Transactional boundaries for virtualization within a software system

A computer program product comprising a computer readable storage medium comprising computer readable program code embodied therewith, the computer readable program code comprising:

• computer readable program code configured to receive transaction data from a software-based agent instrumented on a first software component in a system comprising a plurality of software components, wherein the transaction data identifies characteristics of a particular transaction involving the first software component and a second software component in the plurality of software components as observed by the agent during operation of the system, and the particular transaction is contemporaneous with another transaction involving software components in the system;
• computer readable program code configured to determine, from the transaction data, that the particular transaction falls within a defined transaction boundary for the system, wherein transactions meeting a set of conditions fall within the transaction boundary, and the other transaction falls outside the transaction boundary;
• and
• computer readable program code configured to instantiating a virtual service for use in the particular transaction, wherein the virtual service simulates responses of a particular one of the plurality of software components, another one of the plurality of software components is to send a request to the virtual service in the particular transaction based on the particular transaction falling within the transaction boundary, and the other software component is to send a request to the particular software component in the other transaction based on the other transaction falling outside the transaction boundary.

A system comprising:

• a data processor;
• a memory;
• a virtualization system to host a virtual service, operable to simulate responses of a particular one of a plurality of software components in a system based on a virtual service model corresponding to the particular software component;
• and
• an agent manager to:
• receive transaction data from a software-based agent instrumented on a first software component in the system, wherein the transaction data identifies characteristics of a particular transaction involving at least a portion of the plurality of software components as observed by the agent during operation of the system, and the particular transaction is contemporaneous with another transaction involving the portion of the plurality of software components;
• determine, from the transaction data, that the particular transaction falls within a defined transaction boundary for the system, wherein transactions meeting a set of conditions fall within the transaction boundary, and the other transaction falls outside the transaction boundary;
• and
• cause another one of the plurality of software components to interact with the virtual service in the particular transaction based on the particular transaction falling within the transaction boundary, wherein the other software component interacts with the particular software component in the other transaction based on the other transaction falling outside the transaction boundary.