NETWORK PERFORMANCE MONITOR

• US 20080221918A1
• Filed: 03/07/2007
• Published: 09/11/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 03/07/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Welch Allyn Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Welch Allyn Incorporated
• Inventors: Baker, Steven D., Petersen, Eric G., Marcaccini, Steven J., Heritage, Mark
• Granted Patent: US 8,195,478 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/2
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/63 for local operation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0213 Standardised network management protocols, e.g. simple network management protocol [SNMP]
• 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 43/0829 Packet loss
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0852 Delays
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/00 Supervisory, monitoring or testing arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/16 Discovering, processing access restriction or access information

Abstract

Disclosed in this specification is a method for monitoring a network, such as the central monitoring station of a medical facility. Performance data from each of the network components of interest is monitored for compliance with certain component-specific criteria. Responses are generated if the performance data satisfies, or fails to satisfy, such criteria.

Claims

1. A network monitoring system for monitoring a network by performing the method comprising the steps of:

a. receiving performance data over a network from a first network component, wherein the network includes a plurality of network components,

b. selecting a component-specific criteria, wherein the component-specific criteria is selected from a plurality of component-specific criteria based upon the identity of the first network component, such that the selected component-specific criteria corresponds to the first network component,

c. comparing the performance data from the first network component to the selected component-specific criteria,

d. determining if the performance data from the first network component satisfies the selected component-specific criteria,

e. generating a first response if the performance data satisfies the selected component-specific criteria or generating a second response if the performance data does not satisfy the selected component-specific criteria.

2. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein the network monitoring system is installed on a central monitoring station of a medical facility.

3. The system as recited in claim 2, wherein the network monitoring system measures end-to-end latency across all network components connected to the central monitoring station.

4. The system as recited in claim 2, further comprising the step of displaying an alarm response selected from the group consisting of the first response and the second response, wherein the alarm response is displayed on a monitor of the central monitoring station.

5. The system as recited in claim 4, further comprising the step of displaying a second alarm on the first network component, wherein the second alarm corresponds to the alarm response.

6. The system as recited in claim 5, further comprising an access point disposed between the central monitoring station and the first network component.

7. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein the selected component-specific criteria includes a hold-off delay period such that the performance data must satisfy the selected component-specific criteria for the hold-off delay period for the alarm condition to change state.

8. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein the selected component-specific criteria includes hysteresis.

9. The system as recited in claim 1, further comprising the step of recording the performance data, thus producing recorded performance data.

10. The system as recited in claim 9, wherein the recorded data is extracted and analyzed.

11. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein the performance data is selected from the group consisting of number of retries, signal strength data, packet loss data, latency data, and combinations thereof.

12. The system as recited in claim 1, further comprising the step of determining a degree to which each of the network components from the plurality of network components deviates from their corresponding component-specific criteria.

13. The system as recited in claim 12, further comprising the step of displaying a list that includes network components ordered by the degree to which the network components deviate from their corresponding component-specific criteria.

14. The system as recited in claim 13, wherein only those network components which fail to satisfy their corresponding component-specific criteria are listed.

15. The system as recited in claim 1, further comprising the step of requesting the performance data from the first network component.

16. The system as recited in claim 1, further comprising the step of evaluating the performance data for the first network component and determining baseline values for the performance data.

17. The system as recited in claim 1, monitoring a trend in the performance data for the first network component as a function of time.

18. A network monitoring system for monitoring a network by performing the method comprising the steps of:

a. requesting performance data from a first network component over a network, wherein the network includes a plurality of network components, each of which are part of a central monitoring station of a medical facility,

b. receiving the performance data from the first network component,

c. selecting an alarm activation criteria and an alarm deactivation criteria from a plurality of component-specific criteria based upon the identity of the first network component, such that the selected activation criteria and the selected deactivation criteria correspond to the first network component,

d. determining if the performance data from the first network component satisfies the selected activation criteria,

e. activating an alarm condition if the performance data satisfies the selected activation criteria, wherein once the alarm condition has been activated;

i. monitoring the performance data from the first network component,

ii. comparing the performance data to the selected deactivation criteria,

iii. deactivating the alarm condition if the performance data satisfies the selected deactivation criteria.

19. The system as recited in claim 18, wherein the activation criteria are different than the deactivation criteria.

20. The system as recited in claim 18, further comprising the step of determining if the alarm condition is currently active.

21. The system as recited in claim 18, wherein the activation criteria includes a hold-off delay period such that the performance data must satisfy the selected activation criteria for the hold-off delay period for the alarm condition to be activated.

22. The system as recited in claim 18, wherein the deactivation criteria includes a hold-off delay period such that the performance data must satisfy the selected deactivation criteria for the hold-off delay period for the alarm condition to be deactivated.

23. The system as recited in claim 19, wherein the first component is a medical monitor.

24. A network monitoring system for monitoring a network by performing the method comprising the steps of:

a. selecting a first wireless network component from a plurality of network components present on a network,

b. selecting a component-specific criteria from a plurality of component-specific criteria based upon the identity of the first network component, such that the selected component-specific criteria corresponds to the first network component,

c. requesting performance data about the first network component,

d. receiving the performance data about the first network component,

e. comparing the performance data from the first network component to the selected component-specific criteria,

f. determining if the performance data from the first network component satisfies the selected component-specific criteria,

g. generating a first response if the performance data satisfies the selected component-specific criteria or generating a second response if the performance data does not satisfy the selected component-specific criteria.

25. The system as recited in claim 24, wherein the first network component is connected to the network monitoring system through an access point.

26. The system as recited in claim 25, wherein the step of requesting performance data about the first network component is performed by requesting such performance data from the access point.

27. The system as recited in claim 24, wherein the plurality of network components is a subset of all network components which are connected to the network.

28. The system as recited in claim 24, wherein the plurality of network components is a subset of all network components which are exchanging data over the network.

29. The system as recited in claim 24, wherein the plurality of network components is specified in a configuration file.

30. The system as recited in claim 24, further comprising the steps of

a. selecting a second wireless network component from the plurality of network components present on the network,

b. selecting a second component-specific criteria from the plurality of component-specific criteria based upon the identity of the second network component, such that the selected second component-specific criteria corresponds to the second network component,

c. requesting performance data about the second network component,

d. receiving performance data about the second network component,

e. comparing the performance data from the second network component to the selected second component-specific criteria,

f. determining if the performance data from the second network component satisfies the selected second component-specific criteria,

g. generating a third response if the performance data satisfies the selected second component-specific criteria or generating a fourth response if the performance data does not satisfy the selected second component-specific criteria.

31. The system as recited in claim 30, wherein the first and second response identify the first network component as the source of the performance data, and the third and fourth response identify the second network component as the source of the performance data.

32. The system as recited in claim 30, wherein the first network component and second network component are each network applications.