Fault-tolerant network management system

• US 20110191626A1
• Filed: 02/01/2010
• Published: 08/04/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 02/01/2010
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: King Fahd University of Petroleum & Minerals (Government of Saudi Arabia)
• Original Assignee: King Fahd University of Petroleum & Minerals (Government of Saudi Arabia)
• Inventors: Al-Awami, Louai, Sqalli, Mohammed H., Abd-El-Barr, Mostafa I.
• Application Number:
  US12/656,505
• Publication Number:
  US 20110191626A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 714/4.12
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/00 Error detection; Error correction; Monitoring error detection, correction or monitoring in information storage based on relative movement between record carrier and transducer G11B20/18; monitoring, i.e. supervising the progress of recording or reproducing G11B27/36; in static stores G11C29/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/20 using active fault-masking, e.g. by switching out faulty elements or by switching in spare elements
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/00 Information retrieval; Database structures therefor; File system structures therefor
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0663 Performing the actions predefined by failover planning, e.g. switching to standby network elements

Abstract

The fault-tolerant network management system is a hierarchical system having two Manager-of-Managers (MoM) that are implemented at the highest layer in an active-passive mode. A middle layer includes Mid-Level Managers (MLMs), which are used to manage agents disposed throughout different areas of the network at the lowest layer. The MLMs relieve the MoM from dealing with individual agents, and hence enhance the scalability of the whole Network Management Systems. MLMs are configured to work in pairs, where each pair includes two MLMs working in an active-active mode. The MoMs and MLMs have the capability of backing each other up in the case of a failure.

Claims

1. A fault-tolerant network management system (FTNMS), comprising:

an active Manager-of-Managers (MoM);

a passive Manager-of Managers (MoM), the MoMs being in a top tier;

a plurality of pairs of Mid-Level Managers (MLMs), the pairs of MLMs being in a middle tier;

and a plurality of agents, the plurality of agents being in a bottom tier of a three-layer hierarchical arrangement within the system;

means for determining when a given manager ceases to operate; and

means for dynamic reconfiguration of managers within the hierarchy to assume the responsibility of the non-operating manager.

2. The fault-tolerant network management system according to claim 1, further comprising MoM and MLM roles controlled by an administrator.

3. The fault-tolerant network management system according to claim 1, further comprising a fully functioning hot sparing MLM pair arranged in an active/active scheme.

4. The fault-tolerant network management system according to claim 1, further comprising a floating MLM IP address arrangement facilitating MLM IP identity preservation.

5. The fault-tolerant network management system according to claim 1, further comprising MoMs configured in a hot standby sparing active-passive mode.

6. The fault-tolerant network management system according to claim 5, further comprising a heartbeat arrangement fully synchronizing said pair of MoMs, thereby reducing transition time upon NMS failure.

7. The fault-tolerant network management system according to claim 1, further comprising a virtual IP arrangement facilitating transparent identity of MoMs.

8. The fault-tolerant network management system according to claim 1, further comprising means for data retransmission during failover.

9. The fault-tolerant network management system according to claim 1, further comprising an operations log facilitating completion of transactions when a failure occurs without human intervention and without loss of management information during the failover.

10. The fault-tolerant network management system according to claim 1, further comprising two fully synchronized databases at the MoM level of said hierarchy, one of the databases at each of the MoMs.

11. The fault-tolerant network management system according to claim 10, further comprising means for updating said databases only through said active MoM.

12. The fault-tolerant network management system according to claim 10, further comprising means for synchronizing said two databases on said active MoM and on said passive MoM.

13. The fault-tolerant network management system according to claim 10, further comprising first and second databases in each MLM, said first database being a native database, and said second database being a copy of a partner MLM.

14. The fault-tolerant network management system according to claim 13, wherein said databases are distributed and redundant.