Systems and Methods for Notifying Users of a Network Resource Outage

• US 20100118712A1
• Filed: 11/07/2008
• Published: 05/13/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 11/07/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hewlett Packard Enterprise Development LP (Hewlett-Packard Enterprise Company)
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Rojas, Bud A., Wakumoto, Shaun
• Granted Patent: US 8,670,332 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/248
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0686 Additional information in the notification, e.g. enhancement of specific meta-data
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0811 by checking connectivity
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 49/555 Error detection

Abstract

Systems and methods are disclosed for a network switch that periodically determines whether there are connectivity problems with first ports and a second port independently of responding to requests from computer systems. Information to be sent to the computer system that sends a request is generated. The information includes an error message regarding at least one of the connectivity problems when one of the first ports or the second port with the connectivity problem is required to respond to the request.

Claims

1. A network switch comprising:

a plurality of first ports configured to communicate with a corresponding plurality of computer systems;

a second port configured to communicate with an information network;

a computer processor;

logic instructions on computer readable storage media executable to cause the computer processor to;

periodically determine whether there are connectivity problems with the first ports and the second port independently of responding to requests from the computer systems; and

generate information to be sent to the computer system that sends a request, the information including an error message regarding at least one of the connectivity problems when one of the first ports or the second port with the connectivity problem is required to respond to the request.

2. The switch according to claim 1 further comprising:

logic instructions executable by the computer processor to cause the computer processor to;

clear the error message when the one of the connectivity problems is no longer detected.

3. The switch according to claim 1 further comprising:

logic instructions executable by the computer processor to cause the computer processor to;

generate a request for status to determine whether there are connectivity problems with the first ports and the second port.

4. The switch according to claim 1 further comprising:

periodically determine whether there are connectivity problems based on events detected by the switch.

5. The switch according to claim 4 further comprising:

the events including at least one of the group consisting of;

network loops, route flapping, Spanning Tree Protocol (STP) state changes, uplink failure, inability to contact default gateway, and spoofed Media Access Control (MAC).

6. The switch according to claim 1 further comprising:

logic instructions executable by the computer processor to cause the computer processor to;

provide the error message to other computer systems in response to requests from the other computer systems that require the one of the first ports or the second port with the one of the connectivity problems.

7. The switch according to claim 2 further comprising:

logic instructions executable by the computer processor to cause the computer processor to;

intercept the request to detect requests using a specified communication protocol; and

transmit a response including the error message to the computer system that sent the request.

8. A computer-implemented method comprising:

checking connectivity status of ports in a network switch, the ports being configured to communicate with a plurality of computer systems and a gateway computer that provides access to an information network, the connectivity status being checked at predetermined times whether or not a request requiring use of the ports has been received in the switch.

9. The method according to claim 8 further comprising:

generating an error message when the connectivity status indicates an a problem with at least one of the ports; and

10. The method according to claim 9 further comprising:

clearing the error message when the connectivity problem is no longer detected.

11. The method according to claim 8 further comprising:

generating a request for status of ports on the switch to determine whether there are connectivity problems with the ports.

12. The method according to claim 8 further comprising:

determining whether there are connectivity problems with the ports based on events detected by the switch.

13. The method according to claim 12 further comprising:

the events including at least one of the group consisting of;

network loops, route flapping, Spanning Tree Protocol (STP) state changes, uplink failure, inability to contact default gateway, and spoofed Media Access Control (MAC).

14. The method according to claim 9 further comprising:

providing the error message to other computer systems in response to requests from the other computer systems that require one of the ports with the connectivity problem.

15. The method according to claim 14 further comprising:

intercepting the requests to detect requests using a specified communication protocol; and

transmitting a response including the error message to the computer system that sent the request.

16. A computer-implemented apparatus comprising:

means for checking connectivity status of ports in a network switch, the ports being configured to communicate with a plurality of computer systems and a gateway computer that provides access to an information network, the connectivity status being checked at predetermined times whether or not a request requiring use of the ports has been received in the network switch;

generating an error message when the connectivity status indicates an a problem with at least one of the ports; and

providing the error message to other computer systems in response to requests from the other computer systems that require one of the ports with the connectivity problem.

18. The apparatus according to claim 16 further comprising:

means for determining whether there are connectivity problems with the ports based on events detected by the switch.

19. The apparatus according to claim 18 further comprising:

the events including at least one of the group consisting of;

network loops, route flapping, Spanning Tree Protocol (STP) state changes, uplink failure, inability to contact default gateway, and spoofed Media Access Control (MAC).

20. The apparatus according to claim 16 further comprising:

means for intercepting the requests to detect requests using a specified communication protocol; and

means for transmitting a response including the error message to the computer system that sent the request.

17. The apparatus according to claim 17 further comprising:

means for clearing the error message when the connectivity problem is no longer detected.