Application Observability Graph with Spatial Indexing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current visualization tools for application service inspection face scalability issues due to limited functionality, requiring users to navigate multiple pages and tabs to access observability information, which is time-consuming and inefficient.
Innovation Solution
A framework for application observability that generates a graph of inter-process connections and provides it for display, allowing users to drill down into services using spatial indexing, and enabling seamless zooming within a single page to reveal progressively more detail.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of information
If current visualization tools are used to display application service observability information, then users can access observability data, but users must navigate through multiple pages and tabs which increases time consumption and operational complexity
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the observability information display into a hierarchical structure with compute nodes, processes, and inter-process connections organized in levels. Users can drill down from high-level compute node views to detailed process-level views without leaving the current page, eliminating the need to navigate through multiple pages and tabs while maintaining comprehensive information accessibility.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a spatial dimension to the visualization by displaying compute nodes geographically positioned according to their physical or logical locations. This spatial mapping allows users to intuitively understand system topology and drill down into processes by clicking on visually represented compute nodes, processes, and connections within a single unified interface, dramatically reducing navigation time.
2Loss of information
If detailed observability information is provided across multiple pages, then comprehensive data is available, but the device complexity and ease of operation deteriorate due to multiple tabs and pages
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple pages and tabs into a single unified visualization interface that displays compute nodes, processes, and inter-process connections simultaneously. The hierarchical drill-down capability allows users to access detailed information by interacting with visual elements on the same page, consolidating what would traditionally require multiple pages into one integrated view.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements a nested visualization structure where compute nodes contain processes, and processes contain inter-process connections. Users can drill down through these nested levels by clicking on visual elements, with each level providing more detailed information while maintaining context of higher levels. This nested approach provides comprehensive data access within a single page rather than requiring multiple pages.
3Loss of information
If users must click through multiple pages to access observability data, then detailed information can be displayed, but ease of operation and productivity decrease
Solution Approach 1:
The patent pre-organizes observability data into a hierarchical structure with compute nodes, processes, and inter-process relationships mapped and ready for interaction. The system anticipates user needs by providing a visual overview at the top level and enabling immediate drill-down into detailed information through simple clicks on visual elements, eliminating the need for multi-page navigation and reducing operational effort.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements a dynamic visualization interface where the level of detail displayed adapts based on user interaction. Users can dynamically drill down from high-level compute node views to detailed process and connection views by clicking on visual elements. This dynamic adjustment of detail level within a single unified interface provides comprehensive information while maintaining ease of operation through intuitive interactions.
Data Source
AI summary
In one implementation, a method herein comprises: identifying, by a device, compute nodes for a distributed application and services executed by the distributed application; identifying, by the device, inter-process connections between the services; generating, by the device, a graph with the inter-process connections as edges of the graph; and providing, by the device, the graph for display.