data to the monitoring tool.
18. The method of claim 17 , wherein each set of fields comprises:
a fifth field corresponding to an identifier of the column;
a sixth field corresponding to a length of the column; and
a seventh field corresponding to data stored in the column.
19. The method of claim 17 , wherein the stream of data further comprises a header field.