System and method for performance management in a multi-tier computing environment

A system for monitoring a selected tier in a multi-tier computing environment, said system comprising:

• a central processing unit (CPU);
• and
• storage coupled to the CPU for storing software code that configures the CPU to:
• implement a context agent associated with said selected tier, said context agent being coupled with at least one other context agent, each of said at least one other context agent being associated with a respective tier of said computing environment;
• and
• implement a dynamic tier extension, said dynamic tier extension coupled with said context agent and with at least a request entry port and a request exit port of said selected tier, said dynamic tier extension at least monitoring request traffic passing through said selected tier, said monitored request traffic including at least one entering request received at said request entry port and at least one respective exiting request at said request exit port, said selected tier providing said at least one respective exiting request to an adjacent tier, said dynamic tier extension capturing a request context of said at least one entering request, said dynamic tier extension providing request information and context information to said context agent, said request information at least identifying each request included in said monitored request traffic, said context information relating to said captured request context of said at least one entering request,
• said context agent for associating said at least one entering request with said at least one exiting request, and said context agent also for providing context information relating to the request context of said at least one respective exiting request directly to another context agent associated with said adjacent tier.

In a multi-tier computing environment including a plurality of tiers, a system for application performance management associated with at least two monitored tiers of said plurality of tiers, the system comprising, for each of said at least two monitored tiers:

• a central processing unit (CPU);
• and
• implement a respective dynamic tier extension coupled with at least a request entry port and a request exit port of said monitored tier, said dynamic tier extension at least monitoring request traffic passing through said respective monitored tier, said monitored request traffic including at least one entering request received at said request entry port and at least one respective exiting request at said request exit port, said selected tier providing said at least one respective exiting request to an adjacent respective monitored tier, said dynamic tier extension capturing a request context of said at least one entering request;
• and
• implement respective context agent coupled with said respective dynamic tier extension, said context agent being coupled with other said context agents associated with tiers that are directly coupled with said respective tier, said respective context agent receiving request information from said respective dynamic tier extension, said request information at least identifying each request included in said monitored request traffic, said respective context agent further receives context information relating to the request context of said at least one entering request from said respective dynamic tier extension, for each said at least one entering request, said respective context agent associates said at least one entering request with said at least one exiting request, and said respective context agent provides context information relating to the request context of said at least one respective exiting request directly to another context agent associated with said adjacent tier.

In a multi-tier computing environment including a plurality of tiers, a system for application performance management, associated with at least selected monitored tiers of said plurality of tiers, the system including one or more computer-readable media with one or more computer programs, the system comprising:

• for each of at least two of said monitored tiers, a respective dynamic tier extension being coupled with at least a request entry port and a request exit port of said monitored tier, said dynamic tier extension at least monitoring request traffic passing through said respective monitored tier, said monitored request traffic including at least one entering request received at said request entry port and at least one respective exiting request at said request exit port, said selected tier providing said at least one respective exiting request to an adjacent respective monitored tier, said dynamic tier extension capturing a request context of said at least one entering request;
• and
• for each of said at least two of said monitored tiers, a respective context agent, coupled with said respective dynamic tier extension, said context agent being coupled with other said context agents associated with tiers that are directly coupled with said respective tier, said respective context agent receiving request information from said respective dynamic tier extension, said request information at least identifying each request included in said monitored request traffic, said respective context agent further receives context information relating to the request context of said at least one entering request from said respective dynamic tier extension, for each said at least one entering request, said respective context agent associates said at least one entering request with said at least one exiting request, and said respective context agent provides context information relating to the request context of said at least one respective exiting request to another context agent associated with said adjacent tier.

An application performance management method for operation in a multi-tier computing environment that includes a plurality of tiers, the method for monitoring a selected monitored tier of said plurality of tiers and comprising the steps of:

• monitoring request traffic passing through said monitored tier, said monitored request traffic including at least one entering request and at least one respective exiting request, said selected tier providing said at least one respective exiting request to an adjacent tier;
• determining context information relating to the request context of said at least one entering request;
• identifying each request included in said monitored request traffic;
• associating said at least one entering request with said at least one exiting request;
• and
• sending context information relating to the request context of said at least one exiting request directly from a context agent associated with said monitored tier to another context agent associated with said adjacent tier.