Electrical computers and digital processing systems: multicomput – Distributed data processing – Client/server
Reexamination Certificate
1998-07-10
2001-09-04
Harrell, Robert B. (Department: 2152)
Electrical computers and digital processing systems: multicomput
Distributed data processing
Client/server
Reexamination Certificate
active
06286030
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a system and method for auditing network applications. More particularly, the present invention relates to a system and method for visually recreating a user session to analyze various aspects of the network application.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
In a network application, also referred to as a client/server application, a client requests information from a server. In response to each request, the server provides information to the client. A typical server may be responding to several hundred clients at one time, while the client may access several servers intermittently and over a very short period of time. As a result of the very dynamic nature of such applications, problems associated with the application are difficult to isolate, repeat, and/or diagnose. Furthermore, such problems are difficult to attribute to either the server or the client.
Another problem associated with network applications, particularly those dealing in electronic commerce (“e-commerce”), is that the precise behavior of the purchaser during the transaction is difficult to ascertain and even more difficult to evaluate or understand. For example, website developers may wish to understand how a particular buyer using an e-commerce application navigates through the website to purchase an item. Given the nature of conventional network applications, such understanding is difficult to obtain.
Still other problems exists with network applications, some of which are discussed in further detail below. A need exists for a system and method for auditing network applications that solves the problems described herein.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly, the present invention is directed to a system and method for auditing network applications. In particular, the present invention captures requests and responses sent between a client and a server during a particular user session of a network application. The present invention stores the requests and responses in an auditor storage. Subsequently, the present invention retrieves the requests and responses from the auditor storage to visually recreate the user session.
One of the features of the present invention is that an analyst is able to retrieve a particular user session from the auditor storage and step through a particular user session thereby viewing the user session as the client viewed the user session. This enables the analyst to understand the sequence of events that occurred during a particular user session exactly as they occurred.
Another feature of the present invention is that the analyst can determine the exact sequence of events that occurred prior to an error occurring in the network application. In addition, the present invention stores information describing the client/server environment during the user session so that the analyst may be able to attribute certain errors to loading or traffic on the server or the communication link.
Another feature of the present invention is that the analyst can view data associated with multiple user sessions to analyze how different clients navigated through a particular website. Such analysis is useful to determine how particular websites might be improved to achieve a particular result.
Another feature of the present invention is that OLAP analysis can be used, for example, to provide better response times to clients who routinely purchase by shifting them to a faster application server. Furthermore, clients who routinely purchase could also be offered a direct path to a particular location in the website thereby avoiding the path through the website provided to other clients. In addition, the analyst can ascertain the value of advertising on the website by viewing the number of purchases before and after such advertising.
Additional features and advantages of the present invention will be set forth in the description which follows, and in part will be apparent from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention. The objectives and other advantages of the invention will be realized and attained by the process particularly pointed out in the written description and claims hereof as well as the appended drawings.
It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory and are intended to provide further explanation of the invention as claimed.
REFERENCES:
patent: 5577254 (1996-11-01), Gilbert
patent: 5809250 (1998-09-01), Kisor
patent: 5848396 (1998-12-01), Gerace
patent: 0 326 283 (1989-08-01), None
patent: WO 98/26571 (1998-06-01), None
Smith et al., “Automated Protocol Analysis,” Human Computer Interaction, 8:101-145, 1993.
International Search Report.
Landry Kenneth
Tsyganskiy Igor
Wenig Robert
Finnegan Henderson Farabow Garrett & Dunner L.L.P.
Harrell Robert B.
SAP Aktiengesellschaft
LandOfFree
Systems and methods for recording and visually recreating... does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Systems and methods for recording and visually recreating..., we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Systems and methods for recording and visually recreating... will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2509400