Method and apparatus for inter-domain alarm correlation

• US 6,205,563 B1
• Filed: 12/06/1999
• Issued: 03/20/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 05/28/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cabletron Systems Incorporated (Extreme Networks, Inc.)
• Inventors: Lewis, Lundy
• Primary Examiner(s): Beausoliel, Jr., Robert W.
• Assistant Examiner(s): BADERMAN, SCOTT T
• Application Number:
  US09/455,041
• Time in Patent Office: 470 Days
• Field of Search: 714/43, 714/47, 714/48, 714/4, 709/223, 709/224
• US Class Current: 714/47.3
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/044 comprising hierarchical management structures
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/046 comprising network management agents or mobile agents therefor
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0631 using root cause analysis; using analysis of correlation between notifications, alarms or events based on decision criteria, e.g. hierarchy, tree or time analysis
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0817 by checking functioning
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13516 agents or brokers - user, terminal etc., also OSI agent/managers
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13521 fault management
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13533 multivendor and hybrid, e.g. public/private, networks, inc. international
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13535 distributed systems - also domains in service creation
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13566 mediation
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/0062 Provisions for network management
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/0075 Fault management techniques
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/0095 Specification, development or application of network management software, e.g. software re-use

Abstract

A multi-domain network manager provides alarm correlation among a plurality of domains included in a communications network. Individual network management systems each monitor a single respective domain of the communications network, and provide intra-domain alarms indicative of status specific to the single respective domain. The multi-domain network manager receives the intra-domain alarms, and correlates them to provide inter-domain alarms as well as responses in the form of corrective actions. The multi-domain network manager thus provides a high level of correlation and response for the entire network while each network management system provides a lower level of correlation and response for an individual domain of the network.

Claims

1. An apparatus that manages first and second domains of a communication network, the apparatus comprising:

an input that receives first and second intra-domain alarms generated by first and second domain management systems correlating the first and second intra-domain alarms to generate a result;

means for determining a corrective action based upon the first and second intra-domain alarms; and

means for providing the corrective action to a network resource within the communications network.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a state machine having an input that receives the first and second intra-domain alarms and an output that provides an indication of severity and an indication of correlation of the first and second intra-domain alarms.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first domain management system determines a single-domain corrective action based upon a single-domain correlation of status information received from the first domain, and the first domain management system has an output that provides the single-domain corrective action to a network resource within the first domain.

4. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first and second domain management systems are network management systems.

5. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first and second domains are determined based on at least one of the group comprising:

geographical location;

organization; and

functional characteristics.

6. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising means for correlating the first intra-domain alarm with the second intra-domain alarm to generate an inter-domain alarm.

7. The apparatus according to claim 6, further comprising:

means for analyzing the inter-domain alarm to determine a corrective action; and

means for providing a command to a network resource within the communications network to implement the corrective action.