Context Partitioned Event Sorting for Distributed Monitoring

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing event monitoring systems face inefficiencies in processing events from distributed applications, as they often require multiple event processing systems and struggle to apply monitoring rules effectively across different context partitions, leading to increased latency and complexity.

Innovation Solution

An event monitoring system with two stages: an event sorting stage that identifies and forwards events to corresponding event processing systems based on context partitions, allowing for efficient processing of events within a single system, even for distributed applications.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If events from distributed applications are processed by multiple event processing systems, then the system can handle distributed applications, but the processing latency increases and efficiency decreases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveability to handle distributed applicationsVSAvoidprocessing latency
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the event processing system by introducing context partitions that divide the event stream into distinct segments. Each context partition is assigned to a specific event processing system, allowing events within the same partition to be processed by a single system. This segmentation reduces cross-system communication and latency while maintaining the ability to handle distributed applications through multiple partitions.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces an event sorting system as an intermediary between event sources and event processing systems. This sorting system receives events, determines their context partition, and routes them to the appropriate processing system. The intermediary enables efficient event distribution and ensures that related events are processed by the same system, reducing latency.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Productivity

If events are distributed across multiple event processing systems, then the system can scale, but the complexity of applying monitoring rules increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesystem scalabilityVSAvoidcomplexity of applying monitoring rules
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies local quality by associating specific monitoring rules with specific context partitions. Each event processing system applies only the monitoring rules relevant to its assigned partitions, rather than managing all rules across the entire system. This localization reduces the complexity each system must handle while maintaining overall scalability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The patent segments both the event stream into context partitions and the monitoring rules into partition-specific rule sets. This dual segmentation allows the system to scale by adding more processing systems and partitions while keeping the rule application complexity manageable at each node.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

3Device complexity

If a single event processing system processes all events, then rule application is simplified, but the system cannot efficiently handle distributed applications with different context partitions

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesimplicity of rule applicationVSAvoidability to handle distributed applications
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The patent creates a universal context partitioning mechanism that can handle both single-application and distributed-application scenarios. The same event sorting and partitioning infrastructure works whether events come from one application or multiple distributed applications, providing multi-functionality without requiring separate processing paths.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent adds the dimension of context partitioning to the event processing architecture. Instead of organizing events solely by application source, events are organized by their context partition, which can encompass multiple applications. This additional organizational dimension enables efficient handling of distributed applications while maintaining simplified rule application within each partition.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

Data Source

PatentEP3011456B1Sorted event monitoring by context partition
Publication Date: 2018.04.11 MICROSOFT TECHNOLOGY LICENSING LLC
  • EP3011456B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3011456B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3011456B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

An event monitoring system that includes two stages, an event sorting stage and an event processing stage. The event sorting stage receives events provided by at least one application, and includes multiple event sorting systems. The event processing stage includes at least one event processing system that processes events forwarded by the event sorting stage. The event processing system(s) is/are capable of processing events that fall within a particular set of one or more context partitions that correspond to the respective event processing system. As the event sorting system receives an event, the event sorting system identifies which context partition the event falls within. The event sorting system then identifies the event processing system that corresponds to the identified context partition of the event, and then forwards the event to the identified event processing system. The event processing system then applies the set of one or more monitoring rules.