Remote system administration and seamless service integration of a data communication network management system

• US 6,654,801 B2
• Filed: 01/04/1999
• Issued: 11/25/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 01/04/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Thomas, Leslie Alan, Sitaraman, Aravind, Deng, Mingqi, Mann, Joseph F.
• Primary Examiner(s): Najjar, Saleh
• Application Number:
  US09/225,255
• Publication Number:
  US 20020169867A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,786 Days
• Field of Search: 709/217, 709/223, 709/224, 709/229, 709/332, 709/315, 709/316
• US Class Current: 709/224
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0213 Standardised network management protocols, e.g. simple network management protocol [SNMP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0233 Object-oriented techniques, for representation of network management data, e.g. common object request broker architecture [CORBA]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/10 Active monitoring, e.g. heartbeat, ping or trace-route

Abstract

A method for providing remote management and maintenance of a node or service within a data communications network that is activated by the data communications network management system'"'"'s receipt of signals of an abnormal condition at a node or service or failure to receive operational status signals from a node or service. A control adapter running on a node within a Point of Presence is started. The control adapter is capable of starting all service adapters associated with all services running on the node. Operational status signals and abnormal condition signals are transmitted from the control adapter and service adapters on to an information bus. If a network management control host receives abnormal condition signals, notification is sent to a remote system administrator that alerts of an error experienced by a node or service. If a network management control host fails to receive operational status signals, notification is sent to a remote system administrator that no signals are being received from a node or service. The system administrator can take appropriate remote action to rectify the problem. The integration of a manually started node or service into a data communications network management system is achieved by manually implementing, at a Point of Presence within a data communications network, a node or service that has an adapter running on it and is in communication with an information bus. The node or service begins signalling operational status upon implementation. These signals are not recognized by network management control hosts. The network management control host transmits signals asking the newly started node or service for identification. The node or service receives the identity request and transmits signals back to the network management control host.

Claims

1. A method for remote management of a node of a data communications network, the method comprising:

starting a service adapter for each service running on the node, the service adapter publishing first heartbeat events onto an information bus, the first heartbeat events indicating that the service is operational;

starting a control adapter for the node, the control adapter monitoring state and status of the node and being capable of restarting the services, the control adapter publishing second heartbeat events onto the information bus, the second heartbeat events indicating that the node is operational; and

subscribing to the first heartbeat events and the second heartbeat events by a database adapter at a network operation center coupled to the information bus.

2. The method in accordance with claim 1, further comprising:

subscribing, at the service adapter, to the second heartbeat events and events published by the database adapter.

3. The method in accordance with claim 1, further comprising:

subscribing, at the control adapter, to the first heartbeat events and events published by the database adapter.

4. The method in accordance with claim 1, further comprising:

periodically polling, by the control adapter, the services; and

automatically restarting a service if the service has been failed.

5. The method in accordance with claim 4, further comprising:

publishing, at the control adapter, an exception event onto the information bus after performing said automatically restarting a predetermined number of times.

6. The method in accordance with claim 1, further comprising:

signaling, at the network operation center, the control adapter to restart a service if the first heartbeat events have not been received at the database adapter for a predetermined time period.

7. The method in accordance with claim 6, further comprising:

issuing, at the network operation center, a notification if the first heartbeat events have not been received at the database adapter for a certain amount of time after said signaling.

8. The method in accordance with claim 1, further comprising:

starting a master process associated with the control adapter, the master process capable of starting and restarting said control adapter.

9. The method in accordance with claim 8, further comprising:

signaling, by the network operation center, the master process to restart the control adapter if the database adapter has not received the second heartbeat events for a predetermined time period.

10. The method in accordance with claim 9, further comprising:

issuing, at the network operation center, a notification if the database adapter has not received the second heartbeat events for a certain amount of time after said signaling.

11. The method in accordance with claim 1, further comprising:

publishing, at the service adapter, exception events indicating an abnormal condition in the corresponding service.

12. The method in accordance with claim 11 wherein each of the exception events includes a classification and a level thereof.

13. The method in accordance with claim 12, further comprising:

issuing, at the network operation center, a notification in response to receipt of the exception event based on the classification and the level of the exception event.

14. The method in accordance with claim 1, further comprising:

publishing, at the control adapter, exception events indicating an abnormal condition in the node.

15. The method in accordance with claim 14 wherein each of said exception events includes a classification and a level thereof.

16. The method in accordance with claim 15, further comprising:

issuing, at the network operation center, a notification in response to receipt of the exception event based on the classification and the level of the exception event.

17. A system for remote management of a node of a data communications network, services running on the node, the system comprising:

a service adapter associated with each service running on the node, said service adapter publishing first heartbeat events onto an information bus, the first heartbeat events indicating that the service is operational;

a control adapter running on the node, said control adapter monitoring state and status of the node and being capable of restarting the services, said control adapter publishing second heartbeat events onto the information bus, the second heartbeat events indicating that the node is operational; and

a network operation center coupled to the information bus, said network operation center including a database adapter subscribing to the first heartbeat events and second heartbeat events.

18. The system in accordance with claim 17 wherein said service adapter subscribes to the second heartbeat events and events published by said database adapter.

19. The system in accordance with claim 17 wherein said control adapter subscribes to the first heartbeat events and events published by the database adapter.

20. The system in accordance with claim 17 wherein said control adapter periodically polls the services and automatically restarts a service if the service has been failed.

21. The system in accordance with claim 20 wherein said control adapter publishes an exception event onto the information bus after a predetermined number of unsuccessful restart operations for the failed service.

22. The system in accordance with claim 17 wherein said network operation center signals said control adapter to restart the service if said database adapter has not received the first heartbeat events published by the service adapter for a predetermined time period.

23. The system in accordance with claim 22 wherein said network operation center issues a notification if said database adapter has not received the first heartbeat events after a certain amount of time after signaling the service adapter to restart the service.

24. The system in accordance with claim 17, further comprising:

a master process associated with said control adapter, said master process capable of starting and restarting said control adapter.

25. The system in accordance with claim 24 wherein said network operation center signals said master process to restart said control adapter if said database adapter has not received the second heartbeat events for a predetermined time period.

26. The system in accordance with claim 25 wherein said network operation center issues a notification if said database adapter has not received the second heartbeat events after a certain amount of time after signaling said master process to restart said control adapter.

27. The system in accordance with claim 17 wherein said service adapter further publishes exception events indicating an abnormal condition in the corresponding service.

28. The system in accordance with claim 27 wherein each of said exception events includes a classification and a level thereof.

29. The system in accordance with claim 28 wherein said network operation center issues a notification in response to receipt of the exception event based on the classification and the level of the exception event.

30. The system in accordance with claim 17 wherein said control adapter further publishes exception events indicating an abnormal condition in the node.

31. The system in accordance with claim 30 wherein each of said exception events includes a classification and a level thereof.

32. The system in accordance with claim 31 wherein said network operation center issues a notification in response to receipt of the exception event based on the classification and the level of the exception event.

33. A program storage device readable by a machine, tangibly embodying a program of instructions readable by the machine to perform a method for remote management of a node of a data communications network, the method comprising:

starting a service adapter for each service running on the node, the service adapter publishing first heartbeat events onto an information bus, the first heartbeat events indicating that the service is operational;

starting a control adapter for the node, the control adapter monitoring state and status of the node and being capable of restarting the services, said control adapter publishing second heartbeat events onto the information bus, the second heartbeat events indicating that the node is operational; and

subscribing to the first heartbeat events and the second heartbeat events by a database adapter at a network operation center coupled to the information bus.