Connection monitoring method, connection monitoring apparatus, and connection monitoring system

• US 20090300438A1
• Filed: 04/01/2009
• Published: 12/03/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 06/02/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
• Original Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
• Inventors: Tanikawa, Yasutaka, Kimura, Yoshihiro, Hayashi, Toshiaki, Tachibana, Ikuko, Tanifuji, Takashi
• Granted Patent: US 8,151,148 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 714/57
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/0748 in a remote unit communicating with a single-box computer node experiencing an error/fault remote testing G06F11/2294
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/0781 Error filtering or prioritizing based on a policy defined by the user or on a policy defined by a hardware/software module, e.g. according to a severity level

Abstract

A connection monitoring apparatus determines whether the connection monitoring apparatus is communicatively connected to the customer apparatus at a regular connection time. When the connection monitoring apparatus is not communicatively connected to the customer apparatus at the regular connection time and the present time falls within the support contract time of a customer, the connection monitoring apparatus issues a connection fault notification. When the connection monitoring apparatus is not communicatively connected to the customer apparatus at the regular connection time and the present time does not fall within the support contract time of the customer, the connection monitoring apparatus suppresses the connection fault notification from being issued and issues the connection fault notification at the next support contract time of the customer.

Claims

1. A connection monitoring method for monitoring a communicative connection between a connection monitoring apparatus and a customer apparatus, the method comprising:

determining, in the connection monitoring apparatus, whether the connection monitoring apparatus is communicatively connected to the customer apparatus at a regular connection time, and issuing a connection fault notification when the connection monitoring apparatus is not communicatively connected to the customer apparatus at the regular connection time and the present time falls within the support contract time of a customer; and

suppressing, in the connection monitoring apparatus, the connection fault notification from being issued when the connection monitoring apparatus is not communicatively connected to the customer apparatus at the regular connection time and the present time does not fall within the support contract time of the customer, and issuing the connection fault notification at the next support contract time of the customer.

2. The connection monitoring method according to claim 1, wherein, when the connection monitoring apparatus determines that the connection monitoring apparatus is communicatively connected to the customer apparatus by the next support contract time of the customer, suppressing the connection fault notification from being issued at the next support contract time.

3. A connection monitoring apparatus for monitoring a communicative connection between the connection monitoring apparatus and a customer apparatus, the apparatus comprising:

a connection fault notification issuing unit for determining whether the connection monitoring apparatus is communicatively connected to the customer apparatus at a regular connection time, and issuing a connection fault notification when the connection monitoring apparatus is not communicatively connected to the customer apparatus at the regular connection time and the present time falls within the support contract time of a customer; and

wherein the connection fault notification issuing unit suppresses the connection fault notification from being issued when the connection monitoring apparatus is not communicatively connected to the customer apparatus at the regular connection time and the present time does not fall within the support contract time of the customer, and issues the connection fault notification at the next support contract time of the customer.

4. The connection monitoring apparatus according to claim 3, wherein, when the connection fault notification unit determines that the connection monitoring apparatus is communicatively connected to the customer apparatus by the next support contract time of the customer, the connection fault notification unit suppresses the connection fault notification from being issued at the next support contract time.

5. A connection monitoring system including a customer apparatus and a connection monitoring apparatus for monitoring a communicative connection between the connection monitoring apparatus and the customer apparatus, wherein the connection monitoring apparatus comprises:

a connection fault notification issuing unit for determining whether the connection monitoring apparatus is communicatively connected to the customer apparatus at a regular connection time, and issuing a connection fault notification when the connection monitoring apparatus is not communicatively connected to the customer apparatus at the regular connection time and the present time falls within the support contract time of a customer, wherein the connection fault notification issuing unit suppresses the connection fault notification from being issued when the connection monitoring apparatus is not communicatively connected to the customer apparatus at the regular connection time and the present time does not fall within the support contract time of the customer, and issues the connection fault notification at the next support contract time of the customer.