Topology Model for Computing Dependency Tracking
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Solution Overview
Problem
Information technology professionals face challenges in understanding and monitoring the complex relationships within computing environments, particularly in virtual infrastructure, which hinders performance optimization and troubleshooting due to incomplete and outdated interaction data stored in spreadsheets and configuration management databases.
Innovation Solution
A method and system that transform monitoring data into a topology model, track dependencies between computing resources, and provide customizable views through a dependency graph, allowing users to annotate and filter dependencies for enhanced visualization and analysis.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of information
If monitoring data is collected from multiple sources and transformed into a topology model, then understanding of computing environment relationships is improved, but system complexity and data processing requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a topology model as an intermediary representation that sits between raw monitoring data and dependency analysis. This topology model standardizes diverse monitoring data from multiple sources into a unified structure, making relationships between computing resources explicit and analyzable without requiring direct complex processing of all raw data sources
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a simplified copy or representation of the computing environment through the topology model and dependency graphs. Instead of directly analyzing the complex actual system, the system works with this replicated model that captures essential relationships, enabling easier analysis while preserving the critical dependency information
2Difficulty of detecting and measuring
If dependency tracking is implemented across virtual infrastructure, then troubleshooting capability is improved, but time and computational resources required for analysis increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary action by automatically discovering and recording dependencies in advance, building the topology model and dependency graphs proactively rather than reactively. When troubleshooting is needed, the analysis can quickly query pre-computed dependency information rather than having to trace relationships in real-time, significantly reducing analysis time
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces manual troubleshooting methods with automated dependency detection and analysis systems. Instead of administrators manually tracing relationships through virtual infrastructure, the system automatically discovers dependencies, builds models, and provides analysis, reducing both time and computational effort required
3Loss of information
If comprehensive dependency graphs are generated, then insight into computing environments is improved, but data storage and processing requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts only the essential dependency relationships from the comprehensive monitoring data and stores them in the topology model and dependency graphs. Rather than storing all raw monitoring data, the system extracts and retains only the critical relationship information needed for dependency analysis, reducing storage requirements while maintaining analytical capability
Data Source
AI summary
Systems and methods are described for identifying, tracking, and customizing dependencies between components of a computing environment. By providing greater insight and transparency into dependencies, the systems and methods can facilitate modeling the underlying architecture of applications and computer hardware. As a result, IT personnel can better track relationships between components. Custom filtering tools can also provide IT personnel with tools to switch from different types of dependency views that focus on application-oriented views, hardware-oriented views, or other custom views. Model annotation tools can also enable IT personnel to customize a dependency model to reflect real-world application and hardware monitoring conditions.