Patent Document

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION(S) 
       [0001]    This application claims the benefit of United States provisional patent application Ser. No. 61/348,204, filed May 25, 2010, the entire content of which is incorporated by reference herein. 
     
    
     TECHNICAL FIELD 
       [0002]    The following relates to data processing systems and processes, and more particularly relates to systems and processes for collecting performance data for multiple tenants in a multi-tenant database system environment. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0003]    Modern software development is evolving away from the client-server model toward “cloud”-based processing systems that provide access to data and services via the Internet or other networks. In contrast to prior systems that hosted networked applications on dedicated server hardware, the cloud computing model allows applications to be provided over the network “as a service” supplied by an infrastructure provider. The infrastructure provider typically abstracts the underlying hardware and other resources used to deliver a customer-developed application so that the customer no longer needs to operate and support dedicated server hardware. The cloud computing model can often provide substantial cost savings to the customer over the life of the application because the customer no longer needs to provide dedicated network infrastructure, electrical and temperature controls, physical security and other logistics in support of dedicated server hardware. 
         [0004]    Although multi-tenant platforms can provide substantial benefits, they can be relatively difficult to design and develop. The often competing demands of integration and isolation between tenants, for example, can lead to any number of challenges in design and implementation. Furthermore, because the multiple tenants are sharing the same infrastructure, it can be difficult to determine usage and performance data for each tenant. For example, it may be desirable to monitor user the usage and performance data to accurately bill each tenant for the amount of infrastructure resources actually used. 
     
    
     
       DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIGURES 
         [0005]    Exemplary embodiments will hereinafter be described in conjunction with the following drawing figures, wherein like numerals denote like elements, and 
           [0006]      FIG. 1  is a block diagram of an exemplary multi-tenant data processing system; 
           [0007]      FIG. 2  is a block diagram of another exemplary multi-tenant data processing system; and 
           [0008]      FIG. 3  is a flow chart illustrating an exemplary method of collecting performance data in a multi-tenant data processing system. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0009]    According to various exemplary embodiments, systems and methods are provided to automatically collect usage and performance data for each tenant in a multi-tenant database system environment. 
         [0010]    Turning now to  FIG. 1 , an exemplary multi-tenant application system  100  suitably includes a server  102  that dynamically creates virtual applications  128 A-B based upon data  132  from a common database  130  that is shared between multiple tenants. The server  102  may be referred to as, for example, an origin application server. Data and services generated by the virtual applications  128 A-B are provided via network  145  to any number of client devices  140 A-B, as desired. Each virtual application  128 A-B is suitably generated at run-time using a common platform  110  that securely provides access to data  132  in database  130  for each of the various tenants subscribing to system  100 . The multi-tenant application system  100  may also include any number of content delivery networks (“CDNs”)  160 A-B, as desired. The CDNs  160 A-B may contain a copy of at least some of the data  132  which may be accessible via the network  145  as described in further detail below. The multi-tenant application system  100  may also employ any number of proxy servers  170 A-B which may be used to direct traffic between the server  102  and the CDNs  160 A-B. 
         [0011]    A “tenant” generally refers to a group of users that shares access to common data within database  130 . Tenants may represent customers, customer departments, business or legal organizations, and/or any other entities that maintain data for particular sets of users within system  100 . Although multiple tenants may share access to a common server  102  and database  130 , the particular data and services provided from server  102  to each tenant can be securely isolated from those provided to other tenants, as described more fully below. The multi-tenant architecture therefore allows different sets of users to share functionality without necessarily sharing each other&#39;s data  132 . 
         [0012]    Database  130  is any sort of repository or other data storage system capable of storing and managing data  132  associated with any number of tenants. Database  130  may be implemented using any type of conventional database server hardware. In various embodiments, database  130  shares processing hardware  104  with server  102 . In other embodiments, database  130  is implemented using separate physical and/or virtual database server hardware that communicates with server  102  to perform the various functions described herein. 
         [0013]    Server  102  is implemented using one or more actual and/or virtual computing systems that collectively provide a dynamic application platform  110  for generating virtual applications  128 A-B. Server  102  operates with any sort of conventional computing hardware  104 , such as any processor  105 , memory  106 , input/output features  107  and the like. Processor  105  may be implemented using one or more of microprocessors, microcontrollers, processing cores and/or other computing resources spread across any number of distributed or integrated systems, including any number of “cloud-based” or other virtual systems. Memory  106  represents any non-transitory short or long term storage capable of storing programming instructions for execution on processor  105 , including any sort of random access memory (RAM), read only memory (ROM), flash memory, magnetic or optical mass storage, and/or the like. Input/output features  107  represent conventional interfaces to networks (e.g., to network  145 , or any other local area, wide area or other network), mass storage, display devices, data entry devices and/or the like. In a typical embodiment, application platform  110  gains access to processing resources, communications interfaces and other features of hardware  104  using any sort of conventional or proprietary operating system  108 . As noted above, server  102  may be implemented using a cluster of actual and/or virtual servers operating in conjunction with each other, typically in association with conventional network communications, cluster management, load balancing and other features as appropriate. 
         [0014]    When the data and services generated by the virtual applications  128 A-B are provided via network  145  to the any number of client devices  140 A-B a log of each event is stored in Log  150 . As discussed above, some of the data  132  stored in the database  130  may also be stored in any number of CDNs  160 A-B. CDNs are usually deployed in multiple locations, often over multiple backbones. These CDNs  160 A-B cooperate with each other, the server  102  and any proxy servers  17 A-B to satisfy requests for content by end users of client devices  140 A-B, transparently moving content to optimize the delivery process. Optimization can take the form of reducing bandwidth costs, improving end-user performance (reducing page load times and improving user experience), or increasing global availability of content. Similar to the log  150  in server  102 , the CDNs  160 A-B each have a log  162 A-B storing a log of each event. Each proxy server  172 A-B may also have a log for storing events. 
         [0015]    The logs (log  150 ,  162 A-B and  172 A-B) may record when an action occurs. For example, an entry may be added to a logs whenever a page is viewed or bandwidth is used on the respective server. The logs may also increment a counter associated with a page whenever the page is viewed. A tier may also be associated with each action by the respective server. The tier associated with the page view will often depend upon the content on the page. Any number of tiers can be associated with the page views. The logs may also store a bandwidth consumed by each page view and and/or a request time associated with each page request. In another embodiment, the logs  150 ,  162 A-B and  172 A-B may store a request time, the time the respective server within the multi-tenant application system  100  takes to serve a customer request. 
         [0016]    The server  102  collects performance data from logs  150 ,  162 A-b and/or  172 A-B and aggregates the data into a single database as described in further detail below. In another embodiment, a separate billing server (not illustrated) may collect the performance data from server  102 , the CDNs  160 A-B and any proxy servers  170 A-B. In one embodiment, for example, the proxy servers  170 A-B may be reverse proxy servers. 
         [0017]      FIG. 2  illustrates another exemplary multi-tenant application system  200  in accordance with an embodiment. The multi-tenant application system  200  includes client devices  140 A-B, network  145 , CDNs  160 A-B and proxy servers  170 A-B similar to those described above. The multi-tenant application system  200  further includes a server  102  that dynamically creates virtual applications  128 A-B based upon data  132  from a common database  130  that is shared between multiple tenants. Data and services generated by the virtual applications  128 A-B are provided via network  145  to any number of client devices  140 A-B, as desired. Each virtual application  128 A-B is suitably generated at run-time using a common platform  110  that securely provides access to data  132  in database  130  for each of the various tenants subscribing to system  100 . 
         [0018]    Data  132  may be organized and formatted in any manner to support multi-tenant application platform  110 . In various embodiments, data  132  is suitably organized into a relatively small number of large data tables to maintain a semi-amorphous “heap”-type format. Data  132  can then be organized as needed for a particular virtual application  128 A-B. In various embodiments, conventional data relationships are established using any number of pivot tables  234  that establish indexing, uniqueness, relationships between entities, and/or other aspects of conventional database organization as desired. 
         [0019]    Further data manipulation and report formatting is generally performed at run-time using a variety of meta-data constructs. Metadata within a universal data directory (UDD)  236 , for example, can be used to describe any number of forms, reports, workflows, user access privileges, business logic and other constructs that are common to multiple tenants. Tenant-specific formatting, functions and other constructs may be maintained as tenant-specific metadata  238 A-B for each tenant, as desired. Rather than forcing data  132  into an inflexible global structure that is common to all tenants and applications, then, database  130  is organized to be relatively amorphous, with tables  234  and metadata  236 - 238  providing additional structure on an as-needed basis. To that end, application platform  110  suitably uses tables  234  and/or metadata  236 ,  238  to generate “virtual” components of applications  128 A-B to logically obtain, process, and present the relatively amorphous data  132  from database  130 . 
         [0020]    Application platform  110  is any sort of software application or other data processing engine that generates virtual applications  128 A-B that provide data and/or services to client devices  140 A-B. Virtual applications  128 A-B are typically generated at run-time in response to queries received from client devices  140 A-B. In the example illustrated in  FIG. 2 , application platform  110  includes a bulk data processing engine  212 , a query generator  214 , a search engine  216  that provides text indexing and other search functionality, and a runtime application generator  220 . Each of these features may be implemented as a separate process or other module, and many equivalent embodiments could include different and/or additional features, components or other modules as desired. 
         [0021]    Runtime application generator  220  dynamically builds and executes virtual applications  128 A-B in response to specific requests received from client devices  140 A-B. Virtual applications  128 A-B created by tenants are typically constructed in accordance with tenant-specific metadata  238 , which describes the particular tables, reports, interfaces and/or other features of the particular application. In various embodiments, each virtual application  128 A-B generates dynamic web content that can be served to a browser or other client program  142 A-B associated with client device  140 A-B, as appropriate. 
         [0022]    Application generator  220  suitably interacts with query generator  214  to efficiently obtain multi-tenant data  132  from database  130  as needed. In a typical embodiment, query generator  214  considers the identity of the user requesting a particular function, and then builds and executes queries to database  130  using system-wide metadata  236 , tenant specific metadata  238 , pivot tables  234  and/or any other available resources. Query generator  214  in this example therefore maintains security of the multi-tenant database  130  by ensuring that queries are consistent with access privileges granted to the user that initiated the request. 
         [0023]    Data processing engine  212  performs bulk processing operations on data  132  such as uploads or downloads, updates, online transaction processing and/or the like. In many embodiments, less urgent bulk processing of data  132  can be scheduled to occur as processing resources become available, thereby giving priority to more urgent data processing by query generator  214 , search engine  216 , virtual applications  128 A-B and/or the like. Again, the various components, modules and inter-relationships of other application platforms  120  may vary from the particular examples described herein. 
         [0024]    In operation, then, developers use application platform  110  to create data-driven virtual applications  128 A-B for the tenants that they support. Such applications  128 A-B may make use of interface features such as tenant-specific screens  224 , universal screens  222  or the like. Any number of tenant-specific and/or universal objects  226  may also be available for integration into tenant-developed applications  128 A-B. Data  132  associated with each application  128 A-B is provided to database  130 , as appropriate, and stored until requested, along with metadata  138  that describes the particular features (e.g., reports, tables, functions, etc.) of tenant-specific application  128 A-B until needed. 
         [0025]    Data and services provided by server  102  can be retrieved using any sort of personal computer, mobile telephone, tablet or other network-enabled client device  140  on network  145 . Typically, the user operates a conventional browser or other client program  242  to contact server  102  via network  145  using, for example, the hypertext transport protocol (HTTP) or the like. The user typically authenticates his or her identity to the server  102  to obtain a session identification (“SessionlD”) that identifies the user in subsequent communications with server  102 . When the identified user requests access to a virtual application  128 A-B, application generator  220  suitably creates the application at run time based upon metadata  236  and  238 , as appropriate. Query generator  214  suitably obtains the requested data  132  from database  130  as needed to populate the tables, reports or other features of virtual application  128 A-B. As noted above, the virtual application  128 A-B may contain Java, ActiveX or other content that can be presented using conventional client software  142 A-B running on client device  140 A-B; other embodiments may simply provide dynamic web or other content that can be presented and viewed by the user, as desired. 
         [0026]    Whenever a request is received by a server connected to the multi-tenant application system  200  (i.e., server  102 , CND  160 A-B, proxy server  170 A-B, etc), the respective server creates a log entry in a respective log. The servers within the multi-tenant application system  200  may log page views, bandwidth usage, request time and any other usage or performance data as needed. 
         [0027]      FIG. 3  illustrates a method  300  for collecting performance data in accordance with an embodiment. The server  102  obtains the page views from each log (e.g. logs  150 ,  162 A-B,  172 , etc.). (Step  310 ). The server  102  may obtain the page views at any time and at any frequency. In one embodiment, for example, the server  102  may obtain the page views at a predetermined time each day. The server  102  may obtain the page views once per day, multiple times per day, once per week, multiple times per week, once per month and/or multiple times each month. The server  102  may then obtain the bandwidth values stored in each log (e.g. logs  150 ,  162 A-B,  172 , etc.). (Step  320 ). The server  102  may obtain the bandwidth values simultaneously with the pages views or at a separate time (before or after). The bandwidth values may be obtained at the same frequency as the page views or at a different frequency. In one embodiment, for example, the bandwidth values may be obtained one hour after the server  102  obtains the page views. 
         [0028]    The server  102  may obtain the page views and bandwidth values for any predetermined period of time. In one embodiment, for example, the frequency at which the page views and bandwidth values are obtained may differ from the period of time the page views and bandwidth values are obtained. For example, in one embodiment the server  102  may obtain page view and bandwidth values once a day, each time obtaining the data, for example, for the past two days or three days. By obtaining the same data multiple times over different days, the server  102  may verify that the data is correct and that there have been no changes, as discussed in further detail below. 
         [0029]    If the server  102  fails to obtain the data from any one of the servers (CDNs, proxy servers, etc) at steps  310  or  320 , the server  102  can try to re-obtain the data. (Steps  312  and  322 ). The server  102  may try to re-obtain the data immediately after the failed attempt, or at a subsequent time. In one embodiment, if the server  102  fails to obtain data from one of the CDNs, for example, the server  102  may increase the amount of data captured on a subsequent obtain. For example, if the server  102  failed in an attempt to obtain the past two days values for page views, the server  102  in the subsequent obtain may attempt to obtain the past three days values for page views. 
         [0030]    If the logs are recording events which the server  102  is uninterested in, the server  102  may filter the page views and bandwidth data obtained from the logs. (Step  330 ). For example, for billing purposes the server  102  may not be interested in static content (e.g., images, JavaScript, css files) or AJAX requests. In another embodiment, for example, the server  102  may also filter out test data. If the server is monitoring performance, other types of page views may be filtered. Furthermore, the filtering may be done on a tenant-by-tenant fashion. For example, certain events may be filtered for one tenant based upon filtering settings associated with that tenant, but the event may not be filtered for another tenant. The filtering can be performed by any known manner. For example, in one embodiment the server  102  may perform the filtering by analyzing a uniform resource locator (“URL”) associated with each page view and bandwidth value. In another embodiment only the page views may be filtered. The server  102  may, for example, parse a URL associated with a page view to determine a type associated with the page view. The server  102 , at step  330 , may also associate a tier with each page view based upon the type associated with each page view. In one embodiment, for example, a page which is associated with media content my have a higher tier than a page which is associated with plain text. The tiers, for example, may be billed at different rates, or may be used to partition the data into different performance categories. 
         [0031]    In another embodiment an identification code identifying a content type may be stored with each entry in the logs (e.g. logs  150 ,  162 A-B,  172 , etc.). The server may obtain the identification code and filter the obtained information based upon the identification code. In yet another embodiment the server  102  may only obtain logged events with a predefined set of identification codes. 
         [0032]    The server  102  may then determine which tenant is associated with each entry in the logs. (Step  340 ). In one embodiment, for example, the server  102  may determine which tenant is associated with each log entry by parsing a URL associated with the log entry. In one embodiment, for example, the server  102  may aggregate all of the page view data and bandwidth value data into a single database, while tagging each of the entries to indicate which tenant the entry belongs to. In another embodiment, for example, the server may generate a separate database for each tenant including all of the page views and bandwidth values related to the tenant. In yet another embodiment, the server may generate both an aggregate database with all of the data and an individual database for each tenant with all of the data relating to the tenant. 
         [0033]    As discussed above, the same data may be obtained multiple times depending by the frequency at which the data is obtained and the length of time over which the data is obtained. If the data for an entry in the aggregate and/or individual databases has been previously obtained, the server  102  at step  340  may also compare the previously obtained data to the currently stored data. In one embodiment, for example, if the new data differs from the previously stored data, the server  102  overwrites the old data entry with the new data entry. In another embodiment, the data from each obtain may be saved for later analysis. For example, if the data is being used to generate a bill for a tenant based upon the usage of the multi-tenant system  100  (e.g., based upon the number of page views and/or bandwidth usage), all of the accumulated data may be saved and then analyzed prior to a bill generation. One benefit, for example, of obtaining the same data multiple times is that each server which is logging the data may have a different logging system, a logging system may be temporarily backed up, or a logging system may lag being in page view aggregations. Accordingly, by obtaining the same data multiple times, a more accurate set of performance data for each tenant on the multiple servers may be created. 
         [0034]    The server  102  may then store the aggregate and/or individual databases in a memory. (Step  350 ). The aggregate and/or individual databases may be stored in memory  106 , in database  130  or in any other memory in communication with the server  102 . In one embodiment, for example, the aggregate and/or individual databases may be accessible by each tenant such that the tenant can view its own performance data or usage data. In another embodiment, once the data is collected, the data may be exposable to another tenant that runs a billing system. As discussed above, the page view data and bandwidth value data may be used to generate a usage bill for each tenant in the multi-tenant system  100 . The collected data may be used, for example, for tiered billing. In one embodiment, for example, the billing system may associate one price with bandwidth usage and another price for page views. 
         [0035]    Generally speaking, the various functions and features of method  300  may be carried out with any sort of hardware, software and/or firmware logic that is stored and/or executed on any platform. Some or all of method  300  may be carried out, for example, by logic executing within system  100  in  FIG. 1 . For example, various functions shown in  FIG. 3  may be implemented using software or firmware logic that is stored in memory  106  and executed by processor  105  as part of application platform  110 . The particular hardware, software and/or firmware logic that implements any of the various functions shown in  FIG. 3 , however, may vary from context to context, implementation to implementation, and embodiment to embodiment in accordance with the various features, structures and environments set forth herein. The particular means used to implement each of the various functions shown in  FIG. 3 , then, could be any sort of processing structures that are capable of executing software and/or firmware logic in any format, and/or any sort of application-specific or general purpose hardware, including any sort of discrete and/or integrated circuitry. 
         [0036]    The term “exemplary” is used herein to represent one example, instance or illustration that may have any number of alternates. Any implementation described herein as “exemplary” should not necessarily be construed as preferred or advantageous over other implementations. 
         [0037]    Although several exemplary embodiments have been presented in the foregoing description, it should be appreciated that a vast number of alternate but equivalent variations exist, and the examples presented herein are not intended to limit the scope, applicability, or configuration of the invention in any way. To the contrary, various changes may be made in the function and arrangement of the various features described herein without departing from the scope of the claims and their legal equivalents.

Technology Category: 5