Network Sniffer for Web Application Service Level Management

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current web application management lacks automated tools for real-time monitoring and control, leading to unpredictable service quality, uncontrolled user experience, and inability to meet service level agreements, especially as servers become saturated with increased traffic.

Innovation Solution

A network sniffer system that passively captures data traffic, processes requests and responses, identifies transactions, generates statistics, and provides reports and alarms, while also controlling load balancers to maintain service levels and optimize performance.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If servers handle more traffic to increase capacity, then service availability improves, but service quality deteriorates due to server saturation

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveservice availabilityVSAvoidservice quality

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary monitoring and analysis of traffic patterns before servers become saturated. By detecting trends in advance and predicting future load conditions, the system can proactively adjust load distribution and alert operators before service quality deteriorates, preventing the saturation problem rather than reacting to it.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system continuously monitors server performance metrics and traffic patterns, then feeds this information back to control load balancers and alert operators. This closed-loop feedback mechanism enables real-time adjustment of load distribution based on actual server conditions, maintaining service quality while maximizing capacity utilization.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

2Device complexity

If manual monitoring and management is used, then device complexity is reduced, but productivity and response time worsen

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemanagement system complexityVSAvoidmanagement efficiency

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The system enables self-service management by automatically monitoring server performance, analyzing traffic patterns, and controlling load distribution without requiring constant manual intervention. The automated monitoring and control mechanisms handle routine management tasks independently, freeing operational staff for higher-value activities while maintaining high management efficiency.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The system replaces manual mechanical monitoring processes with automated electronic monitoring and control mechanisms. Network sniffers, traffic processors, and load balancers work together to automatically detect, analyze, and respond to server conditions, substituting human operations with automated systems that provide continuous, real-time management without manual intervention.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

3Device complexity

If static application management is used, then device complexity is reduced, but adaptability worsens due to inability to detect and solve problems in real-time

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemanagement system complexityVSAvoidreal-time problem detection and resolution

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The system transitions from static to dynamic management by continuously adapting to changing server conditions and traffic patterns. The monitoring and analysis components dynamically adjust load distribution decisions and alert thresholds based on real-time data, enabling the system to respond flexibly to emerging problems and optimize performance under varying conditions.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The system maintains continuous monitoring and analysis of server performance and traffic patterns, ensuring that problem detection and resolution capabilities operate without interruption. This continuous action allows the system to detect emerging issues early and maintain adaptive management throughout operational cycles, rather than performing periodic static assessments.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #20Continuity of useful action

4Ease of operation

If existing load balancing is used, then ease of operation is improved, but adaptability worsens due to inability to balance load differently per transaction

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveload balancing operationVSAvoidper-transaction load balancing

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The system applies local quality by tailoring load balancing decisions to specific transactions and server conditions rather than using uniform policies. The traffic processor analyzes individual transaction characteristics and server performance metrics to make localized load distribution decisions, enabling different handling strategies for different transactions while maintaining overall operational simplicity through automated decision-making.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Data Source

PatentUS8892737B2Network sniffer for performing service level management

Publication Date: 2014.11.18 VMWARE INC

AI summary

A network sniffer where the sniffer learns the structure of a web application, monitors the operation of the application, and optionally controls the processing of incoming requests to achieve optimal performance as defined in a service level agreement (SLA). The network sniffer is operative for example in enterprise web applications and in enterprise data centers that deploy web applications and optimally is adapted to maintain a consistent level of service of web applications.