Methods and apparatus for performing fault isolation and failure analysis in link-connected systems
First Claim
1. Apparatus for isolating and analyzing faults in a link-connected system, utilizing fault reports generated from within the system itself, wherein said system comprises a plurality of units interconnected by a plurality of links, and further wherein said units are coupled to a central reporting location, comprising:
- (a) means for detecting faults as they occur in the system;
(b) means for transmitting reports of detected faults to said central location, said transmitting means providing, as part of at least one of said fault reports, nearest neighbor information;
(c) means for associating fault reports transmitted to said central location utilizing said nearest neighbor information; and
(d) means for generating a single error message from associated fault reports.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The invention relates to methods and apparatus for isolating faults in link-connected systems utilizing fault reports generated from within the system itself. The reports are transmitted to a central location, preferably during a predetermined time period, and are used to create a single error message identifying the probable nature and location of the fault. A preferred embodiment of the invention does not require either the construction or maintenance of systemwide configuration tables, commonly used performing fault location and analysis. Instead, each unit of a pair of link coupled units, initially or on reconnection, interrogates a link adapter at the other end of the link for an identifier that identifies both the remote unit and the remote link adapter. This "nearest neighbor" information is stored locally at each unit, and is transmitted to the central location when an error is detected. The nearest neighbor information, rather than information from a configuration table, may be used to combine multiple records relating to a fault event, locate the fault and diagnose its cause. Additionally, a preferred embodiment of the invention provides a plurality of reporting paths for each unit in the system, so that the failure of a given unit or link does not prevent error information from being communicated to the central location.
113 Citations
27 Claims
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1. Apparatus for isolating and analyzing faults in a link-connected system, utilizing fault reports generated from within the system itself, wherein said system comprises a plurality of units interconnected by a plurality of links, and further wherein said units are coupled to a central reporting location, comprising:
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(a) means for detecting faults as they occur in the system; (b) means for transmitting reports of detected faults to said central location, said transmitting means providing, as part of at least one of said fault reports, nearest neighbor information; (c) means for associating fault reports transmitted to said central location utilizing said nearest neighbor information; and (d) means for generating a single error message from associated fault reports. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. Apparatus for isolating and analyzing faults in a link-connected system, utilizing fault reports generated from within the system itself, wherein said system comprises a plurality of units interconnected by a plurality of links, and further wherein said units are coupled to a central reporting location, comprising:
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(a) a plurality of link adapters associated with said plurality of units for attaching said units to said plurality of links, each link adapter having a unique link adapter identifier (LAID) assigned thereto; (b) means for locally storing at each unit the LAID of each adapter at a given unit that is coupled to a link, along with the LAID of each remote adapter coupled to said given unit, so as to form locally stored LAID pairs of nearest neighbor information for each link-coupled link adapter of each unit; (c) means for transmitting fault reports containing said nearest neighbor information, along with any detected fault symptoms, from each unit observing a fault to said central location; (d) means for storing said fault reports at said central location; (e) means for associating said stored fault reports utilizing said nearest neighbor information; and (f) means for generating a single error message from associated fault reports.
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16. A method of isolating faults in a link-connected system comprising the steps of:
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(a) detecting faults as they occur in said system; (b) transmitting reports of the detected faults to a reporting location, at least one of said reports including nearest neighbor information relative to the transmitting unit; (c) associating those fault reports transmitted to said location utilizing said nearest neighbor information to determine which reports are related to a particular error event; (d) generating a single error message from the associated fault reports relating to said particular error event, wherein said message includes fault isolation and diagnostic information. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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22. A method of isolating faults in a network of units interconnected by links, each link coupling a pair of units via respective link adapters associated with said units, each of said link adapters having a unique identifier distinguishing it from the other link adapters of said network, said method comprising the steps of:
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(a) transmitting a fault report to a reporting location in response to the detection of a fault by a link adapter, said fault report including at least any detected symptoms of said fault, the identifier of the link adapter detecting said fault, and nearest neighbor information in the form of the identifier of the link adapter at the opposite end of the link to which the link adapter detecting said fault is attached; (b) associating fault reports transmitted to said reporting location utilizing said nearest neighbor information; and (c) generating a single error message from said associated fault reports. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25)
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26. Apparatus for isolating and analyzing faults in a link-connected system having a plurality of units coupled to a central reporting location and links coupling respective pairs of said units, said units having respective unit identifiers associated therewith, said apparatus comprising:
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means for locally storing at each unit the unit identifier associated with said unit, along with the unit identifier of each unit directly attached to said unit by a link, so as to provide for each such link nearest neighbor information comprising a locally stored pair of unit identifiers identifying said link; means responsive to the detection of a fault on a link by a unit attached to said link for transmitting a fault report containing said nearest neighbor information to said reporting location; and means for associating fault reports transmitted to said reporting location utilizing said nearest neighbor information. - View Dependent Claims (27)
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Specification