System and method for remotely monitoring a plurality of computer-based systems

A method for monitoring the operation of a plurality of computer-based systems connected to a server, each computer-based system having a microprocessor that executes one or more software applications, the method comprising:

• gathering information about the operation of the computer-based system including the one or more software applications to generate data records, the information including user and system data describing an event sequence occurring prior to and after a predetermined triggering event, the predetermined triggering event including events associated with the one or more software application;
• communicating the data records to the server over a communications link upon the occurrence of the predetermined triggering event;
• and
• processing the data records to generate data that is used to monitor the operation of the plurality of computer-based systems connected to the server.

An apparatus resident on a computer-based system for monitoring the operation of the computer-based system connected to a central server, the computer-based system having a microprocessor that executes one or more software applications, the apparatus comprising:

• means for gathering information about the operation of the computer-based system including the one or more software applications to generate a data record, the information including user and system data describing an event sequence occurring prior to and after a predetermined triggering event, the predetermined triggering event including events associated with the one or more software application;
• means for communicating the data record to the server over a communications link upon the occurrence of the predetermined triggering event;
• means for receiving configuration information from the server over the communications link to change the information that is going to be gathered by the gathering means;
• and
• means for receiving configuration information from the server in order to determine what information is going to be gathered by the gathering means.

A system on a central computer for monitoring the operation of a software application being executed on a plurality of remote computer-based systems connected by a communications link to a central computer, the system comprising:

• means resident on each computer-based system for gathering information about the execution and operation of the software application to generate a data record the information including user and system data describing an event sequence occurring prior to and after a predetermined triggering event, the predetermined triggering event including events associated with the one or more software application;
• means resident on each computer-based system for communicating the data record to the central computer over a communications link upon the occurrence of the predetermined triggering event;
• means resident on the server for processing the data records to generate data about the operation and execution of the software application being executed by the plurality of computer-based systems;
• and
• means for communicating configuration data from the central computer back to the gathering means in order to determine what information is going to be gathered by the gathering means.

A system in a central computer for monitoring the operation of a plurality of computer-based systems connected by a network to the central computer, the system comprising:

• means resident on each computer-based system for gathering information about the operation of the particular computer-based system to generate a data record, the information including user and system data describing an event sequence occurring prior to and after a predetermined triggering event, the predetermined triggering event including events associated with the one or more software application;
• means resident on each computer-based system for communicating the data record to the central computer over the network upon the occurrence of the predetermined triggering event;
• means resident on the central computer for processing the data records to generate data that is used to monitor the operation of the plurality of computer-based systems connected to the network;
• and
• means for communicating configuration data from the central computer to the gathering means in order to determine what information is going to be gathered by the gathering means.

A system for monitoring the operation of a plurality of computer-based systems connected to a server, each computer-based system having a microprocessor that executes one or more software applications and a plurality of hardware components associated therewith, the system comprising:

• means resident on each computer-based system for gathering information about the operation of the computer-based system including the one or more software applications to generate data records, the information including user and system data describing an event sequence occurring prior to and after a predetermined triggering events the predetermined triggering event including events associated with at least one of the plurality of associated hardware components;
• means resident on each computer-based system for communicating the data records to the server over a communications link upon the occurrence of the predetermined triggering event;
• and
• means resident on the server for processing the data records to generate data that is used to monitor the operation of the plurality of computer-based systems connected to the server including the operation of the one or more software applications.

A method for monitoring the operation of a plurality of computer-based systems connected to a server, each computer-based system having a microprocessor that executes one or more software applications and a plurality of hardware components associated therewith, the method comprising:

• gathering information about the operation of the computer-based system including the one or more software applications to generate data records, the information including user and system data describing an event sequence occurring prior to and after a predetermined triggering event, the predetermined triggering event including events associated with at least one of the associated plurality of hardware components;
• communicating the data records to the server over a communications link upon the occurrence of the predetermined triggering event;
• and
• processing the data records to generate data that is used to monitor the operation of the plurality of computer-based systems connected to the server.

An apparatus resident on a computer-based system for monitoring the operation of the computer-based system connected to a central server, the computer-based system having a microprocessor that executes one or more software applications and a plurality of hardware components associated therewith, the apparatus comprising:

• means for gathering information about the operation of the computer-based system including the one or more software applications to generate a data record, the information including user and system data describing an event sequence occurring prior to and after a predetermined triggering event, the predetermined triggering event including events associated with at least one of the plurality of associated hardware components;
• means for communicating the data record to the server over a communications link upon tie occurrence of the predetermined triggering event;
• means for receiving configuration information from the server over the communications link to change the information that is going to be gathered by the gathering means;
• and
• means for receiving configuration information from the server in order to determine what information is going to be gathered by the gathering means.

A system on a central computer for monitoring the operation of a software application being executed on a plurality of remote computer-based systems connected by a communications link to a central computer, the system comprising:

• means resident on each compute-based system for gathering information about the execution and operation of the software application to generate a data record, the information including user and system data describing an event sequence occurring prior to and after a predetermined triggering event, the predetermined triggering event including events associated with at least one of a plurality of hardware components associated with the computer-based system;
• means resident on each computer-based system for communicating the data record to the central computer over a communications link upon the occurrence of the predetermined triggering event;
• means resident on the server for processing the data records to generate data about the operation and execution of the software application being executed by the plurality of computer-based systems;
• and
• means for communicating configuration data from the central computer back to the gathering means in order to determine what information is going to be gathered by the gathering means.

A system in a central computer for monitoring the operation of a plurality of computer-based systems connected by a network to the central computer, the system comprising:

• means resident on each computer-based system for gathering information about the operation of the particular computer-based system to generate a data record, the information including user and system data describing an event sequence occurring prior to and after a predetermined triggering event, the predetermined triggering event including events associated with at least one of a plurality of hardware components associated with the computer-based system;
• means resident on each computer-based system for communicating the data record to the central computer over the network upon the occurrence of the predetermined triggering event;
• means resident on the central computer for processing the data records to generate data that is used to monitor the operation of the plurality of computer-based systems connected to the network;
• and
• means for communicating configuration data from the central computer to the gathering means in order to determine what information is going to be gathered by the gathering means.