Methods systems and software for alleviating event overload conditions for computer networks

• US 6,301,624 B1
• Filed: 12/04/1998
• Issued: 10/09/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 12/04/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Oracle America, Inc. (Oracle Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Sun Microsystems Incorporated (Oracle Corporation)
• Inventors: Lee, Linda, Angal, Rajeev, Bapat, Subodh
• Primary Examiner(s): Harrell, Robert B.
• Application Number:
  US09/205,324
• Time in Patent Office: 1,040 Days
• Field of Search: 709/223, 709/200, 709/201, 709/202, 709/227, 709/229, 709/246, 709/317, 709/318
• US Class Current: 719/318
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/542 Event management; Broadcasting; Multicasting; Notifications
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0213 Standardised network management protocols, e.g. simple network management protocol [SNMP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0226 Mapping or translating multiple network management protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0681 Configuration of triggering conditions
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/08 Protocols for interworking; Protocol conversion
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols

Abstract

A method for processing events generated by software and hardware entities installed on a computer network that avoids overload conditions at large event processing rates is provided. In one embodiment, the method includes the steps of providing a protocol translation facility that is configured to translate messages from a first network communications protocol to a second network communications protocol. The protocol translation facility is further configured to receive events transmitted by software and hardware entities on the network. The protocol translation facility forwards the events to a management information server. An event is received, and a determination is made whether an association between the protocol translation facility and the entity exists. The event is processed

Claims

1. A method for processing events generated by software and hardware entities installed on a computer network, comprising the steps of:

a. providing a protocol translation facility configured to translate messages from a first network communications protocol to a second network communications protocol, said protocol translation facility being further configured to receive events transmitted to said protocol translation facility from agents corresponding to said software and hardware entities and forward said events to a management information server;

b. receiving an event from an agent corresponding to said software or hardware entity installed on said computer network;

c. determining whether an association between said protocol translation facility and said agent exists; and

d. processing said event.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of receiving a request for an association from said agent if such an association does not exist, and determining whether said protocol translation facility has exceeded a threshold.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein said step of determining whether said threshold has been exceeded is performed with said protocol translation facility.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein said step of determining whether said threshold has been exceeded is performed for each agent associated with said protocol translation facility.

5. The method of claim 2, further including the step of aborting all new association requests if said threshold has been exceeded.

6. The method of claim 5, further including the step of aborting all existing association requests if said threshold has been exceeded.

7. The method of claim 2, wherein said step of determining whether said threshold has been exceeded is performed for each agent associated with said protocol translation facility.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein said step of processing said event includes the sub-steps of:

a. determining an event rate;

b. comparing said event rate with an threshold;

c. determining whether said threshold has been exceeded; and

d. if said threshold has been exceeded, then determining whether to abort all associations between said protocol translation facility and said agents associated with said protocol translation facility and further preventing said protocol translation facility from making additional associations with other agents.

9. The method of claim 8, further including the step of determining whether to notify said management information service that said event-processing limit has been exceeded.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein said step of determining whether said threshold has been exceeded includes the step of comparing said event rate with an entry in an overload control table.

11. A system for processing events generated by entities installed on a computer network, comprising:

a. a protocol translation facility configured to receive and process events, coupled with

b. an agent configured to transmit events; and

c. an association management facility configured to determine whether said protocol translation facility has exceeded an threshold, said association management facility being further configured to terminate existing association between said protocol translation facility and said agent if said limit is exceeded.

12. The system of claim 11, further including a notification facility configured to determine whether notification is provided to a management information service if said event-processing limit is exceeded.

13. The system of claim 12, further including an association abort facility to determine whether said threshold is exceeded, said abort facility being configured to determine an event rate and compare said event rate to entries in a overload control table.

14. A computer-readable medium containing computer-readable program code devices embodied thereon, said program code devices being configured to enable a computer to perform the computer-implemented steps of:

a. providing a protocol translation facility configured to translate messages from a first network communications protocol to a second network communications protocol, said protocol translation facility being further configured to receive events transmitted to said protocol translation facility from agents corresponding to said software and hardware entities and forward said events to a management information server;

b. receiving an event from an entity corresponding to said software or hardware entity installed on said computer network;

c. deteimining whether an association between said protocol translation facility and said entity exists; and

d. processing said event.

15. A computer data signal on a carrier wave containing instructions for providing memory allocations in response to memory allocation requests from device drivers, said computer data signal comprising instructions configured to cause a computer to perform the steps of claim 14.