Qualitative determination of system health in centralized network management

• US 20060003689A1
• Filed: 05/17/2005
• Published: 01/05/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 05/17/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: PointShot Wireless, Inc.
• Original Assignee: PointShot Wireless, Inc.
• Inventors: Gallagher, Warren, Griffin, Shawn
• Application Number:
  US11/130,220
• Publication Number:
  US 20060003689A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/3.10
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/00 Arrangements for maintenance, administration or management of data switching networks, e.g. of packet switching networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0213 Standardised network management protocols, e.g. simple network management protocol [SNMP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0686 Additional information in the notification, e.g. enhancement of specific meta-data
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/005 Moving wireless networks

Abstract

A centralized network management system for a network including remote in-motion wireless nodes comprising a multiplicity of remote logging systems operating on each of a multiplicity of wireless network routers, a log parser means for parsing the information provided by each of said multiplicity of remote logging systems and generating a fact stream, a system profile database, a fact checker means for checking said fact stream against said system profile database and a notifier. The system profile database contains information on the GPS location of a vehicle operator'"'"'s depot, GPS coordinates of known dead-zones for each wireless network link utilized, normal shutdown time of the vehicle route, and times the system is expected to be up. The system combines this time-of-day and location information to help make qualitative determinations about the effective state of the managed network.

Claims

1. A centralized network management system for a network including remote in-motion wireless nodes, said system comprising:

a log parser for parsing the information provided by each of a multiplicity of remote logging systems and generating a fact stream;

a system profile database including node data records; and

a fact checker for checking said fact stream against said node data records.

2. The system as claimed in claim 1 further including a profiler for populating said system profile database in response to event data provided to said system.

3. The system as claimed in claim 2, wherein said event data is provided to said system from at least one of said wireless nodes via a wireless link.

4. The system as claimed in claim 1 further including a notifier for providing a system alert upon determination of a pre-specified fact identified by said fact checker from said fact stream.

5. The system as claimed in claim 4 further including a set of notifications rules wherein said notifier provides said system alert in accordance with said notification rules upon said determination of said pre-specified fact.

6. A system for centralized network management, said system comprising:

one or more wireless nodes locatable within a mobile vehicle;

a network management system (NMS) locatable within a centralized wireless area network server and connected to said one or more wireless nodes via a wireless link;

wherein network events logged at said one or more wireless nodes are parsed at said NMS in a manner such that certain of said network events trigger a notification message.

7. The system as claimed in claim 6, wherein said one or more wireless nodes each include a remote logger for gathering event logs of said network events.

8. The system as claimed in claim 7, wherein said NMS includes

a log parser for parsing said event logs and generating a fact stream;

a system profile database including node data records that include network state data and corresponding geographic and time of day data; and

a fact checker for checking said fact stream against said node data records.

9. The system as claimed in claim 8 further including a profiler for populating said system profile database with historical network state data and corresponding geographic and time of day data that form said node data records.

10. The system as claimed in claim 9, wherein said node data records are provided to said NMS from at least one of said wireless nodes via said wireless link.

11. The system as claimed in claim 8 further including a notifier for providing a system alert upon determination of a pre-specified fact identified by said fact checker from said fact stream.

12. The system as claimed in claim 11 further including a set of notifications rules wherein said notifier provides said system alert in accordance with said notification rules upon said determination of said pre-specified fact.

13. A method for qualitative determination of states of a wireless network, said method comprising:

scanning for event logs received from one or more wireless nodes locatable within a mobile vehicle;

receiving said event log at log parser in a central location remote from said one or more wireless nodes;

determining whether said event log represents a significant event;

upon positive determination of said significant event, updating state values of said wireless network;

determining whether said event log represents a network error,

upon positive determination of said network error, further determining whether said network error is expected; and

upon determination that said error is unexpected, issuing a notification message.

14. The method as claimed in claim 13 wherein said method is carried out within a wireless area network server centrally located within said wireless network.

15. The method as claimed in claim 13 wherein said step of further determining whether said network error is expected is accomplished by a comparison of said network error to a historical network state residing within a system profile database.

16. The method as claimed in claim 15 wherein said historical network state corresponds to a previous network state and related geographical and time data.

17. The method as claimed in claim 16 wherein said historical network state is determined by a profiler.