Abstract:
The present technology utilizes agents to monitor and report data from Java virtual machines (JVM) to a controller as part of application performance monitoring. When a JVM is loaded, code defining an interface for agents is loaded as well. A determination may be made as to whether the loaded agent implements the interface defined at the JVM. If the loaded agent does not implement the interface, for example if it is missing one or more methods defined by the interface, the agent class may be modified to define the missing methods. The modification to the agent class may be made after compilation but before the class is loaded into the JVM.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The World Wide Web has expanded to provide web services faster to consumers. Web services may be provided by a web application which uses one or more services to handle a transaction. The applications may be distributed over several machines, making the topology of the machines that provides the service more difficult to track and monitor. 
     When a distributed application has a performance issue, it may require more than one person to diagnose the cause and determine a solution. Gathering several people to diagnose a performance issue for a network application can be difficult. People are often in different locations and working from different computers. Problem solving performed over the phone, or using a network-based meeting service, makes it very difficult to collaborate ideas and determine solutions to performance issues in complex applications. 
     There is a need in the art for providing an improved collaboration system for working through performance issues in network based systems. 
     SUMMARY 
     The present technology provides a network-based collaborative problem solving space. The space may be considered a “virtual war room” that allows people to collaborate on a performance issue of a system being monitored by an application performance monitoring system. The virtual collaboration space may provide a virtual space for viewing streaming time series data related to an identified performance issue for a distributed business transaction. The virtual collaboration space may be initiated using a template that provides widgets of information associated with the performance issue. Multiple users can participate in the virtual collaboration space, configure widgets based on streaming data or metrics, post notes, invite others, and perform other functionality. 
     An embodiment may include a method for providing a virtual collaboration space. The method may receive a request by a server to initiate a collaborative interface based on a performance issue for a distributed business transaction executed over a plurality of servers. A collaborative interface template may be retrieved which is associated with the selected performance issue. One or more widgets of the retrieved template may be populated with data associated with the selected performance issue, the data including streaming time series data. Input may be received into the collaborative interface from a plurality of computers at remote locations. A first widget of the one or more widgets may be automatically updated based on the streaming time series data. 
     An embodiment may include a system for monitoring a business transaction. The system may include a processor, memory and one or more modules stored in memory and executable by the processor. When executed, the one or more modules may receive a request by a server to initiate a collaborative interface based on a performance issue for a distributed business transaction executed over a plurality of servers, retrieve a collaborative interface template associated with the selected performance issue, populate one or more widgets of the retrieved template with data associated with the selected performance issue, the data including streaming time series data, receive input into the collaborative interface from a plurality of computers at remote locations, and automatically update a first widget of the one or more widgets based on the streaming time series data. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a block diagram of an exemplary system for monitoring a distributed application. 
         FIG. 2  is a block diagram of a controller. 
         FIG. 3  is a method for initiating a virtual war room. 
         FIG. 4  is a method for managing a virtual war room. 
         FIG. 5  is an interface for initiating a virtual war room for a performance issue. 
         FIG. 6  is an interface for adding a widget to a virtual war room. 
         FIG. 7  is an interface providing dynamic time series data at a first point in time. 
         FIG. 8  is an interface providing dynamic time series data at a second point in time. 
         FIG. 9  is a block diagram of an exemplary system for implementing a computing device. 
         FIG. 10  is a block diagram of an exemplary system for implementing a mobile device. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     The present technology provides a network-based collaborative problem solving space. The space may be considered a “virtual war room” that allows people to collaborate on a performance issue of a system being monitored by an application performance monitoring system. The virtual war room or collaboration space may provide a virtual space for viewing streaming time series data related to an identified performance issue for a distributed business transaction. The virtual collaboration space may be initiated using a template that provides widgets of information associated with the performance issue. Multiple users can participate in the virtual collaboration space, configure widgets based on streaming data or metrics, post notes, invite others, and perform other functionality. 
       FIG. 1  is a block diagram of a system for monitoring a distributed application. The system of  FIG. 1  may be monitored by one or more agents, data may be collected during the monitoring, and performance issues may be identified for the distributed application. A virtual war room may be initiated to address the identified performance issue. 
     System  100  of  FIG. 1  includes client device  105  and  192 , mobile device  115 , network  120 , network server  125 , application servers  130 ,  140 ,  150  and  160 , asynchronous network machine  170 , data stores  180  and  185 , and controller  190 . 
     Client device  105  may include network browser  110  and be implemented as a computing device, such as for example a laptop, desktop, workstation, or some other computing device. Network browser  110  may be a client application for viewing content provided by an application server, such as application server  130  via network server  125  over network  120 . Mobile device  115  is connected to network  120  and may be implemented as a portable device suitable for receiving content over a network, such as for example a mobile phone, smart phone, tablet computer or other portable device. Both client device  105  and mobile device  115  may include hardware and/or software configured to access a web service provided by network server  125 . 
     Network  120  may facilitate communication of data between different servers, devices and machines. The network may be implemented as a private network, public network, intranet, the Internet, a Wi-Fi network, cellular network, or a combination of these networks. 
     Network server  125  is connected to network  120  and may receive and process requests received over network  120 . Network server  125  may be implemented as one or more servers implementing a network service. When network  120  is the Internet, network server  125  may be implemented as a web server. Network server  125  and application server  130  may be implemented on separate or the same server or machine. 
     Application server  130  communicates with network server  125 , application servers  140  and  150 , controller  190 . Application server  130  may also communicate with other machines and devices (not illustrated in  FIG. 1 ). Application server  130  may host an application or portions of a distributed application and include a virtual machine  132 , agent  134 , and other software modules. Application server  130  may be implemented as one server or multiple servers as illustrated in  FIG. 1 , and may implement both an application server and network server on a single machine. 
     Application server  130  may include applications in one or more of several platforms. For example, application server  130  may include a Java application, .NET application, PHP application, C++ application, AJAX, or other application. Different platforms are discussed below for purposes of example only. 
     Virtual machine  132  may be implemented by code running on one or more application servers. The code may implement computer programs, modules and data structures to implement, for example, a virtual machine mode for executing programs and applications. In some embodiments, more than one virtual machine  132  may execute on an application server  130 . A virtual machine may be implemented as a Java Virtual Machine (JVM). Virtual machine  132  may perform all or a portion of a business transaction performed by application servers comprising system  100 . A virtual machine may be considered one of several services that implement a web service. 
     Virtual machine  132  may be instrumented using byte code insertion, or byte code instrumentation, to modify the object code of the virtual machine. The instrumented object code may include code used to detect calls received by virtual machine  132 , calls sent by virtual machine  132 , and communicate with agent  134  during execution of an application on virtual machine  132 . Alternatively, other code may be byte code instrumented, such as code comprising an application which executes within virtual machine  132  or an application which may be executed on application server  130  and outside virtual machine  132 . 
     Agent  134  on application server  130  may be installed on application server  130  by instrumentation of object code, downloading the application to the server, or in some other manner. Agent  134  may be executed to monitor application server  130 , monitor virtual machine  132 , and communicate with byte instrumented code on application server  130 , virtual machine  132  or another application or program on application server  130 . Agent  134  may detect operations such as receiving calls and sending requests by application server  130  and virtual machine  132 . Agent  134  may receive data from instrumented code of the virtual machine  132 , process the data and transmit the data to controller  190 . Agent  134  may perform other operations related to monitoring virtual machine  132  and application server  130  as discussed herein. For example, agent  134  may identify other applications, share business transaction data, aggregate detected runtime data, and other operations. 
     Agent  134  may be a Java agent, .NET agent, PHP agent, or some other type of agent, for example based on the platform which the agent is installed on. 
     Each of application servers  140 ,  150  and  160  may include an application and an agent. Each application may run on the corresponding application server or a virtual machine. Each of virtual machines  142 ,  152  and  162  on application servers  140 - 160  may operate similarly to virtual machine  132  and host one or more applications which perform at least a portion of a distributed business transaction. Agents  144 ,  154  and  164  may monitor the virtual machines  142 - 162  or other software processing requests, collect and process data at runtime of the virtual machines, and communicate with controller  190 . The virtual machines  132 ,  142 ,  152  and  162  may communicate with each other as part of performing a distributed transaction. In particular each virtual machine may call any application or method of another virtual machine. 
     Asynchronous network machine  170  may engage in asynchronous communications with one or more application servers, such as application server  150  and  160 . For example, application server  150  may transmit several calls or messages to an asynchronous network machine. Rather than communicate back to application server  150 , the asynchronous network machine may process the messages and eventually provide a response, such as a processed message, to application server  160 . Because there is no return message from the asynchronous network machine to application server  150 , the communications between them are asynchronous. 
     Data stores  180  and  185  may each be accessed by application servers such as application server  150 . Data store  185  may also be accessed by application server  150 . Each of data stores  180  and  185  may store data, process data, and return queries received from an application server. Each of data stores  180  and  185  may or may not include an agent. 
     Controller  190  may control and manage monitoring of business transactions distributed over application servers  130 - 160 . Controller  190  may receive runtime data from each of agents  134 - 164 , associate portions of business transaction data, communicate with agents to configure collection of runtime data, and provide performance data and reporting through an interface. The interface may be viewed as a web-based interface viewable by mobile device  115 , client device  105 , or some other device. In some embodiments, a client device  192  may directly communicate with controller  190  to view an interface for monitoring data. 
     Controller  190  may install an agent into one or more virtual machines and/or application servers  130 . Controller  190  may receive correlation configuration data, such as an object, a method, or class identifier, from a user through client device  192 . 
     Controller  190  may collect and monitor customer usage data collected by agents on customer application servers and analyze the data. The controller may report the analyzed data via one or more interfaces, including but not limited to a dashboard interface and one or more reports. 
     Data collection server  195  may communicate with client  105 ,  115  (not shown in  FIG. 1 ), and controller  190 , as well as other machines in the system of  FIG. 1 . Data collection server  195  may receive data associated with monitoring a client request at client  105  (or mobile device  115 ) and may store and aggregate the data. The stored and/or aggregated data may be provided to controller  190  for reporting to a user. 
       FIG. 2  is a block diagram of a controller. Controller  200  includes data analysis module  210  and virtual war room engine  220 . Data analysis module  210  may receive data from one or more agents installed on one more remote machines implementing a distributed business transaction. Data analysis module  210  may analyze the data to determine performance issues in portions of the distributed business transaction, such as a particular node, tier, application, method of other portion in the dynamic execution path of the business application. 
     Collaboration space engine  220  may provide the collaborative space for problem solving a detected performance issue. The collaboration space engine  220  may load a template associated with the performance issue and populate the template with widgets and data associated with the performance issue. For example, for a backend performance issue, a template associated with the backend performance issue may include a graphical representation of streaming time series data for response times of the backend, an indication of the CPU usage, and the violation of any health rules that apply to the backend. 
       FIG. 3  is a method for initiating a virtual war room. First, a distributed business transaction may be monitored at step  305 . The monitoring may be performed by one or more agents installed on one or more servers that implement the distributed business transaction. 
     Data regarding performance and events for the distributed business transaction may be collected at step  310 . The data may be collected by agents on the servers implementing the transaction and reported to a controller by each agent. The reported data may or may not be aggregated. 
     The collected data may be analyzed by the controller to detect any performance issues for distributed business transaction. A performance issue may be determined, for example, as a portion of the transaction that is determined to be slower than a baseline average time for that portion to complete, an error condition, an unresponsive application or machine, or some other issue with performance of the distributed business transaction. 
     The performance issues may be reported at step  320 . Reporting the performance issues may include providing a list of issues found in the business transaction, a graphical representation of the issues, or some other communication of the issues. 
     A request to initiate a virtual collaboration space is received by the controller at step  325 . In some instances, the request can be received through a selection received through an interface.  FIG. 5  is an interface for initiating a virtual war room for a performance issue. The interface of FIGURE includes a list of performance issues with column data such as type, summary and time. Also included is a graphical indicator providing a severity level for each performance issue. In the example of  FIG. 5 , when a user positions a mouse over a line associated with a performance issue and provides input such as a mouse right click, a menu of selectable options may appear. The menu may include a selection that initiates a virtual collaboration space (i.e., virtual war room). 
     Once the request to initiate the virtual collaboration space is received, the space may be provided at step  330 . Providing the virtual collaboration space may include loading a template with widgets, providing war room functionality to participants, and saving the resulting virtual collaboration space as a template. More details for providing the virtual collaborative space is discussed with respect to the method of  FIG. 4 . 
       FIG. 4  is a method for managing a virtual war room. The method of  FIG. 4  provides more detail for step  330  of the method of  FIG. 3 . A determination is made as to whether a virtual collaboration space template exists for the selected performance issue. If no template exists, a default template is loaded into the virtual space at step  415 . The virtual space may be an empty virtual space or pre-loaded with one or more widgets that may be commonly used for many performance issues. The method then continues to step  420 . If a template does exist, the template for the selected performance issue is accessed at step  410  and the method continues to step  420 . 
     The template, if any, is populated with data associated with selected performance issue data at step  420 . The data may include streaming time series data that dynamically updates within the template. The template may also include one or more widgets that were found helpful by one or more people who addressed the selected performance issue previously. 
     Widgets are configured based on user input at step  425 . Configuring a widget may include selecting the particular widget and data type to display by the widget (streaming time series or metric), selecting the source of the data to display in the widget, and other configuration. 
       FIG. 6  is an interface for adding a widget to a virtual war room. The interface  600  includes a widget selection menu  690  and exemplary widgets  610 ,  620 ,  630 , and  640 . When a widget is dragged from menu  690 , it appears on the virtual space of interface  600 . When the new widget is then selected, options for populating the new widget with data are provided. The options include selecting an application, a timer series or metric, and other data to enable the widget to supply data. 
     The widgets in interface  600  may each display different data related to a performance issue. For example, widget  610  is a single metric display, widget  620  is a status light, and widget  630  is a streaming time series graph. Widget  640  also provides streaming time series data in graphical format. 
     Virtual collaboration space functionality is provided based on user input at step  430 . The functionality may include chatting, sharing a link to the virtual space, passing or sharing membership with another participant, and other features. 
     In the interface of  FIG. 6 , chatting conversations between participants are shown in portion  670  of the interface. The chatting may be configured such that anyone in the virtual space may chat, and messages that are positive are in green (“The business transaction status seems ok”), messages that are negative are in red (“The average response time seems to be taking too long”), and neutral messages are in grey (“I don&#39;t think the backend is an issue here.”) 
     Widgets may be dynamically updated with time series data at step  435 . The data provided in the widget will change over time as the streaming data collected and provided by the controller changes.  FIG. 7  is an interface providing dynamic time series data at a first point in time. In interface  700 , a first time series graph  710  and second time series graph illustrate data at a first period of time. The data in interface  700  has a time window from about 4:00 PM-4:30 pm. 
       FIG. 8  is an interface providing dynamic time series data at a second point in time. The interface  800  is the same interface as that in  FIG. 7  but includes data is more up to date—the provided data has a time window of between 4:24 and 4:35 pm or 5:00 pm. As can be seen, there may be a visually detectable change in time series data 
     Returning to  FIG. 4 , a request to end the virtual collaborate room is received at step  440 . A determination may be made as to whether a widget configuration should be saved as a template for selected performance issue at step  445 . If the widget configuration should not be saved, the virtual collaboration space ends without saving a template at step  455 . If the widget configuration should be saved as a template, the template is saved with an association to the particular performance issue at step  450 . The virtual collaboration space then ends at step  455 . 
       FIG. 9  illustrates an exemplary computing system  900  that may be used to implement a computing device for use with the present technology. System  900  of  FIG. 9  may be implemented in the contexts of the likes of clients  105  and  192 , network server  125 , application servers  130 - 160 , data stores  180 - 185 , and controller  190 . The computing system  900  of  FIG. 9  includes one or more processors  994  and memory  94 . Main memory  994  stores, in part, instructions and data for execution by processor  94 . Main memory  994  can store the executable code when in operation. The system  900  of  FIG. 9  further includes a mass storage device  930 , portable storage medium drive(s)  940 , output devices  950 , user input devices  960 , a graphics display  970 , and peripheral devices  980 . 
     The components shown in  FIG. 9  are depicted as being connected via a single bus  990 . However, the components may be connected through one or more data transport means. For example, processor unit  94  and main memory  94  may be connected via a local microprocessor bus, and the mass storage device  930 , peripheral device(s)  980 , portable storage device  940 , and display system  970  may be connected via one or more input/output (I/O) buses. 
     Mass storage device  930 , which may be implemented with a magnetic disk drive or an optical disk drive, is a non-volatile storage device for storing data and instructions for use by processor unit  94 . Mass storage device  930  can store the system software for implementing embodiments of the present invention for purposes of loading that software into main memory  94 . 
     Portable storage device  940  operates in conjunction with a portable non-volatile storage medium, such as a floppy disk, compact disk or Digital video disc, to input and output data and code to and from the computer system  900  of  FIG. 9 . The system software for implementing embodiments of the present invention may be stored on such a portable medium and input to the computer system  900  via the portable storage device  940 . 
     Input devices  960  provide a portion of a user interface. Input devices  960  may include an alpha-numeric keypad, such as a keyboard, for inputting alpha-numeric and other information, or a pointing device, such as a mouse, a trackball, stylus, or cursor direction keys. Additionally, the system  900  as shown in  FIG. 9  includes output devices  950 . Examples of suitable output devices include speakers, printers, network interfaces, and monitors. 
     Display system  970  may include a liquid crystal display (LCD) or other suitable display device. Display system  970  receives textual and graphical information, and processes the information for output to the display device. 
     Peripherals  980  may include any type of computer support device to add additional functionality to the computer system. For example, peripheral device(s)  980  may include a modem or a router. 
     The components contained in the computer system  900  of  FIG. 9  are those typically found in computer systems that may be suitable for use with embodiments of the present invention and are intended to represent a broad category of such computer components that are well known in the art. Thus, the computer system  900  of  FIG. 9  can be a personal computer, hand held computing device, telephone, mobile computing device, workstation, server, minicomputer, mainframe computer, or any other computing device. The computer can also include different bus configurations, networked platforms, multi-processor platforms, etc. Various operating systems can be used including Unix, Linux, Windows, Macintosh OS, Palm OS, and other suitable operating systems. 
       FIG. 10  illustrates an exemplary mobile device system  1000  that may be used to implement a mobile device for use with the present technology, such as for mobile device  115 . The mobile device  1000  of  FIG. 10  includes one or more processors  105  and memory  1012 . Memory  1012  stores, in part, programs, instructions and data for execution and processing by processor  105 . The system  1000  of  FIG. 10  further includes storage  1014 , one or more antennas  1016 , a display system  1018 , inputs  1020 , one or more microphones  1022 , and one or more speakers  1024 . 
     The components shown in  FIG. 10  are depicted as being connected via a single bus  1026 . However, the components  105 - 524  may be connected through one or more data transport means. For example, processor unit  105  and main memory  1012  may be connected via a local microprocessor bus, and storage  1014 , display system  1018 , input  1020 , and microphone  1022  and speaker  1024  may be connected via one or more input/output (I/O) buses. 
     Memory  1012  may include local memory such as RAM and ROM, portable memory in the form of an insertable memory card or other attachment (e.g., via universal serial bus), a magnetic disk drive or an optical disk drive, a form of FLASH or PROM memory, or other electronic storage medium. Memory  1012  can store the system software for implementing embodiments of the present invention for purposes of loading that software into main memory  105 . 
     Antenna  1016  may include one or more antennas for communicating wirelessly with another device. Antenna  1016  may be used, for example, to communicate wirelessly via Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, with a cellular network, or with other wireless protocols and systems. The one or more antennas may be controlled by a processor  105 , which may include a controller, to transmit and receive wireless signals. For example, processor  105  execute programs stored in memory  1012  to control antenna  1016  transmit a wireless signal to a cellular network and receive a wireless signal from a cellular network. 
     Display system  1018  may include a liquid crystal display (LCD), a touch screen display, or other suitable display device. Display system  1070  may be controlled to display textual and graphical information and output to text and graphics through a display device. When implemented with a touch screen display, the display system may receive input and transmit the input to processor  105  and memory  1012 . 
     Input devices  1020  provide a portion of a user interface. Input devices  1060  may include an alpha-numeric keypad, such as a keyboard, for inputting alpha-numeric and other information, buttons or switches, a trackball, stylus, or cursor direction keys. 
     Microphone  1022  may include one or more microphone devices which transmit captured acoustic signals to processor  105  and memory  1012 . The acoustic signals may be processed to transmit over a network via antenna  1016 . 
     Speaker  1024  may provide an audio output for mobile device  1000 . For example, a signal received at antenna  1016  may be processed by a program stored in memory  1012  and executed by processor  105 . The output of the executed program may be provided to speaker  1024  which provides audio. Additionally, processor  105  may generate an audio signal, for example an audible alert, and output the audible alert through speaker  1024 . 
     The mobile device system  1000  as shown in  FIG. 10  may include devices and components in addition to those illustrated in  FIG. 10 . For example, mobile device system  1000  may include an additional network interface such as a universal serial bus (USB) port. 
     The components contained in the computer system  1000  of  FIG. 10  are those typically found in mobile device systems that may be suitable for use with embodiments of the present invention and are intended to represent a broad category of such mobile device components that are well known in the art. Thus, the computer system  1000  of  FIG. 10  can be a cellular phone, smart phone, hand held computing device, minicomputer, or any other computing device. The mobile device can also include different bus configurations, networked platforms, multi-processor platforms, etc. Various operating systems can be used including Unix, Linux, Windows, Macintosh OS, Google OS, Palm OS, and other suitable operating systems. 
     The foregoing detailed description of the technology herein has been presented for purposes of illustration and description. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the technology to the precise form disclosed. Many modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teaching. The described embodiments were chosen in order to best explain the principles of the technology and its practical application to thereby enable others skilled in the art to best utilize the technology in various embodiments and with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated. It is intended that the scope of the technology be defined by the claims appended hereto.