Mapping Application Dependencies in a Computer Network

A computational machine for mapping a network comprising a plurality of machines located at a non-static collection of nodes that form a linear communication orbit, comprising:

• one or more processors;
• and
• memory having instructions stored thereon, which when executed by the one or more processors cause the computational machine to perform a set of mapping operations including:
• at a respective node in the linear communication orbit, wherein each node in the linear communication orbit includes a machine identifier for a respective machine, of the plurality of machines, at the node, and the plurality of nodes have self-organized into an ordered sequence in accordance with a predefined order of the respective machine identifiers of the non-static collection of nodes in the linear communication orbit:
• receiving an application definition through the linear communication orbit, wherein the application definition is sent by a server system coupled to the linear communication orbit, and propagates from node to node along the linear communication orbit, and the application definition specifies criteria for establishing which nodes execute a specified application, a component of the specified application, or communicate with another node executing the specified application or a component of the specified application;
• determining that the respective node performs one or more operations meeting the application definition, including identifying the one or more operations by the respective node that satisfy the application definition;
• in accordance with the determination that the respective node performs the one or more operations meeting the application definition, identifying metadata associated with the one or more operations performed by the node that meet the application definition;
• receiving a map request through the linear communication orbit, wherein the map request is sent by the server system, and propagates from node to node along the linear communication orbit until reaching the respective node;
• and
• in response to the map request, responding to the server system through the linear communication orbit by sending information corresponding to at least a subset of the metadata associated with the one or more operations performed by the respective node that meet the application definition, the sent information enabling the server to build a map based on responses to the map request by the respective node and at least one other node in the network.

A non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing one or more programs configured for execution by a computational machine for mapping a network comprising a plurality of machines located at a non-static collection of nodes that form a linear communication orbit, the one or more programs comprising instructions for:

• at a respective node in the linear communication orbit, wherein each node in the linear communication orbit includes a machine identifier for a respective machine, of the plurality of machines, at the node, and the plurality of nodes have self-organized into an ordered sequence in accordance with a predefined order of the respective machine identifiers of the non-static collection of nodes in the linear communication orbit:
• receiving an application definition through the linear communication orbit, wherein the application definition is sent by a server system coupled to the linear communication orbit, and propagates from node to node along the linear communication orbit, and the application definition specifies criteria for establishing which nodes execute a specified application, a component of the specified application, or communicate with another node executing the specified application or a component of the specified application;
• determining that the respective node performs one or more operations meeting the application definition, including identifying the one or more operations by the respective node that satisfy the application definition;
• in accordance with the determination that the respective node performs the one or more operations meeting the application definition, identifying metadata associated with the one or more operations performed by the node that meet the application definition;
• receiving a map request through the linear communication orbit, wherein the map request is sent by the server system, and propagates from node to node along the linear communication orbit until reaching the respective node;
• and
• in response to the map request, responding to the server system through the linear communication orbit by sending information corresponding to at least a subset of the metadata associated with the one or more operations performed by the respective node that meet the application definition, the sent information enabling the server to build a map based on responses to the map request by the respective node and at least one other node in the network.

A server system for mapping a network comprising a plurality of machines located at a non-static collection of nodes that form a linear communication orbit, wherein the server system is coupled to the linear communication orbit, wherein each node in the linear communication orbit includes a machine identifier for a respective machine, of the plurality of machines, at the node, and the plurality of nodes have self-organized into an ordered sequence in accordance with a predefined order of the respective machine identifiers of the non-static collection of nodes in the linear communication orbit, the server system comprising:

• one or more processors;
• and
• memory having one or more programs stored thereon, the one or more programs including instructions that when executed by the one or more processors cause the server system to perform a set of mapping operations comprising:
• sending an application definition through the linear communication orbit, wherein the application definition propagates from node to node along the linear communication orbit, and specifies criteria for establishing which nodes execute a specified application, a component of the specified application, or communicate with another node executing the specified application or a component of the specified application;
• sending a map request through the linear communication orbit, wherein the map request propagates from node to node along the linear communication orbit;
• and
• in response to the map request, receiving from a first node of the linear communication orbit, via the linear communication orbit, information corresponding to at least a subset of metadata associated with one or more operations performed by the first node that meet the application definition, the sent information enabling the server to build a map based on responses to the map request by the first node and at least one other node in the network.