Network problem indication

• US 6,691,256 B1
• Filed: 03/17/2000
• Issued: 02/10/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 06/10/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Hewlett Packard Enterprise Development LP (Hewlett-Packard Enterprise Company)
• Original Assignee: 3Com Corporation (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Cook, Mark Douglas, Bulmer, Russell Kennett, Walker, Lee Anthony, Valentine, Simon Peter
• Primary Examiner(s): Iqbal, Nadeem
• Application Number:
  US09/527,635
• Time in Patent Office: 1,425 Days
• Field of Search: 714/43, 714/47, 714/48, 714/57, 714/28, 714/30, 714/31, 714/37, 714/39, 714/44, 714/46, 714/38, 709/223, 709/224
• US Class Current: 714/43
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0213 Standardised network management protocols, e.g. simple network management protocol [SNMP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/046 comprising network management agents or mobile agents therefor
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/06 Management of faults, events, alarms or notifications
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/22 comprising specially adapted graphical user interfaces [GUI]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/5009 Determining service level performance parameters or violations of service level contracts, e.g. violations of agreed response time or mean time between failures [MTBF]

Abstract

Network supervising apparatus, computer program, and method of supervising a network comprising:

applying an algorithm to information relating to the devices of the network to provide a stress value,

comparing the stress value with a predetermined limit, retrieving graphic symbol signals from a signal store and providing the graphic symbol on a visual display apparatus when the stress value reaches the predetermined limit,

manually selecting the graphic symbol and causing said visual display apparatus to provide an image indicating where the stress value has reached the predetermined limit.

Claims

1. A network supervising apparatus comprising:

a computer capable of running a plurality of programs, said computer including,

arithmetic apparatus (i) applying, whilst said computer is running a network supervising program, an algorithm to information relating to the devices of a network to provide a stress value; and

(ii) comparing the stress value with a predetermined limit,

a processing unit retrieving graphic symbol related signals from a signal store and providing the graphic symbol on the visual display apparatus when the stress value reaches the predetermined limit, said processing unit being operable to provide said graphic symbol on the visual display apparatus when said computer is running an unrelated program, and

a selector selecting the graphic symbol and causing the visual image displayed on said visual display apparatus to change to provide an image indicating where the stress value has reached the predetermined limit.

3. A network supervising apparatus as claimed in claim 1 in which the graphic symbol comprises a text message.

4. A network supervising apparatus as claimed in claim 1 in which the graphic symbol comprises an icon.

5. A network supervising apparatus as claimed in claim 1 in which the graphic symbol is provided in a set predetermined position on the visual display on the visual display apparatus.

6. A network supervising apparatus as claimed in claim 1 in which the visual display apparatus displays a Windows based display and the graphic symbol is provided in the system tray.

7. A network supervising apparatus as claimed in claim 1 in which the visual display apparatus displays a Windows based display and the graphic symbol is provided in the application status bar.

8. A network supervising apparatus as claimed in claim 1 in which the stress value relates to a port of a device.

9. A network supervising apparatus as claimed in claim 1 in which the stress value relates to a chassis blade of a device.

10. A network supervising apparatus as claimed in claim 1 in which the stress value relates to a device.

11. A network supervising apparatus as claimed in claim 1 in which the stress value relates to part of the network.

12. A network supervising apparatus as claimed in claim 1 in which the stress value relates to the speed of operation of the relevant part of the network.

13. A network supervising apparatus as claimed in claim 1 in which the stress value relates to the error rate in the transmission of data packets of the relevant part of the network.

14. A network supervising apparatus as claimed in claim 1 in which the stress value relates to the volume of data traffic on the relevant part of the network.

20. A network supervising apparatus as claimed in claim 1 in which the graphic symbol is provided in a set predetermined position on the visual display on the visual display apparatus.

33. A method as claimed in claim 1 in which the graphic symbol is provided in a set predetermined position on the visual display on the visual display apparatus.

2. A network supervising apparatus further comprising interrogation means interrogating agents of the devices of the network to provide the information for the arithmetic means.

15. A computer program on a computer readable medium for use in supervising a network, said program comprising:

program step for applying an algorithm to information relating to the devices of a network to provide a stress value,

program step to compare the stress value with a predetermined limit,

program step for retrieving graphic symbol signals from a signal store and for providing the graphic symbol on a visual display apparatus when the stress value reaches the predetermined limit and whilst said visual display apparatus is displaying a visual display controlled by an unrelated program,

program step actuated by manually selecting the graphic symbol to cause said visual display on said visual display apparatus to change to provide an image indicating where the stress value has reached the predetermined limit.

16. A computer program as claimed in claim 15 including an initial program step to interrogate agents of the devices of the network to provide the information to which the algorithm is to be applied.

17. A computer program as claimed in claim 15 in which the graphic symbol comprises a text message.

18. A computer program as claimed in claim 15 in which the graphic symbol comprises an icon.

19. A computer program as claimed in claim 15 in which the visual display apparatus displays a Windows based display and the graphic symbol is provided in the system tray.

21. A computer program as claimed in claim 15 in which the visual display apparatus displays a Windows based display and the graphic symbol is provided in the application status bar.

22. A computer program as claimed in claim 15 in which the stress value relates to a port of a device.

23. A computer program as claimed in claim 15 in which the stress value relates to a chassis blade of a device.

24. A computer program as claimed in claim 15 in which the stress value relates to a device.

25. A computer program as claimed in claim 15 in which the stress value relates to part of the network.

26. A computer program as claimed in claim 15 in which the stress value relates to the speed of operation of the relevant part of the network.

27. A computer program as claimed in claim 15 in which the stress value relates to the error rate in the transmission of data packets of the relevant part of the network.

28. A computer program as claimed in claims 15 in which the stress value relates to the volume of data traffic on the relevant part of the network.

29. A method of supervising a network comprising:

applying an algorithm to information relating to the devices of a network to provide a stress value,

comparing the stress value with a predetermined limit,

retrieving graphic symbol signals from a signal store and providing the graphic symbol on a visual display apparatus when the stress value reaches the predetermined limit and whilst said visual display apparatus is displaying a visual display controlled by an unrelated program,

manually selecting the graphic symbol and causing said visual display on said visual display apparatus to change to provide an image indicating where the stress value has reached the predetermined limit.

30. A method as claimed in claim 29 including an initial step of interrogating agents of the devices of the network to provide the information to which the algorithm is applied.

31. A method as claimed in claim 29 in which the graphic symbol comprises a text message.

32. A method as claimed in claim 29 in which the graphic symbol comprises an icon.

34. A method as claimed in claim 29 in which the visual display apparatus displays a Windows based display and the graphic symbol is provided in the system tray.

35. A method as claimed in claim 29 in which the visual display apparatus displays a Windows based display and the graphic symbol is provided in the application status bar.

36. A method as claimed in claim 29 in which the stress value relates to a port of a device.

37. A method as claimed in claim 29 in which the stress value relates to a chassis blade of a device.

38. A method as claimed in claim 29 in which the stress value relates to a device.

39. A method as claimed in claim 29 in which the stress value relates to part of the network.

40. A method as claimed in claim 29 in which the stress value relates to the speed of operation of the relevant part of the network.

41. A method as claimed in claim 29 in which the stress value relates to the error rate in the transmission of data packets of the relevant part of the network.

42. A method as claimed in claim 29 in which the stress value relates to the volume of data traffic on the relevant part of the network.

43. A computer program on a computer readable medium, said computer program comprising software for performing the method of claim 29.

44. A computer program embodied in a carrier wave for use in supervising a network, said program comprising:

program step for applying an algorithm to information relating to the devices of a network to provide a stress value,

program step to compare the stress value with a predetermined limit,

program step for retrieving graphic symbol signals from a signal store and for providing the graphic symbol on a visual display apparatus when the stress value reaches the predetermined limit and whilst said visual display apparatus is displaying a visual display controlled by an unrelated program,

program step actuated by manually selecting the graphic symbol to cause said visual display on said visual display apparatus to change to provide an image indicating where the stress value has reached the predetermined limit.

45. A computer program as claimed in claim 44 including an initial program step to interrogate agents of the devices of the network to provide the information to which the algorithm is to be applied.

46. A computer program as claimed in claim 44 in which the graphic symbol comprises a text message.

47. A computer program as claimed in claim 44 in which the graphic symbol comprises an icon.

48. A network supervising apparatus as claimed in claim 44 in which the graphic symbol is provided in a set predetermined position on the visual display on the visual display apparatus.

49. A computer program as claimed in claim 44 in which the visual display apparatus displays a Windows based display and the graphic symbol is provided in the system tray.

50. A computer program as claimed in claim 44 in which the visual display apparatus displays a Windows based display and the graphic symbol is provided in the application status bar.

51. A computer program as claimed in claim 44 in which the stress value relates to a port of a device.

52. A computer program as claimed in claim 44 in which the stress value relates to a chassis blade of a device.

53. A computer program as claimed in claim 44 in which the stress value relates to a device.

54. A computer program as claimed in claim 44 in which the stress value relates to part of the network.

55. A computer program as claimed in claim 44 in which the stress value relates to the speed of operation of the relevant part of the network.

56. A computer program as claimed in claim 44 in which the stress value relates to the error rate in the transmission of data packets of the relevant part of the network.

57. A computer program as claimed in claims 44 in which the stress value relates to the volume of data traffic on the relevant part of the network.