Method for Determining Relationship Data Associated with Application Programs

Abstract

A method for determining relationship data associated with application programs in a messaging system, comprising the steps of: responsive to at least one first message event sending a message from a first application to a first destination and at least one second message event retrieving, by a second application, the message from a second destination, intercepting message data associated with the message; analysing the intercepted message data in accordance with one or more rules in order to find one or more message parameters; and in response to finding the one or more message parameters, identifying the first message event and identifying the second message event, determining a relationship associated with the first application and the second application. An apparatus and computer program element for determining such relationship data are also provided.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method performed by a data processing system for determining relationship data associated with application programs in a messaging system, comprising steps of:
 responsive to at least one first message event sending a message from a first application to a first destination and at least one second message event retrieving, by a second application, the message from a second destination, the data processing system intercepting message data associated with the message;   the data processing system analysing the intercepted message data in accordance with one or more rules in order to find one or more message parameters; and   in response to finding the one or more message parameters, the data processing system identifying the first message event and identifying the second message event, and determining a relationship associated with the first application and the second application.   
     
     
         2 . A method as claimed in  claim 1 , further comprising the step of:
 using the determined relationship in order to generate a descriptor in accordance with a pre-configurable template.   
     
     
         3 . A method as claimed in  claim 2 , wherein the descriptor is generated using WSDL. 
     
     
         4 . A method as claimed in  claim 2 , further comprising a step of:
 using the generated descriptor for at least one of: further relationship analysis; impact analysis and visualisation of the relationship.   
     
     
         5 . A method as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the one or more message parameters comprises at least one of: a message identifier; a correlation identifier; a destination identifier and a timestamp. 
     
     
         6 . A method as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the one or more rules are weighted. 
     
     
         7 . A method as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein data associated with the first application, the second application and the message data are logged in a storage component. 
     
     
         8 . A method as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the messaging system comprises an asynchronous messaging system. 
     
     
         9 . A method as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the first destination is the same as the second destination. 
     
     
         10 . An apparatus for determining relationship data associated with application programs in a messaging system, comprising:
 a central processor unit (CPU), a computer readable memory and a computer readable storage media;   first program instructions, responsive to at least one first message event sending a message from a first application to a first destination and at least one second message event retrieving, by a second application, the message from a second destination, to intercept message data associated with the message;   second program instructions to analyze the intercepted message data in accordance with one or more rules in order to find one or more message parameters; and   third program instructions, responsive to finding the one or more message parameters, to identify the first message event and identifying the second message event, and determine a relationship associated with the first application and the second application; and wherein   the first, second and third program instructions are stored on the computer readable storage media for execution by the CPU via the computer readable memory.   
     
     
         11 . A computer program comprising program code means adapted to perform all the steps of  claim 1  when said program is run on a computer.