Cross-platform system-fault warning system and method

• US 6,892,330 B2
• Filed: 11/28/2001
• Issued: 05/10/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 11/28/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Inventec Corporation
• Original Assignee: Inventec Corporation
• Inventors: Lee, Jen-Fu
• Primary Examiner(s): Beausoliel, Robert
• Assistant Examiner(s): Wilson, Yolanda L
• Application Number:
  US09/996,204
• Publication Number:
  US 20030101385A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,259 Days
• Field of Search: 714/57, 714/4, 714/48, 714/25, 714/26, 714/27
• US Class Current: 714/48
• 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 11/0769 Readable error formats, e.g. cross-platform generic formats, human understandable formats
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/0784 Routing of error reports, e.g. with a specific transmission path or data flow
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/327 Alarm or error message display
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0681 Configuration of triggering conditions

Abstract

A cross-platform system-fault warning system and method is proposed, which is designed for use with a cluster of various kinds of server platforms in a network system for generating a warning message in the event that any one of the server platforms has an abnormal operating condition, such as program execution failure or insufficient hard disk space, so as to inform network administrators and users to take necessary maintenance or precautious actions. The proposed cross-platform system-fault warning system and method utilizes a plurality of fault detection modules, each of which is integrated in one of the server platforms for detecting whether the associated one of the server platforms has an abnormal operating condition, and if yes, capable of generating and transferring a text-based system-fault indicating file to a warning-message database, which stores a mapping table of warning messages toward system-fault indicating files, and which is capable of retrieving the corresponding warning message mapped to the received system-fault indicating file. The warning-message database then transfers the retrieved warning message to a warning-message sender, such as an e-mail server, for transferring the warning message in e-mail via the network system to all the network administrators'"'"' and users'"'"' workstations, thereby informing all the network administrators and users to take necessary maintenance or precautious actions.

Claims

1. A cross-platform system-fault warning method for use with a cluster of server platforms in a network system for generating a warning message to a plurality of workstations liking to these server platforms in the event of an abnormal operating condition in any one of the server platforms;

the cross-platform system-fault warning method comprising the step of;

(1) continually detecting whether any one of the server platforms has an abnormal operating condition;

if yes, generating a text-based system-fault indicating file;

(2) transferring the text-based system-fault indicating file to a warning-message database, which stores a mapping table of warning messages toward text-based system-fault indicating files;

(3) from the warning-message database, retrieving a warning message corresponding to the system-fault indicating file; and

(4) transferring the warning message retrieved from the warning-message database via the network system to the workstations.

2. The cross-platform system-fault warning method of claim 1, wherein in said step (2), the text-based system-fault indicating file is transferred via FTP to the warning-message database.

3. The cross-platform system-fault warning method of claim 1, wherein ins said step (4), the warning message is transferred in e-mail via the network system to the workstations.

4. A cross-platform system-fault warning system for use with a cluster of server platforms in a network system for generating a warning message to the workstations linking to these server platforms in the event of an abnormal operating condition in any one of the server platforms;

the cross-platform system-fault warning system comprising;

(a) a plurality of fault detection modules, each of which is integrated in one of the server platforms for detecting whether the associated one of the server platforms has an abnormal operating condition, and if yes, capable of generating a text-based system-fault indicating file;

(b) a warning-message database, which stores a mapping table of warning messages toward system-fault indicating files, and which is linked to all the fault detection modules to receive the system-fault indicating file and capable of retrieving the corresponding warning message mapped to the received system-fault indicating file; and

(c) a warning-message sender, which is internally linked to the warning-message database and externally linked to the network system, for transferring the warning message via the network system to the workstations.

5. The cross-platform system-fault warning system of claim 4, wherein the system-fault indicating file is transferred via FTP to the warning-message database.

6. The cross-platform system-fault warning system of claim 4, wherein the warning-message sender is an e-mail server, which is capable of transferring the warning message in e-mail via the network system to the workstations.

7. A cross-platform system-fault warning system for use with a cluster of server platforms in a network system for generating a warning message to the workstations liking to these server platforms in the event of an abnormal operating condition in any one of the server platforms;

the cross-platform system-fault warning system comprising;

(a) a plurality of fault detection modules, each of which is integrated in one of the server platforms for detecting whether the associated one of the server platforms has an abnormal operating condition, and if yes, capable of generating a text-based system-fault indicating file;

(b) a warning-message database, which stores a mapping table of warning messages toward system-fault indicating files, and which is linked to all the fault detection modules to receive the system-fault indicating file and capable of retrieving the corresponding warning message mapped to the received system-fault indicating file; and

(c) an e-mail server, which is internally linked to the warning-message database and externally linked to the network system, for transferring the warning message in e-mail via the network system to the workstations.

8. The cross-platform system-fault warning system of claim 7, wherein the system-fault indicating file is transferred via FTP to the warning-message database.