Performance and status monitoring in a computer network
First Claim
1. A system for monitoring the performance and status of links and/or nodes of a communications network from a first Point of Control (POC) node, by propagating a test message between the nodes of the network, the system comprising:
- means for initiating a test by sending to a first Node Test Program (NTP) on one of the network nodes the test message requiring specific information, said test message identifying the POC node for the test;
a NTP at the POC node and at every other node of the network, wherein each node can be a current node for test activity, each NTP including means for receiving the test message and means for performing the operations of sending to the POC node a reply message including information from the current node, and forwarding the test message to the NTP node on each of the current node'"'"'s adjacent nodes, said operations being done automatically in response to the received test message;
means for receiving said reply messages at the POC node; and
means associated with said POC node for analysis of said rely messages.
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Abstract
Provided is a method and a system for computer network monitoring, implemented in a network in which processes communicate using message queuing. Each node of the network has a network management program installed thereon which includes two independent components: a Point Of Control (POC) program for initiating network tests by injecting a test message into the network and for receiving responses from all the nodes of the network; and a Network Test Program (NTP) for sending a reply message to the single POC for a particular test when the NTP receives test messages within that test, and for propagating the test by forwarding a message to all of the current node'"'"'s adjacent nodes. Test results are analyzed at the POC for display to the network administrator. Injected test messages propagate throughout the network in a self-exploring manner, exploiting the parallelism of the network. The individual nodes are not required to know the network topology other than to know their nearest neighbor nodes.
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Citations
18 Claims
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1. A system for monitoring the performance and status of links and/or nodes of a communications network from a first Point of Control (POC) node, by propagating a test message between the nodes of the network, the system comprising:
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means for initiating a test by sending to a first Node Test Program (NTP) on one of the network nodes the test message requiring specific information, said test message identifying the POC node for the test; a NTP at the POC node and at every other node of the network, wherein each node can be a current node for test activity, each NTP including means for receiving the test message and means for performing the operations of sending to the POC node a reply message including information from the current node, and forwarding the test message to the NTP node on each of the current node'"'"'s adjacent nodes, said operations being done automatically in response to the received test message; means for receiving said reply messages at the POC node; and
means associated with said POC node for analysis of said rely messages. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A method for monitoring the performance and status of links and/or nodes of a communications network from a single point of control (POC) node, by propagating a test message between the nodes of the network, the method comprising the following steps:
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injecting into the network the test message requiring specific information by sending the test message to a node test program (NTP) on one of the network nodes, said test message identifying the POC node for the test; automatically, in response to receipt of the test message, sending to the POC node from the receiving NTP a reply message including information from the receiving node, and forwarding the test message to the NTP on each of said receiving node'"'"'s adjacent connected nodes; each subsequent receiving NTP, automatically in response to receipt of the forwarded test message, at least if the received test message is within an unexpired test, sending to the POC node a reply message including information from said subsequent receiving NTP'"'"'s node, and, at least the first time said subsequent NTP receives a message within a given test, forwarding the test message to the NTP on each of its own adjacent connected nodes; and analyzing reply messages received by the POC node. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A computer having means for monitoring the performance and status of links and/or nodes of a communications network which includes the computer, the computer having a network management program thereon which comprises:
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a Point of Control (POC) means for initiating a test by sending to a first Node Test Program (NTP) on said computer or on a connected computer a test message requiring specific information, said test message identifying the computer as the POC node for the test, the POC process including means for receiving, from NTPs on the computer and on other computers with direct or indirect connections thereto, reply messages to a test for which the computer is the identified POC node; and a Network Test Program (NTP) for processing a received test message automatically on receipt by performing the following operations;
sending to the POC node identified by the received test message a reply including information from the current computer; and
forwarding the test message to the NTP on each of the adjacent computers with direct connections to the current computer;said network management program further comprising means associated with the POC means for analyzing said reply messages.
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Specification