Remote monitoring of computer devices

• US 20030028829A1
• Filed: 07/31/2002
• Published: 02/06/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 07/31/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hewlett Packard Enterprise Development LP (Hewlett-Packard Enterprise Company)
• Original Assignee: Hewlett Packard Company (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Sparkes, Andrew Michael, Watkins, Mark Robert, Slater, Alastair Michael
• Granted Patent: US 7,702,763 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 714/47
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/74 for increasing reliability, e.g. using redundant or spare channels or apparatus replacing by standby devices for amplifiers H03F1/52, H03F1/542

Abstract

A management data distribution apparatus has, a control unit, a buffer memory element, at least one input port, and a telecommunications output. The at least one input port is arranged to receive management data from devices located within a network and to pass the management data to the control unit. The control unit is arranged to control output of the management data via the telecommunications output to a remote monitoring site over a telecommunications network. The control unit is also arranged to store management data arriving at the at least one input port when the said telecommunications output is in use in the buffer memory element, temporarily.

Claims

1. A management data distribution apparatus comprising:

a control unit;

a buffer memory element;

at least one input port;

a telecommunications output;

said at least one input port being arranged to receive management data from a plurality of devices located within a network and to pass said management data to said control unit, said control unit being arranged to control output of said management data via said telecommunications output to a remote monitoring site over a telecommunications network and to store management data arriving at said at least one input port when said telecommunications output is in use in said buffer memory element, temporarily.

2. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein a single telecommunications output is arranged to be operable at any one time to output management data to any one of a plurality of remote monitoring sites.

3. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein said buffer is arranged to store said management data in a first in first out queuing arrangement.

4. Apparatus as claimed in claim 3 wherein said buffer is arranged to output said management data via the telecommunications output when said telecommunications output is available for use.

5. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein said buffer is arranged to output said management data via the telecommunications output when said telecommunications output is available for use.

6. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein there is provided a logging device arranged to record details of said management data received at said at least one input port.

7. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein said logging device is arranged to record details of said management data output at said telecommunications port.

8. A data centre comprising:

a plurality of data storage devices;

a management data distribution apparatus including;

a control unit, a buffer memory element, at least one input port and a telecommunications output port;

a network including said data storage devices and said distribution apparatus;

said at least one input port being arranged to receive management data relating to at least one of said data serving devices and to pass said management data to said control unit, said control unit being arranged to output said management data via said telecommunications output to a remote monitoring site over a telecommunications network and to store management data arriving at said at least one input port when said telecommunications output is in use in said buffer memory element, temporarily.

9. A data centre as claimed in claim 8 wherein there is a single telecommunications connection is arranged to be operable at any one time to link said management data distribution apparatus to said remote monitoring station via said telecommunications network.

10. A data centre as claimed in claim 8 wherein said buffer is arranged to store said management data in a first in first out queuing arrangement.

11. A data centre as claimed in claim 8 wherein the management data distribution apparatus includes a logging device arranged to record details of management data entering said data management apparatus.

12. A data centre as claimed in claim 8 wherein said management data distribution apparatus includes a logging device arranged to record details of management data exiting said data management apparatus.

13. A data centre as claimed in claim 8 wherein said management data distribution apparatus includes a monitor arranged to monitor the status of at least one parameter indicative of the status of at least one data storage device of said data centre.

14. A data centre as claimed in claim 13 wherein said management data distribution apparatus includes a logging device arranged to record said at least one parameter indicative of the status of said at least one data storage device of said data centre.

15. A data centre as claimed in claim 8 wherein said memory unit includes at least one of the following:

a hard disc, an optical disc, any other suitable on-line storage device.

16. A data centre as claimed in claim 15 wherein said management data distribution apparatus includes a plurality of discs arranged in a fault tolerant RAID configuration.

17. A data centre as claimed in claim 8 wherein said management data distribution apparatus includes an input arranged to enable configuration data to be uploaded into said apparatus.

18. A data centre as claimed in claim 8 wherein said telecommunications output is at least one of:

(i) a permanently open telephone line;

(ii) a telephone line which is temporarily operable to communicate management data from said management distribution data apparatus to said remote monitoring site.

19. A data centre as claimed in claim 8 wherein there are provided fewer telecommunications outputs than there are data storage devices.

20. A data centre as claimed in claim 19 wherein there are provided a limited number of telecommunications outputs, the number of said outputs being less than any one of the following percentages of the number of data storage devices:

90%, 75%, 50%, 33%, 25%, 15%, 10%, 5%, 1%.

21. A wide area network (WAN) including a data centre comprising:

a plurality of data storage devices;

a management data distribution apparatus including;

a control unit, a buffer memory element, at least one input port and a telecommunications output port;

a network including said data storage devices and said distribution apparatus;

said at least one input port being arranged to receive management data relating to at least one of said data serving devices and to pass said management data to said control unit, said control unit being arranged to output said management data via said telecommunications output to a remote monitoring site over a telecommunications network and is arranged to store management data arriving at said at least one input port when said telecommunications output is in use in said buffer memory element, temporarily.

22. A WAN as claimed in claim 21 wherein there are provided a limited number of telecommunications outputs, the number of said outputs being less than any one of the following percentages of the number of data storage devices:

90%, 75%, 50%, 33%, 25%, 15%, 10%, 5%, 1%.

23. A method of placing a network element in communication with a remote monitoring station comprising the steps of:

vi) connecting each of a plurality of network addresses to a management data distribution apparatus;

vii) receiving management data from at least one of said network addresses at said management data distribution apparatus;

viii) connecting said data management distribution to a remote monitoring station via a telecommunications output and a telecommunications network;

ix) storing management data received whilst said telecommunications output is in use in a data storage medium; and

x) outputting management data stored in step (iv) to a remote monitoring station via said telecommunications output from said data storage medium in order of said management data'"'"'s storage.

24. A method as claimed in claim 23 including providing only a single telecommunications output between said management data distribution apparatus and said remote monitoring station.

25. A method as claimed in claimed in claim 23 including a limited number of telecommunications outputs, less than 10% of the number of said network addresses, between said management data distribution apparatus and said remote monitoring station.

26. A method as claimed in claim 23 including recording a log of all management data entering said data management apparatus.

27. A method according to as claimed in claim 23 including recording a log of all management data exiting said data management apparatus.

28. A method as claimed in claim 23 including providing said telecommunications output in a permanently open state.

29. A method as claimed in claim 23 including multiplexing management data from said plurality of network addresses to form a multiplexed signal and outputting said multiplexed signal via said telecommunications output.

30. Software which when operating upon a processor causes a data management apparatus to receive signals from a plurality of network elements, determine whether it is necessary to transmit at least one of said signals via a telecommunications connection, format said at least one signal in an appropriate manner so as to make it suitable for transmission via said connection, and transmit said at least one suitably modified signal via said connection.

31. Software as claimed in claim 30 wherein said software causes said processor to store an incoming signal in a buffer if said connection is in use.

32. Software as claimed in claim 30 wherein said software causes said processor to store a log of signals entering a said data management apparatus.

33. Software as claimed in claim 30 wherein said software causes said processor to store a log of the signals exiting the data management apparatus.

34. A method of reducing the number of telecommunications links to a data centre comprising the steps of:

i) reporting management data from one of a plurality of data storage devices to a central management data distribution apparatus;

ii) selecting a remote call centre to be connected from a list stored on said apparatus dependent upon which data storage device said management data relates to;

iii) contacting said remote call centre via a single telecommunications link;

iv) storing any further management data received whilst said single telecommunications link is in use; and

v) repeating step (ii) and (iii) for any management data stored in step (iv) when said telecommunications link is available for use.

35. A method of retrofitting a management data distribution apparatus including a management data distribution apparatus comprising:

a control unit;

a buffer memory element;

at least one input port;

a telecommunications output;

said at least one input port being arranged to receive management data from a plurality of devices located within a network and to pass said management data to said control unit, said control unit being arranged to control output of said management data via said telecommunications output to a remote monitoring site over a telecommunications network and to store said management data temporarily in said buffer when said telecommunications output is in use;

being configurable to connect to a network comprising;

connecting said management data distributing apparatus to said network; and

connecting said management data distribution apparatus to said telecommunications network via said telecommunications output.

36. A management data distribution apparatus comprising:

a control unit;

a data storage device;

at least one peripheral components interconnect port;

a modem;

said at least one peripheral components interconnect port being arranged to receive management data from a plurality of data storage device arrays located within a network and to pass said management data to said control unit, said control unit being arranged to control output of said management data via said modem to a remote monitoring site over a public switched telecommunications network and to store said management data temporarily in said data storage device when said modem is in use.

37. A data centre comprising:

a plurality of data storage device arrays;

a management data distribution apparatus including;

a control unit, a data storage device, at least one peripheral components interconnect port and a modem;

a network including said data storage device arrays and said distribution apparatus;

said at least one peripheral components interconnect port being arranged to receive management data relating to at least one of said data storage device arrays and to pass said management data to said control unit, said control unit being arranged to output said management data via said modem to a remote monitoring site over a public switched telecommunications network and to store said management data temporarily in said data storage device when said modem is in use.

38. A method of placing a disc array in communication with a remote monitoring station comprising the steps of:

vi) connecting each of a plurality of data storage device arrays to a management data distribution apparatus;

vii) receiving management data from at least one of said data storage device arrays at said management data distribution apparatus;

viii) connecting said data management distribution to a remote monitoring station via a modem and public switched telephone network;

ix) storing management data received whilst said modem is in use in a data storage device; and

x) outputting management data stored in step (iv) to a remote monitoring station via said modem from said data storage device in order of said management data'"'"'s storage.

39. A method of reducing the number of telephone lines to a data centre comprising the steps of:

i) reporting management data from one of a plurality of data storage device arrays to a central management data distribution apparatus;

ii) selecting a remote call centre to be connected from a list stored on said apparatus dependent upon which apparatus said management data relates to;

iii) contacting said remote call centre via a single telephone line;

iv) storing any further management data received whilst said single telephone line is in use; and

v) repeating step (ii) and (iii) for any management data stored in step (iv) when said telecommunications link is available for use.

40. A method of reducing the cost of operating a data centre comprising the steps of:

iv) monitoring performance metrics of at least two data storage devices owned by at least two entities;

v) generating respective management data sets for each of said at least two data storage devices;

vi) outputting each of said respective management data sets to respective remote monitoring stations using a single telecommunications output, spaced apart in time.

41. A method according to claim 40 including storing at least one of said management data sets not being output in a buffer memory whilst executing step (iii).

42. A method according to claim 41 including outputting said at least one of said management data sets being stored in said buffer memory upon completion of step (iii).

43. A management data distribution apparatus comprising:

an input arranged to receive management data from each of a plurality of network elements;

a telecommunications output arranged to output a portion of said management data to a remote monitoring station out-of-band; and

a buffer memory element arranged to store management data received at said input whilst said portion of said management data is output.

44. Apparatus as claimed in claim 43 wherein said buffer memory element is a hard disc.

45. Apparatus as claimed in either of claims 43 or 44 wherein said management data stored upon said buffer element is output to a remote monitoring station out-of-band in a first in first out manner.

46. A method of distributing management data comprising the steps of:

ii) receiving management data at an input from each of a plurality of network elements; and

ii) outputting said data out-of-band in a first in first out manner to appropriate remote monitoring stations.