System and method for improving support for information technology through collecting, diagnosing and reporting configuration, metric, and event information

• US 20030145083A1
• Filed: 11/15/2002
• Published: 07/31/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 11/16/2001
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Cranel Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Cranel Incorporated
• Inventors: Cush, Michael C., Spiegelberg, Gregory S.
• Application Number:
  US10/295,591
• Publication Number:
  US 20030145083A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/224
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/0709 in a distributed system consisting of a plurality of standalone computer nodes, e.g. clusters, client-server systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/0751 Error or fault detection not based on redundancy power supply failures G06F1/30; network fault management H04L41/06
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0253 using browsers or web-pages for accessing management information
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/069 using logs of notifications; Post-processing of notifications
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/082 the condition being updates or upgrades of network functionality
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0853 by actively collecting configuration information or by backing up configuration information
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/22 comprising specially adapted graphical user interfaces [GUI]

Abstract

A system for diagnosing an information technology includes a collector server which stores configuration and event information gathered from the information technology environment and formats the information into formatted data. A data warehouse is in communication with the collector server and houses formatted data imported from the collection server. A portal server is in communication with the collector server and the data warehouse and has an interface from which the formatted data in the data warehouse can be viewed. In a service model, the collector server is located at a user site of the information technology while the data warehouse and portal server are located at a provider site remote from the user site. In a stand alone product model, the collector server, the data warehouse, and the portal server are all located at the user site.

Claims

1. A system for diagnosing an information technology environment comprises, in combination:

a collector server which stores configuration, metric and event information gathered from the information technology environment and formats the information into formatted data;

a data warehouse in communication with the collector server and housing formatted data imported from the collection server; and

a portal server in communication with the collector server and the data warehouse and having an interface from which the formatted data in the data warehouse can be viewed.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein said collector server is located at a user site of the information technology environment.

3. The system according to claim 2, wherein said data warehouse is located at the user site.

4. The system according to claim 2, wherein said data warehouse is located at a provider site remote from the user site.

5. The system according to claim 4, wherein said data warehouse is in communication with the collector server via the Internet.

6. The system according to claim 2, wherein said portal server is located at the user site.

7. The system according to claim 2, wherein said portal server is located at a provider site remote from the user site.

8. The system according to claim 7, wherein said portal server is in communication with the collector server via the Internet.

9. The system according to claim 1, wherein said interface is a web portal accessible by a web browser.

10. The system according to claim 1, wherein said portal server is programmed to analyze the formatted data.

11. The system according to claim 1, wherein said portal server is programmed to provide and compare the formatted data from different collection times.

12. The system according to claim 1, wherein said portal server is programmed to provide proactive notices indicating conditions of the information technology environment.

13. The system according to claim 1, wherein data warehouse and said portal server are in communication with the portal server with secure communication.

14. The system according to claim 1, wherein said collector server is programmed to automatically download updates when connected to the portal server.

15. A system for diagnosing an information technology environment comprises, in combination:

a collector server which stores information gathered from the information technology environment and formats the information into formatted data;

wherein the collector server is located at a user site;

a data warehouse in communication with the collector server and housing formatted data imported from the collection server;

wherein the data warehouse is located at a provider site remote from the user site;

a portal server in communication with the collector server and the data warehouse and having an interface from which the formatted data in the data warehouse can be viewed; and

wherein said portal server is located at the provider site.

16. The system according to claim 15, wherein said information includes configuration, metric and event information.

17. The system according to claim 15, wherein said collector server is in communication with the data warehouse and the portal server via the Internet.

18. The system according to claim 15, wherein said interface is a web portal accessible by a web browser.

19. The system according to claim 15, wherein said portal server is programmed to analyze the formatted data.

20. The system according to claim 15, wherein said portal server is programmed to provide and compare the formatted data from different collection times.

21. The system according to claim 15, wherein said portal server is programmed to provide proactive notices indicating conditions of the information technology environment.

22. The system according to claim 15, wherein data warehouse and said portal server are in communication with the portal server with secure communication.

23. The system according to claim 15, wherein said collector server is programmed to automatically download updates when connected to the portal server.

24. A system for diagnosing an information technology environment comprises, in combination:

a collector server which stores information gathered from the information technology environment and formats the information into formatted data;

wherein the collector server is located at a user site;

a data warehouse in communication with the collector server and housing formatted data imported from the collection server;

wherein the data warehouse is located at the user site;

a portal server in communication with the collector server and the data warehouse and having an interface from which the formatted data in the data warehouse can be viewed; and

wherein said portal server is located at the user site.

25. The system according to claim 24, wherein said information includes configuration, metric and event information.

26. The system according to claim 24, wherein said interface is a web portal accessible by a web browser.

27. The system according to claim 24, wherein said portal server is adapted to analyze the formatted data.

28. The system according to claim 24, wherein said portal server is programmed to provide and compare the formatted data from different collection times.

29. The system according to claim 24, wherein said portal server is programmed to provide proactive notices indicating conditions of the information technology environment.

30. The system according to claim 24, wherein said collector server is programmed to automatically download updates when connected to the portal server.