Abstract: A method, apparatus, and computer program product for automatically detecting changes in end-user transaction performance and availability caused by a transaction server configuration change. When a configuration change to an element in a distributed computing system is proposed, a set of instrumented synthetic transactions in the distributed computer system is initiated. Access to managed resources by the synthetic transactions is tracked to produce a list of utilized resources for the transaction. The utilized resources are then categorized according to criteria including associating the utilized resources with respective transactions. The initiating, tracking, and categorizing steps are repeated after a proposed configuration change using a selected subset of the set of transactions. The effect of the proposed configuration change is then displayed for the selected subset of the set of transactions.

Abstract: An approach receives a request from a user, typically a change implementer, on a computer system. The request includes a user identifier and a requested action. A current timestamp corresponding to a computer system clock is retrieved. Scheduled changes are retrieved from a data store accessible by the processor. The current timestamp is compared to the scheduled change periods. The requested action is allowed if the comparison reveals that the current timestamp is within one of the retrieved scheduled changes, and the requested action is denied if the comparison reveals that the current timestamp is outside of the retrieved scheduled change periods.

Abstract: An approach receives a request from a user, typically a change implementer, on a computer system. The request includes a user identifier and a requested action. A current timestamp corresponding to a computer system clock is retrieved. Scheduled changes are retrieved from a data store accessible by the processor. The current timestamp is compared to the scheduled change periods. The requested action is allowed if the comparison reveals that the current timestamp is within one of the retrieved scheduled changes, and the requested action is denied if the comparison reveals that the current timestamp is outside of the retrieved scheduled change periods.

Abstract: A method and apparatus is provided for monitoring operations of a specified transaction server that has an associated network topology. One embodiment comprises the steps of defining a plurality of zones within the network topology, and assigning one or more monitoring agents to each of the zones, wherein each agent is adapted to selectively run synthetic transactions with the specified server. The method further comprises monitoring results of successive synthetic transactions carried out by the agents, in order to detect any errors associated with the successive transactions. In response to detecting a performance or an availability problem, selectively, that is associated with a particular synthetic transaction run by a particular one of the agents, one or more agents is dynamically scheduled to run synthetic transactions, wherein each scheduled transaction has a specified relationship with the particular transaction.

Abstract: An approach is provided in which a project task is retrieved from a nonvolatile data store with the project task corresponding to a configuration change management project. A set of constraints that are retrieved from a change and configuration management database (CCMDB) are identified with each of the constraints being associated with the retrieved project task. A proposed time window is also retrieved with the proposed time window being a time period in which the retrieved task is tentatively scheduled to be performed. Constraint exception values are also retrieved with the exception values corresponding to some of the identified constraints. The constraint values are compared with the proposed time window and with the retrieved constraint exceptions resulting in a set of status values corresponding to the constraints. The constraints and their corresponding status values are then displayed to a user on a display device.

Abstract: A computer implemented method, apparatus, and computer usable program product for processing tasks. A set of one or more tasks is presented on a user interface, wherein the set of tasks are part of a process. A set of one or more policies are associated. Each respective policy is associated with one or more of the set of tasks in which at least one of the tasks in the set of tasks is associated with a policy restricting modification of the task. The set of tasks and set of policies are sent to a flow engine, wherein the flow engine enforces performance of the set of tasks according to the set of policies.

Abstract: An approach receives a request from a user, typically a change implementer, on a computer system. The request includes a user identifier and a requested action. A current timestamp corresponding to a computer system clock is retrieved. Scheduled changes are retrieved from a data store accessible by the processor. The current timestamp is compared to the scheduled change periods. The requested action is allowed if the comparison reveals that the current timestamp is within one of the retrieved scheduled changes, and the requested action is denied if the comparison reveals that the current timestamp is outside of the retrieved scheduled change periods.

Abstract: A method, apparatus, and computer instructions for identifying unsafe synthetic transactions and modifying parameters for automated playback. Bytecode instrumentation is used to dynamically observe the behavior of application code directly and identify each universal resource locator traversed and parameters passed in a transaction. The bytecode instrumentation may determine, based on the parameters passed, that a parameter in the current transaction is an unsafe parameter, and that the unsafe parameter is associated with a test parameter in a previously overridden transaction. If the unsafe parameter has an associated test parameter, the bytecode instrumentation may dynamically override the unsafe parameter in the current transaction with the test parameter in order to make the transaction safe for synthetic playback.

Abstract: A system, method, and computer program for dynamically changing the weightings used by a workload distribution program to distribute Enterprise JavaBeans among a group of application servers handling EJBs. The changes are made in response to real-time measurements of the performance of EJBs involved in e-business transactions based on the dynamic insertion of monitors within the EJBs to measure their class and method performance from within the J2EE server. The performance data can be tracked for specific users or specific types of transactions, so that the servers are weighted for optimal handling of the most critical EJBs.

Abstract: A method, apparatus, and computer instructions for programmatically generating synthetic transactions to monitor performance and availability of a Web application. The mechanism of the present invention may be implemented as a Java 2 Platform Enterprise Edition (J2EE) transaction, wherein the J2EE application is instrumented with just-in-time-instrumentation (JITI). A JITI probe determines if a customer request object contains a cookie. If not, the JITI probe inserts a cookie into the response object. The cookie is used to track URIs visited by the customer. An algorithm is used to identify the baseline customer transaction path based on the URIs in the cookie. All baseline customer transaction paths for all customers are then correlated to form a unique transaction, wherein the unique transaction comprises the most common tasks performed in the Web application. The Web application may then be monitored by programmatically recording and scheduling playback of the unique transaction.

Abstract: A method and apparatus is provided for monitoring operations of a specified transaction server that has an associated network topology. One embodiment comprises the steps of defining a plurality of zones within the network topology, and assigning one or more monitoring agents to each of the zones, wherein each agent is adapted to selectively run synthetic transactions with the specified server. The method further comprises monitoring results of successive synthetic transactions carried out by the agents, in order to detect any errors associated with the successive transactions. In response to detecting a performance or an availability problem, selectively, that is associated with a particular synthetic transaction run by a particular one of the agents, one or more agents is dynamically scheduled to run synthetic transactions, wherein each scheduled transaction has a specified relationship with the particular transaction.

Abstract: A method, apparatus, and computer instructions for identifying unsafe synthetic transactions and modifying parameters for automated playback. Bytecode instrumentation is used to dynamically observe the behavior of application code directly and identify each universal resource locator traversed and parameters passed in a transaction. The bytecode instrumentation may determine, based on the parameters passed, that a parameter in the current transaction is an unsafe parameter, and that the unsafe parameter is associated with a test parameter in a previously overridden transaction. If the unsafe parameter has an associated test parameter, the bytecode instrumentation may dynamically override the unsafe parameter in the current transaction with the test parameter in order to make the transaction safe for synthetic playback.

Abstract: An instant messaging system locates known delegates in its instant messaging list to which to automatically delegate messages based on whether an incoming message contains certain content. This method comprises the steps of simultaneously receiving multiple instant message requests at an instant message location. Initiating an instant message session with an alternate instant message resource device. After this initiation step, a handoff (transfer) message is generated to connect a received incoming instant message with the alternate instant message resource device. After the handoff, there is verification that the handoff has occurred. Those sending instant message questions could also get a quicker response to their question rather than waiting for one centralized person to manually delegate their question to a resource device.

Abstract: A method, apparatus, and computer instructions for identifying unsafe synthetic transactions and modifying parameters for automated playback. Bytecode instrumentation is used to dynamically observe the behavior of application code directly and identify each universal resource locator traversed and parameters passed in a transaction. The bytecode instrumentation may determine, based on the parameters passed, that a parameter in the current transaction is an unsafe parameter, and that the unsafe parameter is associated with a test parameter in a previously overridden transaction. If the unsafe parameter has an associated test parameter, the bytecode instrumentation may dynamically override the unsafe parameter in the current transaction with the test parameter in order to make the transaction safe for synthetic playback.

Abstract: A computer implemented method, apparatus, and computer-usable program product for process configuration are provided in the illustrative embodiments. A process that is to be configured is identified. A list of tasks associated with the identified process is displayed. A set of the tasks displayed in the task list are selected. The selected tasks are configured according to one or more task parameters. If the process that is being configured is already running, the process is suspended before the selected tasks are configured. If the process is suspended, the process is resumed after the selected tasks have been configured. The process is identified, the list of task is displayed, and the one or more tasks are selected and configured using a graphical user interface.

Abstract: A method, apparatus, and computer program product for automatically detecting changes in end-user transaction performance and availability caused by a transaction server configuration change. When a configuration change to an element in a distributed computing system is proposed, a set of instrumented synthetic transactions in the distributed computer system is initiated. Access to managed resources by the synthetic transactions is tracked to produce a list of utilized resources for the transaction. The utilized resources are then categorized according to criteria including associating the utilized resources with respective transactions. The initiating, tracking, and categorizing steps are repeated after a proposed configuration change using a selected subset of the set of transactions. The effect of the proposed configuration change is then displayed for the selected subset of the set of transactions.

Abstract: A computer implemented method, apparatus, and computer usable program product for processing tasks. A set of one or more tasks is presented on a user interface, wherein the set of tasks are part of a process. A set of one or more policies are associated. Each respective policy is associated with one or more of the set of tasks in which at least one of the tasks in the set of tasks is associated with a policy restricting modification of the task. The set of tasks and set of policies are sent to a flow engine, wherein the flow engine enforces performance of the set of tasks according to the set of policies.