Network management system

• US 6,446,134 B1
• Filed: 10/17/1995
• Issued: 09/03/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 04/19/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Fuji Xerox Company Limited (Xerox Holdings Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Fuji Xerox Company Limited (Xerox Holdings Corp.)
• Inventors: Nakamura, Jun
• Primary Examiner(s): Oberley, Alvin
• Assistant Examiner(s): CALDWELL, PATRICIA G
• Application Number:
  US08/544,368
• Time in Patent Office: 2,513 Days
• Field of Search: 395/700, 395/200.11, 395/200, 395/200.15, 395/182.02, 340/825.02, 340/827, 340/506, 364/491, 370/401, 714/1-57, 709/310-332, 709/200, 709/224
• US Class Current: 719/313
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/0709 in a distributed system consisting of a plurality of standalone computer nodes, e.g. clusters, client-server systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/0748 in a remote unit communicating with a single-box computer node experiencing an error/fault remote testing G06F11/2294
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/2294 by remote test
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0604 using filtering, e.g. reduction of information by using priority, element types, position or time
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0661 by reconfiguring faulty entities

Abstract

In a network system wherein a plurality of server units and a plurality of manager units for managing the server units are connected to a network, the manager units are notified of a state detected in each of the server units in the network system for monitoring service of the server unit. Each of the server units comprises a destination storage unit for receiving a fault notification request from one of the manager units and storing the manager unit as a destination, a notification unit, when fault occurs in service, for sending fault information indicating the contents of the fault to the destination, and a control unit for controlling start and stop of service.

Claims

1. A network management system, comprising:

a network communication channel;

a plurality of server units connected to said network communication channel; and

a plurality of manager units for managing said plurality of server units and connected to said network communication channel, a state detected in each of said plurality of server units capable of being notified to said plurality of manager units so that said plurality of manager units monitor service of said plurality of server units;

wherein each of said plurality of server units comprises;

destination storage means for receiving from one of said plurality of manager units a fault notification request, said one of said plurality of manager units appends a network address of said one of said plurality of manager units to said fault notification request that said destination storage means stores as a stored destination;

notification means, when a fault occurs in service, for sending with said fault notification request fault information indicating contents of said fault only to said stored destination of said one of said plurality of manager units that issued said fault notification request; and

means for controlling start and stop of service.

6. The network management system of claim 1 wherein said destination storage means includes a nonvolatile storage means.

2. A network management system, comprising:

a network communication channel;

a plurality of server units connected to said network communication channel; and

a plurality of manager units for managing said plurality of server units and connected to said network communication channel, a state detected in each of said plurality of server units capable of being notified to said plurality of manager units so that said plurality of manger units monitor service of said plurality of server units;

wherein each of said plurality of server units comprises;

destination storage means for receiving from one of said plurality of manager units a notification request, said one of said plurality of manager units appends a network address of said one of said plurality of manager units to said fault notification request that said designation storage means stores as a stored destination;

means for detecting a stop of a service providing program;

notification means, when said detection means detects said stop of said service providing program, for sending information with said notification request indicating contents of said detection only to said stored destination of said one of said plurality of manager units that issued said notification request; and

means for controlling start and stop of service.

7. The network management system of claim 2 wherein said destination storage means includes a nonvolatile storage means.

3. A network management system, comprising:

a network communication channel;

a plurality of server units connected to said network communication channel; and

a plurality of manager units for managing said plurality of server units and connected to said network communication channel, a state detected in each of said plurality of server units capable of being notified to said plurality of manager units so that said plurality of manager units monitor service of said plurality of server units;

wherein each of said plurality of server units comprises;

destination storage means for receiving from one of a plurality of manager units a fault notification request having a filter condition, said one of said plurality of manager units appends a network address of said one of said plurality of manager units to said fault notification request that said destination storage means stores as a stored destination, said filter condition being specified by said one of said plurality of manager units that has issued said fault notification request;

filtering means for selecting fault information contents in accordance with said filter condition;

notification means, when a fault occurs in service, for sending fault information with said fault notification request indicating the contents selected by said filtering means only to said stored destination of said one of said plurality of manager units that issued said fault notification request; and

means for controlling start and stop of service by instructions from said manager units.

8. The network management system of claim 3 wherein said destination storage means includes a nonvolatile storage means.

4. A network management method wherein a manager unit manages a state of a server unit in a network system comprising a network communication channel, a plurality of server units connected to said network communication channel and a plurality of manager units for managing said plurality of server units and connected to said network communication channel, said method comprising the steps of:

sending a fault notification request from one of said plurality of manger units to one of said plurality of server units from which said one of said plurality of manager units wants to receive a fault notification, said fault notification request includes a network address of said one of said plurality of manager units that said one of said plurality of manager units appends to said fault notification request;

setting said network address of said one of said plurality of manager units as a stored destination in said one of said plurality server units receiving said fault notification request from said one of said plurality of manger units; and

sending fault information only to said one of said plurality of manager units that issued said fault notification request set as said stored destination in said one of said plurality of server units when a fault occurs in said one of said plurality of server units.

5. A computer program product executable with a computer for managing a network, said computer program product controlling said computer to execute the steps of:

upon reception of a fault notification request from one of a plurality of management computers being connected to said computer on said network for managing said computer, setting a network address of said one of said plurality of management computers as a fault information destination, said network address being appended to said fault notification request by said one of said plurality of management computers that issued said fault notification request; and

when a fault occurs in said computer, sending fault information only to said fault information destination.