Detecting causes of performance regression to adjust data systems

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016314056-A1
Application number	US-201514694022-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Apr 23, 2015
Priority date	Apr 23, 2015
Publication date	Oct 27, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

At least one application in a computing environment is executed and one or more performance metrics of the application are measured. The measured performance metrics are analyzed and an operational performance regression is detected. The detected operational performance regression is correlated with one or more recorded changes and the correlated changes are identified as a cause of the operational performance regression. The elements of the computing environment are alerted in accordance with the identified changes to adjust operational performance.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A method of monitoring performance regression comprising:
recording one or more changes to elements of a computing environment including at least one application; executing the at least one application in the computing environment and measuring one or more performance metrics; analyzing the measured performance metrics and detecting an operational performance regression; correlating the detected operational performance regression with one or more recorded changes; identifying a correlated change as a cause of the operational performance regression; and altering elements of the computing environment in accordance with the identified changes to adjust operational performance.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the performance metrics include one or more from a group of: elapsed time, CPU usage, memory usage, disk input/output usage, and network input/output usage.

3 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
executing the at least one application in the computing environment to produce an initial baseline of performance metrics.

4 . The method of claim 3 , wherein the operational performance regression is detected based on a measured performance metric deviating in excess of a corresponding standard deviation from the initial baseline.

5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the one or more changes include changes to one or more from a group of: the computing environment, the at least one application, and an operating system.

6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the recording one or more changes further comprises:
periodically identifying and recording the changes; and determining one or more jobs impacted by the identified changes.

7 . The method of claim 6 , wherein correlating the detected operational performance regression further comprises:
identifying one or more jobs associated with the detected operational performance regression; and determining the changes impacting the identified jobs to correlate the changes with the performance regression.

8 . A system for monitoring performance regression in a computer environment, the system comprising:
a processor configured to:
record one or more changes to elements of the computing environment including at least one application;
execute the at least one application in the computing environment and measure one or more performance metrics;
analyze the measured performance metrics and detect an operational performance regression;
correlate the detected operational performance regression with one or more recorded changes;
identify a correlated change as a cause of the operational performance regression; and
alter elements of the computing environment in accordance with the identified changes to adjust operational performance.

9 . The system of claim 8 , wherein the performance metrics include one or more from a group of: elapsed time, CPU usage, memory usage, disk input/output usage, and network input/output usage.

10 . The system of claim 8 , wherein the processor is further configured to:
execute the at least one application in the computing environment to produce an initial baseline of performance metrics.

11 . The system of claim 10 , wherein the operational performance regression is detected based on a measured performance metric deviating in excess of a corresponding standard deviation from the initial baseline.

12 . The system of claim 8 , wherein the one or more changes include changes to one or more from a group of: the computing environment, the at least one application, and an operating system.

13 . The system of claim 8 , wherein the processor, in recording one or more changes, is further configured to:
periodically identify and record the changes; and determine one or more jobs impacted by the identified changes.

14 . The system of claim 13 , wherein the processor, in correlating the detected operational performance regression, is further configured to:
identify one or more jobs associated with the detected operational performance regression; and determine the changes impacting the identified jobs to correlate the changes with the performance regression.

15 . A computer program product for monitoring performance regression in a computer environment, comprising a computer-readable storage medium having computer-readable program code embodied thereon, the computer-readable program code, when executed by a processor, causes the processor to:
record one or more changes to elements of the computing environment including at least one application; execute the at least one application in the computing environment and measure one or more performance metrics; analyze the measured performance metrics and detect an operational performance regression; correlate the detected operational performance regression with one or more recorded changes; identify a correlated change as a cause of the operational performance regression; and alter elements of the computing environment in accordance with the identified changes to adjust operational performance.

16 . The computer program product of claim 15 , the computer-readable program code being further configured to cause the processor to:
execute the at least one application in the computing environment to produce an initial baseline of performance metrics, wherein the performance metrics include one or more from a group of: elapsed time, CPU usage, memory usage, disk input/output usage, and network input/output usage.

17 . The computer program product of claim 16 , wherein the operational performance regression is detected based on a measured performance metric deviating in excess of a corresponding standard deviation from the initial baseline.

18 . The computer program product of claim 15 , wherein the one or more changes include changes to one or more from a group of: the computing environment, the at least one application, and an operating system.

19 . The computer program product of claim 15 , wherein the computer-readable program code that causes the processor to record one or more changes is further configured to cause the processor to:
periodically identify and record the changes; and determine one or more jobs impacted by the identified changes.

20 . The computer program product of claim 19 , wherein the computer-readable program code that causes the processor to detect operational performance regression is further configured to cause the processor to:
identify one or more jobs associated with the detected operational performance regression; and determine the changes impacting the identified jobs to correlate the changes with the performance regression.

Assignees

• IBM

Inventors

• Greene Lawrence A
• Jacobson Eric A
• Li Yong
• Pu Xiaoyan

Classifications

• G06F11/3466

  Performance evaluation by tracing or monitoring · CPC title

• G06F2201/865

  Monitoring of software · CPC title

• G06F11/3409

  for performance assessment · CPC title

• G06F11/3612 Primary

  by runtime analysis (performance monitoring G06F11/3466) · CPC title

• G06F11/3688

  for test execution, e.g. scheduling of test suites · CPC title