Remote administration in a distributed system
First Claim
1. In a distributed system having at least one system manager in bi-directional communication with at least one client performing a plurality of processes, a method for monitoring a subset of the plurality of processes comprising the steps of:
- detecting a loss of supervisory control by the system manager over the processes at the client, including determining a status of a first process of the subset;
attempting by the client to restart the first process in the event the status indicates the first process is inoperative; and
resetting the client by cycling power thereto in the event the status of the first process is operative.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method and system for remote administration of clients performing critical processes are disclosed herein. A client management module is used to monitor a subset of processes performed by a client. When the client management module detects that a process of the subset has terminated or become inoperable, the client management module can restart the process, as well as notify a remote system manager. Additionally, the client management module is adapted to monitor the consumption of system resources by one or more processes. Using fuzzy logic to evaluate the system resource consumptions of one or more system resource types, the client management module can select an appropriate action response to improve the performance of the process and/or notify an administrator of a status of the process. The remote system manager is adapted to monitor a connection with the client. When a connection failure is detected, the system manager can diagnose a cause of the connection failure and take action accordingly, such as by resetting the client management module, resetting the client, or cycling power to the client using a power distribution unit. Additionally, the remote system manager provides various graphical user interfaces to a user or administrator to allow the administrator to assess the condition of the client and/or remotely control the operation of the one or more processes performed by the client.
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Citations
48 Claims
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1. In a distributed system having at least one system manager in bi-directional communication with at least one client performing a plurality of processes, a method for monitoring a subset of the plurality of processes comprising the steps of:
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detecting a loss of supervisory control by the system manager over the processes at the client, including determining a status of a first process of the subset;
attempting by the client to restart the first process in the event the status indicates the first process is inoperative; and
resetting the client by cycling power thereto in the event the status of the first process is operative. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. In a distributed system having at least one system manager in bi-directional communication with at least one client performing a plurality of processes, a method for monitoring a subset of a plurality of processes at the client, the method comprising the steps of:
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determining at least one system resource consumption by a first process of the subset;
performing a fuzzy logic evaluation of the at least one system resource consumption to determine a first action response to be performed by the client in response to the system resource consumption by the first process, the first action response including at least one action; and
performing, at the client, the at least one action of the first action response. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. In a distributed system having a system manager in bi-directional communication with at least one client, a method for monitoring a communications link between the system manager and a client, the method comprising the steps of:
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detecting a failure in the communications link between the system manager and the client management module;
determining an operative status of a client management module at the client;
directing the client to restart the client management module when the operative status indicates the client management module is inoperative; and
resetting the client when the status indicates the client management module is operative. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. In a distributed system having a system manager in bi-directional communication with at least one client receiving power from a power distribution unit, a method for monitoring and establishing a communications link between the system manager and a client, the method comprising the steps of:
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detecting a failure in the communications link between the system manager and the client;
wherein the step of detecting the failure includes;
transmitting a heartbeat signal from the system manager to the client;
waiting, at the system manager, for a response to the heartbeat signal from the client; and
wherein a failure in the communications link is assumed when the response does not arrive at the system manager within a predetermined time period;
restarting the client by the system manager directing the power distribution unit to cycle power to the client.
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19. In a distributed system having a system manager in bi-directional communication with at least one client having a client management module to monitor at least one process performed by the client, a graphical user interface comprising:
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a client status field having a user-selectable client entry for each of the at least one clients, each client status field including;
a client identifier field representing a client associated with the client entry; and
a status field representing a connection status of the associated client to the system manager;
a client properties object adapted to direct the client to present a display representative of at least one property of the associated client when selected by a user. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22)
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23. In a distributed system having a system manager in bi-directional communication with at least one client having a client management module to monitor at least one process performed by the client, a graphical user interface for displaying at least one property of the client management module process at the system manager comprising:
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a process status field having a user-selectable process entry for each of the at least one process, each process status field including;
a process identifier field representing an associated process;
a status field representing an operative status of the associated process; and
at least one resource consumption field representing a consumption by the associated process of an associated system resource;
a process operation object adapted to direct, when selected by a user, the client to restart a process associated with a process status field selected by the user when the associated process is inoperative and to stop the associated process when the associated process is operative; and
at least one client action object adapted to direct, when selected by a user, the client to perform an associated action. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25, 26)
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27. In a distributed system having a system manager in bi-directional communication with at least one client having a client management module to monitor at least one process performed by the client, a graphical user interface for managing at least one property of the client management module at the system manager comprising:
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a fuzzy logic field being adapted to receive input from a user, the input being representative of a desired change in at least one parameter of a fuzzy logic evaluation used by the client management module to manage one or more processes of the client; and
a modify object adapted to direct the system manager to transmit a signal representative of the desired change to the client management module for implementation at the client management module.
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28. A system comprising:
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a first client being adapted to perform a plurality of processes, the first client including a client management module adapted to;
determine at least one system resource consumption by a first process of plurality of processes;
perform a fuzzy logic evaluation of the at least one system resource consumption to determine a first action response to be performed by the first client in response to the system resource consumption by the first process, the first action response including at least one action;
perform the at least one action of the first action response; and
a system manager in communication with the first client and being adapted to direct the first client to modify at least one parameter of the fuzzy logic evaluation used by the first client. - View Dependent Claims (29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42)
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43. A computer readable medium being adapted to manipulate a processor to:
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determine at least one system resource consumption by a first process of a subset of processes performed by a client;
perform a fuzzy logic evaluation of the at least one system resource consumption to determine a first action response to be performed by the client in response to the system resource consumption by the first process, the first action response including at least one action; and
perform the at least one action of the first action response. - View Dependent Claims (44, 45, 46, 47, 48)
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Specification