System configuration for use with a fault and performance monitoring system using distributed data gathering and storage

• US 20040088403A1
• Filed: 11/01/2002
• Published: 05/06/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 11/01/2002
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Fidelia Technology, Inc. (NetScout Systems Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Fidelia Technology, Inc. (NetScout Systems Incorporated)
• Inventors: Aggarwal, Vikas
• Application Number:
  US10/286,448
• Publication Number:
  US 20040088403A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/224
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0681 Configuration of triggering conditions
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/069 using logs of notifications; Post-processing of notifications
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/12 Discovery or management of network topologies
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/22 comprising specially adapted graphical user interfaces [GUI]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/5009 Determining service level performance parameters or violations of service level contracts, e.g. violations of agreed response time or mean time between failures [MTBF]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/5012 determining service availability, e.g. which services are available at a certain point in time
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/5032 Generating service level reports
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/5093 wherein the managed service relates to messaging or chat services
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/5096 wherein the managed service relates to distributed or central networked applications

Abstract

Combining system fault and performance monitoring using distributed data collection and storage of performance data. Storage requirements are relaxed and real-time performance monitoring is possible. Data collection and storage elements can be easily configured via a central configuration database. The configuration database can be easily updated and changed. A federated user model allows normal end users to monitor devices relevant to the part of a service they are responsible for, while allowing administrative users to view the fault and performance of a service in an end-to-end manner.

Claims

1. A method for configuring a fault and performance monitoring system using data gathering elements distributed within a monitored system, the method comprising:

a) accepting devices of the monitored system;

b) associating each of the accepted devices with a test;

c) associating one of the data gathering elements with a test;

d) for each test, accepting test parameters; and

e) signaling each of the tests to its associated data gathering elements.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the act of signaling each of the tests to its associated data gathering element includes

i) initiating the associated data gathering element;

ii) submitting a configuration download request from the initiated and associated data gathering element to a configuration server; and

iii) downloading, from the configuration server to the initiated data gathering element, each of the tests associated with the data gathering element.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

f) accepting, for each test, an action.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the action is to be performed in the event of a fault threshold violation.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein at least some of the tests are performance monitoring tests.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein the test parameters associated with the performance monitoring tests include polling parameters.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein at least some of the tests are fault monitoring tests.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein the test parameters include thresholds.

10. The configuration facility of claim 1 wherein the means for signaling each of the tests to its associated data gathering element includes

i) an input for accepting a submitted a configuration download request from an initiated gathering element;

and

ii) means for downloading each of the tests associated with the initiated data gathering element to the initiated data gathering element.

17. A machine readable medium storing machine executable instructions which, when executed by a machine, perform the method of claim 1.

9. A configuration facility for configuring a fault and performance monitoring system using data gathering elements distributed within a monitored system, the configuration facility comprising:

a) a data storage facility for storing;

i) devices of the monitored system,

ii) an association of each of the accepted devices with a test,

iii) an association of one of the data gathering elements with a test, and

iv) test parameters for each test; and

b) means for signaling each of the tests to its associated data gathering elements.

11. The configuration facility of claim 9 wherein the storage facility further stores

v) an action for each test.

12. The configuration facility of claim 9 wherein the action is to be performed in the event of a fault threshold violation.

13. The configuration facility of claim 9 wherein at least some of the tests are performance monitoring tests.

14. The configuration facility of claim 13 wherein the test parameters associated with the performance monitoring tests include polling parameters.

15. The configuration facility of claim 9 wherein at least some of the tests are fault monitoring tests.

16. The configuration facility of claim 15 wherein the test parameters include thresholds.