Method and apparatus for inserting code fixes into applications at runtime

Abstract

A method, an apparatus, and computer instructions are provided for inserting code fixes into applications at runtime. One aspect of the present invention leverages capability of a just-in-time-instrumentation monitoring component to receive a code fix during execution of applications and insert code fixes into applications. Another aspect of the present invention allows users to create a custom class loader that loads a custom class at runtime. The custom class loader then inserts the custom class in the applications. With the aspects of the present invention, code fixes and patches may be applied to applications without taking the applications down.

1 . A computer implemented method for inserting code fixes into applications at runtime, the computer implemented method comprising: 
 receiving a code fix for an application during execution of the application; and    inserting the code fix into the application without stopping execution of the application.    
     
     
         2 . The computer implemented method of  claim 1 , wherein the receiving step comprises: 
 gathering operational information from the application;    monitoring the application for an error using the operational information about the application; and    returning a code fix corresponding to the error.    
     
     
         3 . The computer implemented method of  claim 1 , wherein the code fix is a first class that replaces a second class in the application, wherein the second class causes the error.  
     
     
         4 . The computer implemented method of  claim 1 , wherein the inserting step is performed by a monitoring component, and wherein the monitoring component is a just-in-time-instrumentation monitoring component.  
     
     
         5 . The computer implemented method of  claim 2 , wherein the monitoring step is performed by an application response measurement engine and wherein the returning step is performed by a monitoring engine.  
     
     
         6 . The computer implemented method of  claim 2 , wherein the operational information includes errors and failures generated by the application.  
     
     
         7 . The computer implemented method of  claim 2 , wherein the returning step comprises: 
 matching the error against a plurality of error conditions and corresponding code fixes defined by a user; and    if the error matches one of the plurality of error conditions, returning a code fix in the corresponding code fixes for the error.    
     
     
         8 . The computer implemented method of  claim 7 , wherein the inserting step comprises: 
 inserting the code fix in place of broken code segment that generates the error during execution of the application.    
     
     
         9 . The computer implemented method of  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 executing a custom class loader;    loading a custom class from a plurality of custom classes; and    inserting the custom class into the application without stopping execution of the application.    
     
     
         10 . The computer implemented method of  claim 9 , wherein the custom class loader and the plurality of custom classes are defined by at least one of a user, a vendor, and an in house developer.  
     
     
         11 . A data processing system for inserting code fixes into applications at runtime, the data processing system comprising: 
 a bus,    a storage device, wherein the storage device contains computer usable code;    a communications unit connected to the bus; and    a processing unit connected to the bus, wherein the processing unit executes the computer usable code to receive a code fix for an application during execution of the application; and insert the code fix into the application without stopping execution of the application.    
     
     
         12 . The data processing system of  claim 11 , wherein the processing unit, in executing the computer usable code to receive a code fix for an application during execution of the application, executes the computer usable code to gather operational information from the application; monitor the application for an error using the operational information about the application; and return a code fix corresponding to the error.  
     
     
         13 . The data processing system of  claim 12 , wherein the processing unit, in executing the computer usable code to return a code fix corresponding to the error, executes the computer usable code to match the error against a plurality of error conditions and corresponding code fixes defined by a user; and returning a code fix in the corresponding code fixes for the error if the error matches one of the plurality of error conditions.  
     
     
         14 . The data processing system of  claim 13 , wherein the processing unit, in executing the computer usable code to insert the code fix into the application without stopping execution of the application, executes the computer usable code to insert the code fix in place of broken code segment that generates the error during execution of the application.  
     
     
         15 . The data processing system of  claim 11 , wherein the processing unit further executes the computer usable code to execute a custom class loader; load a custom class from a plurality of custom classes; and insert the custom class into the application without stopping execution of the application.  
     
     
         16 . A computer program product comprising: 
 a computer usable medium having computer usable program code for inserting code fixes into applications at runtime, said computer program product including:    computer usable program code for receiving a code fix for an application during execution of the application; and    computer usable program code for inserting the code fix into the application without stopping execution of the application.    
     
     
         17 . The computer program product of  claim 16 , wherein the computer usable program code for receiving a code fix for an application during execution of the application comprises: 
 computer usable program code for gathering operational information from the application;    computer usable program code for monitoring the application for an error using the operational information about the application; and    computer usable program code for returning a code fix corresponding to the error.    
     
     
         18 . The computer program product of  claim 17 , wherein the computer usable program code for returning a code fix corresponding to the error comprises: 
 computer usable program code for matching the error against a plurality of error conditions and corresponding code fixes defined by a user; and    computer usable program code for returning a code fix in the corresponding code fixes for the error, if the error matches one of the plurality of error conditions.    
     
     
         19 . The computer program product of  claim 18 , wherein the computer usable program code for inserting the code fix into the application without stopping execution of the application comprises: 
 computer usable program code for inserting the code fix in place of broken code segment that generates the error during execution of the application.    
     
     
         20 . The computer program product of  claim 16 , further comprising: 
 computer usable program code for executing a custom class loader;    computer usable program code for loading a custom class from a plurality of custom classes; and    computer usable program code for inserting the custom class into the application without stopping execution of the application.