Event ownership assigner with failover for multiple event server system

• US 20050198273A1
• Filed: 03/04/2004
• Published: 09/08/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 03/04/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Childress, Rhonda L., Pennell, Neil Raymond, Dinger, John E., Wiggins, James Daniel
• Granted Patent: US 8,224,937 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/224
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/06 Management of faults, events, alarms or notifications
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0686 Additional information in the notification, e.g. enhancement of specific meta-data
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1001 for accessing one among a plurality of replicated servers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1034 Reaction to server failures by a load balancer
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1095 Replication or mirroring of data, e.g. scheduling or transport for data synchronisation between network nodes
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/63 Routing a service request depending on the request content or context

Abstract

Event reports generated from multiple event sources within an event management system such as Tivoli (TM) Event Console are handled by an Event Bus, which links multiple problem resolution servers together and assigns an ownership to each event report. The Event Bus parses each incoming event for adding or altering a slot value. Based on the slot value, the event is forwarded to the configured event servers. In addition, the ability to dynamically change ownership to maintain an error-free systematic transmission flow is provided.

Claims

1. An Event Bus circuit comprising:

an input for receiving an event report, said event report having a series of digital values representing binary, text, or character parameters for a reported event;

an input selector switch receiving said event report and controlled by an event bus enable signal such that when said enable signal is false, said event report is transmitted unmodified to a local problem management server output, otherwise said event report being transmitted to a comparator and to an output selector switch;

a comparator receiving said event report from said input selector switch, adapted to detect an owner designation parameter in said series of digital values, and producing a true owner signal when such detection is made;

an output selector switch receiving said event report from said input selector switch and controlled by said owner signal from said comparator such that when said owner signal is true, said event report is transmitted unmodified to a local problem management server output, otherwise said event report being transmitted to a data selector control and to a summation circuit first input;

a data selector circuit implementing a logical set of rules and receiving said event report from said output selector switch, adapted to produce one of a plurality of owner values for presentation to a summation circuit second input; and

a summation circuit having said first input from said output selector switch and said second input from said data selector circuit, adapted to modify said event report digital values to include an owner designation parameter according to said owner value, and transmitting said modified event report to a local problem management server and to one or more alternate problem management servers.

2. The Event Bus circuit as set forth in claim 1 wherein said input for receiving an event report comprises and event report interceptor for intercepting an event report from a networked resource directed to an automated problem diagnosis and resolution tool.

3. The Event Bus circuit as set forth in claim 1 wherein said event report comprises an event report transmitted from a networked resource to an automated problem diagnosis and resolution tool.

4. The Event Bus circuit as set forth in claim 1 wherein said comparator is configured to detect an existing owner field in an event report transmitted from a networked resource to an automated problem diagnosis and resolution tool.

5. The Event Bus circuit as set forth in claim 1 wherein said data selector circuit is configured to make a logical selection according to a rules base defined by a automated problem diagnosis and resolution tool.

6. The Event Bus circuit as set forth in claim 1 wherein said summation circuit is configured to modify an event report for an automated problem diagnosis and resolution tool.

7. The Event Bus circuit as set forth in claim 1 wherein said summation circuit is configured to transmit said modified event report to an automated problem diagnosis and resolution tool.

8. The Event Bus circuit as set forth in claim 1 wherein said input for receiving an event report is configured to intercept event reports on a first communication network, and wherein said a summation circuit is configured to transmit said modified event report to a local problem management server and to one or more alternate problem management servers on a second communication network, thereby reducing traffic flow of event reports on said first network.

9. The Event Bus circuit as set forth in claim 8 wherein said first communication network comprises a lower level of a hierarchically organized network, and wherein said second communication network comprises a top level of said hierarchically organized network.

10. The Event Bus circuit as set forth in claim 8 wherein said summation circuit is configured to transmit on a secure communication network, thereby increasing the security and reliability of event report handling.

11. The Event Bus circuit as set forth in claim 1 wherein summation circuit is further adapted to modify said received event report digital values to include a primary owner designation parameter and a secondary owner designation parameter.

12. The Event Bus circuit as set forth in claim 1 wherein:

said input for receiving an event report is further configured to receive modified event reports from other event bus circuits; and

said a summation circuit is further adapted to examine said received modified event report digital values for a primary owner designation parameter and a secondary owner designation parameter, and to forward said modified event report to a problem management server corresponding to said secondary owner designation in the situation wherein a primary owner problem management server has failed to respond or is known to be otherwise indisposed to handle said event report.

13. An Event Bus system comprising:

an event report receiver configured to receive an event report having a series of digital values representing binary, text, or character parameters for a reported event;

an event report analyzer configured to detect an owner designation parameter in said series of digital values, and to transmit any event reports not containing an owner designation parameter to an owner rules processor and to an event report modifier;

an owner rules processor receiving said event report from said event report analyzer, and determining a problem resolution server primary owner for said event report, and producing a primary owner value;

an event report modifier receiving said event report from said event report analyzer and said primary owner value from said owner rules processor, and modifying said event report to contain an owner designation parameter; and

a flagged event report output for transmitting said modified event report to one or more problem resolution servers.

14. The Event Bus system as set forth in claim 13 wherein said event report receiver comprises an event report interceptor for intercepting an event report from a networked resource directed to an automated problem diagnosis and resolution tool.

15. The Event Bus system set forth in claim 13 wherein said received event report comprises an event report transmitted from a networked resource to an automated problem diagnosis and resolution tool.

16. The Event Bus system as set forth in claim 13 wherein said event report analyzer is configured to detect an owner field in an event report transmitted from a networked resource to an automated problem diagnosis and resolution tool.

17. The Event Bus system as set forth in claim 13 wherein said owner rules processor is configured to make a logical selection according to a rules base defined by an automated problem diagnosis and resolution tool.

18. The Event Bus system as set forth in claim 13 wherein said event report modifier is configured to modify in an event report transmitted from a networked resource to an automated problem diagnosis and resolution tool.

19. The Event Bus system as set forth in claim 13 wherein said flagged event output is configured to transmit said modified event report to an automated problem diagnosis and resolution tool.

20. The Event Bus system as set forth in claim 13 wherein said event report receiver is configured to intercept event reports on a first communication network, and wherein said a flagged event report output is configured to transmit said modified event report to a local problem management server and to one or more alternate problem management servers on a second communication network, thereby reducing traffic flow of event reports on said first network.

21. The Event Bus system as set forth in claim 20 wherein said first communication network comprises a lower level of a hierarchically organized network, and wherein said second communication network comprises a top level of said hierarchically organized network.

22. The Event Bus system as set forth in claim 20 wherein said flagged event report output is configured to transmit on a secure communication network, thereby increasing the security and reliability of event report handling.

23. The Event Bus system as set forth in claim 20 wherein event report modifier is further adapted to modify said received event report digital values to include a primary owner designation parameter and a secondary owner designation parameter.

24. The Event Bus system as set forth in claim 13 wherein:

said event report receiver is further configured to receive modified event reports from other event bus systems;

said event report modifier is further adapted to examine said received modified event report digital values for a primary owner designation parameter and a secondary owner designation parameter; and

said flagged event report output is further configured to forward said modified event report to a problem management server corresponding to said secondary owner designation in the situation wherein a primary owner problem management server has failed to respond or is known to be otherwise indisposed to handle said event report.

25. A method for handling event reports in a problem management system comprising the steps of:

receiving an event report having a series of digital values representing binary, text, or character parameters for a reported event;

determining if said received event report contains an owner designation parameter;

responsive to determining that said event report contains an owner designation parameter, transmitting said event report without modification to a local problem management server;

responsive to determining that said event report does not contain an owner designation parameter, selecting an owner value for said event report according to a rules base, and modifying said event report to include an owner designation parameter according to said owner value; and

transmitting said modified event report to one or more problem management server.

26. The method as set forth in claim 25 wherein said step of receiving an event report comprises intercepting an event report from a networked resource directed to an automated problem diagnosis and resolution tool.

27. The method as set forth in claim 25 wherein said step of receiving an event report comprises receiving an event report transmitted from a networked resource directed to an automated problem diagnosis and resolution tool.

28. The method as set forth in claim 25 wherein said step of determining if said received event report contains an owner designation parameter comprises determining if an automated problem diagnosis tool event report contains an owner field.

29. The method as set forth in claim 25 wherein said step of selecting an owner value comprises making a logical selection according to a rules base defined by automated problem diagnosis tool.

30. The method as set forth in claim 25 wherein said step of modifying said event report comprises modifying an automated problem diagnosis tool event report.

31. The method as set forth in claim 25 wherein said step of transmitting said modified event report comprises transmitting the modified event report to an automated problem diagnosis tool

32. The method as set forth in claim 25 wherein said step of receiving an event report comprises intercepting event reports on a first communication network, and wherein said step of transmitting said modified event report comprises transmitting said modified event report to a local problem management server and to one or more alternate problem management servers on a second communication network, thereby reducing traffic flow of event reports on said first network.

33. The method as set forth in claim 32 wherein said step of transmitting on a first communication network comprises transmitting on a lower level of a hierarchically organized network, and wherein said step of transmitting on a second communication network comprises transmitting on a top level of said hierarchically organized network.

34. The method as set forth in claim 32 wherein said step of transmitting on a second network comprises transmitting on a secure communication network, thereby increasing the security and reliability of event report handling.

35. The method as set forth in claim 25 wherein step of modifying said event report comprises modifying said event report to include a primary owner designation parameter and a secondary owner designation parameter.

36. The method as set forth in claim 25 wherein:

said step of receiving an event report further comprises receiving one or more modified event reports from other event bus circuits; and

said a step of determining if said event report does not contain an owner designation comprises examining said received modified event report for a primary owner designation parameter and a secondary owner designation parameter, and forwarding said modified event report to a problem management server corresponding to said secondary owner designation in the situation wherein a primary owner problem management server has failed to respond or is known to be otherwise indisposed to handle said event report.

37. A computer readable medium encoded with software for handling event reports in a problem management system, said software performing the steps of:

receiving an event report having a series of digital values representing binary, text, or character parameters for a reported event;

determining if said received event report contains an owner designation parameter;

responsive to determining that said event report contains an owner designation parameter, transmitting said event report without modification to a local problem management server;

responsive to determining that said event report does not contain an owner designation parameter, selecting an owner value for said event report according to a rules base, and modifying said event report to include an owner designation parameter according to said owner value; and

transmitting said modified event report to one or more problem management server.

38. The medium as set forth in claim 37 wherein said software for receiving an event report comprises software for intercepting an event report from a networked resource directed to an automated problem diagnosis and resolution tool.

39. The medium as set forth in claim 37 wherein said software for receiving an event report comprises software for receiving an event report transmitted from a networked resource directed to an automated problem diagnosis and resolution tool.

40. The medium as set forth in claim 37 wherein said software for determining if said received event report contains an owner designation parameter comprises software for determining if an automated problem diagnosis tool event report contains an owner field.

41. The medium as set forth in claim 37 wherein said software for selecting an owner value comprises software for making a logical selection according to a rules base defined by automated problem diagnosis tool.

42. The medium as set forth in claim 37 wherein said software for modifying said event report comprises software for modifying an automated problem diagnosis tool event report.

43. The medium as set forth in claim 37 wherein said software for transmitting said modified event report comprises software for transmitting the modified event report to an automated problem diagnosis tool

44. The medium as set forth in claim 37 wherein said software for receiving an event report comprises software for intercepting event reports on a first communication network, and wherein said software for transmitting said modified event report comprises software for transmitting said modified event report to a local problem management server and to one or more alternate problem management servers on a second communication network, thereby reducing traffic flow of event reports on said first network.

45. The medium as set forth in claim 44 wherein software for transmitting on said first communication network comprises software for transmitting on a lower level of a hierarchically organized network, and wherein said software for transmitting on said second communication network comprises a top level of said hierarchically organized network.

46. The medium as set forth in claim 44 wherein said software for transmitting on a second network comprises software for transmitting on a secure communication network, thereby increasing the security and reliability of event report handling.

47. The medium as set forth in claim 37 wherein software for modifying said event report comprises software for modifying said event report to include a primary owner designation parameter and a secondary owner designation parameter.

48. The medium as set forth in claim 37 wherein:

said software for receiving an event report further comprises software for receiving one or more modified event reports from other event bus circuits; and

said software for determining if said event report does not contain an owner designation comprises software for examining said received modified event report for a primary owner designation parameter and a secondary owner designation parameter, and for forwarding said modified event report to a problem management server corresponding to said secondary owner designation in the situation wherein a primary owner problem management server has failed to respond or is known to be otherwise indisposed to handle said event report.