Consolidated monitoring system and method using the internet for diagnosis of an installed product set on a computing device

• US 20030088549A1
• Filed: 11/05/2001
• Published: 05/08/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 11/05/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lenovo PC International Limited (Lenovo Group Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Manrique, Walter A., Iulo, Bernard
• Granted Patent: US 7,107,257 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 707/3
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3051 Monitoring arrangements for monitoring the configuration of the computing system or of the computing system component, e.g. monitoring the presence of processing resources, peripherals, I/O links, software programs verification or detection of system hardware configuration G06F11/2247
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/71 Version control security arrangements therefor G06F21/57; Configuration management
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/917 Text
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99932 Access augmentation or optimizing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99933 Query processing, i.e. searching
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99943 Generating database or data structure, e.g. via user interface

Abstract

An exemplary embodiment of the invention relates to a method and system for managing computer system performance utilizing information acquired over the Internet. The system comprises a user system which further comprises a workstation; at least one peripheral device in communication with the workstation; at least one software application executable by the workstation; a consolidated monitoring tool executable by the workstation; and a database of product data relating to products installed on the user system. The system also comprises a communications link for allowing the user system to communication with a vendor system. The consolidated monitoring tool performs services to the user system including diagnostics, tuning, and configuration utilizing information acquired from the vendor system via the Internet as well as from the user system database.

Claims

1. A system for managing computer system performance, comprising:

a user system, comprising;

a workstation;

at least one peripheral device in communication with said workstation;

at least one software application executable by said workstation;

a consolidated monitoring tool executable by said workstation; and

a database storing information relating to products installed on said user system; and

a communications link for allowing said user system to communication with a vendor system;

wherein

said consolidated monitoring tool performs diagnostics, tuning, and configuration services to said user system.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein said consolidated monitoring tool includes:

a system monitor application; and

an Internet connector application.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein said system monitor application receives data from said Internet connector application for use in providing configuration services.

4. The system of claim 2, wherein said Internet connector application gathers information relating to a product installed on said user system via an Internet connection to a vendor system associated with said product.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein said Internet connector application builds a database based upon said information gathered and stores said information in said database.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein said information relating to said product includes:

product name;

product version;

product alert; and

vendor contact information.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein said consolidated monitoring tool determines optimum performance values for said user system and configures said user system in accordance with said optimum performance values.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein said consolidated monitoring tool performs said diagnostics via:

retrieving a detailed description of an error encountered by said user system; and

presenting said detailed description to said user system.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein said consolidated monitoring tool performs said diagnostics via:

retrieving a list of action items from said database; and

presenting said list to said user system.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein said consolidated monitoring tool performs said diagnostics via:

retrieving connection information relating to a vendor associated with an error encountered on said user system; and

connecting to said vendor;

retrieving corrective actions from said vendor; and

displaying said corrective actions for said user system.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein said diagnostics, said tuning, and said configuration services are performed automatically by said consolidated monitoring tool.

12. A method for managing computer system performance, comprising:

querying a user system for an inventory of all installed components upon installation of a new component;

building a database of information relating to said installed components;

extracting data relating to said new component and vendor;

connecting to said vendor'"'"'s web site using said data;

retrieving product information relating to said new component;

verifying requirements of said new product against existing installed components; and

configuring said user system based upon said verifying said requirements.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein said installed components include:

software;

hardware; and

peripheral devices.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein said database of information includes:

product name;

product release level;

product maintenance level; and

contact information for said vendor.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein said product information includes:

product alerts;

product maintenance level;

current message translation tables; and

diagnostic information.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein said message translation table includes:

warning flags;

error symptom strings;

expanded text; and

wizards.

17. The method of claim 12, wherein said verifying requirements includes determining available memory.

18. The method of claim 12, wherein said configuring is automatically performed.

19. The method of claim 12, wherein said configuring is manually performed.

20. A method for managing computer system performance, comprising:

monitoring activities occurring on an executing application;

upon encountering an error, intercepting said error, wherein;

if said error is minor;

searching a database for said error;

displaying a corresponding explanation of said error for a user via translation tables in said database; and

displaying a corresponding set of action items for resolving said error or preventing a future occurrence of said error; and

if said error is severe;

providing a detailed explanation of said error;

providing an explanation of a recovery plan underway to correct said error; and

connecting to a vendor for further assistance.

21. A storage medium encoded with machine-readable computer program code for managing computer system performance, the storage medium including instructions for causing a computer to implement a method, comprising:

querying a user system for an inventory of all installed components upon installation of a new component;

building a database of information relating to said installed components;

extracting data relating to said new component and vendor;

connecting to said vendor'"'"'s web site using said data;

retrieving product information relating to said new component;

verifying requirements of said new product against existing installed components; and

configuring said user system based upon said verifying said requirements.

22. The storage medium of claim 21, wherein said installed components include:

software;

hardware; and

peripheral devices.

23. The storage medium of claim 21, wherein said database of information includes:

product name;

product release level;

product maintenance level; and

contact information for said vendor.

24. The storage medium of claim 21, wherein said product information includes:

product alerts;

product maintenance level;

current message translation tables; and

diagnostic information.

25. The storage medium of claim 24, wherein said message translation table includes:

warning flags;

error symptom strings;

expanded text; and

wizards.

26. The storage medium of claim 21, wherein said verifying requirements includes determining available memory.

27. The storage medium of claim 21, wherein said configuring is automatically performed.

28. The storage medium of claim 21, wherein said configuring is manually performed.

29. A storage medium encoded with machine-readable computer program code for managing computer system performance, the storage medium including instructions for causing a computer to implement a method, comprising:

monitoring activities occurring on an executing application;

upon encountering an error, intercepting said error, wherein;

if said error is minor;

searching a database for said error;

displaying a corresponding explanation of said error for a user via translation tables in said database; and

displaying a corresponding set of action items for resolving said error or preventing a future occurrence of said error; and

if said error is severe;

providing a detailed explanation of said error;

providing an explanation of a recovery plan underway to correct said error; and

connecting to a vendor for further assistance.