Network status determination

• US 20080031147A1
• Filed: 08/01/2006
• Published: 02/07/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 08/01/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Siemens Enterprise Communications, Inc. (Atos SE)
• Original Assignee: Siemens Communications Incorporated (Siemens AG)
• Inventors: Fieremans, Geert, Pastro, Rodrigo
• Application Number:
  US11/497,070
• Publication Number:
  US 20080031147A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/252
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/046 comprising network management agents or mobile agents therefor
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/06 Management of faults, events, alarms or notifications
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0817 by checking functioning

Abstract

In the event of a non-responsive endpoint, a system can determine network health by querying a network agent located on the same subnet or branch of the network. If a response is received from the network agent, a device failure or absence may be assumed. If no response is received from the network agent, a network failure may be assumed. Statistical reliability may be enhanced by positioning more than one network agent on a subnet.

Claims

1. A system, comprising:

a network;

at least one user agent located on the network;

a network controller, the controller comprising means for generating a status inquiry message; and

at least one network agent located on the network, the network agent comprising means responsive to a status inquiry message.

2. A system as set forth in claim 1, where the network comprises a plurality of subnets.

3. A system as set forth in claim 2, further comprising

at least one backup network agent, where the backup network agent is located on a subnet having another network agent and is associated with the other network agent;

and

in the event of a failure of one of the network agents on the subnet, means for placing the other network agent in the active mode.

4. A system as set forth in claim 1, where the user agents comprise means responsive to a status inquiry message.

5. A system as set forth in claim 1, where the status inquiry message comprises a SIP OPTIONS message.

6. A system as set forth in claim 1, where the status inquiry message comprises a protocol native to the network controller and the user agents.

7. A system as set forth in claim 1, where the network controller comprises means for generating a status inquiry message at periodic intervals.

8. A method for determining the status of a network comprising a network controller and user agents, comprising:

placing at least one network agent on the network;

sending a status inquiry message to at least one network agent; and

evaluating the response to the status inquiry message.

9. A method as set forth in claim 8, where the step of placing at least one network agent on the network comprises placing the network agent on a subnet of the network.

10. A method as set forth in claim 9, where the step of placing at least one network agent on the network comprises

locating at least one backup network agent on a subnet having another network agent;

in the event of a failure of one of the network agents on the subnet, placing the other network agent in the active mode.

11. A method as set forth in claim 8, further comprising sending a status inquiry message to at least one user agent and evaluating the response to the status inquiry message.

12. A method as set forth in claim 8, where the step of sending a status inquiry message to at least one network agent comprises sending a SIP OPTIONS message.

13. A method as set forth in claim 8, where the step of sending a status inquiry message to at least one network agent comprises sending a status inquiry message in a protocol native to the network controller and the user agents.

14. A method as set forth in claim 8, where the step of sending a status inquiry message to at least one network agent comprises polling the network agent at periodic intervals.