Automatically identifying replacement times for limited lifetime components

• US 6,909,992 B2
• Filed: 11/05/2002
• Issued: 06/21/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 11/05/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Oracle America, Inc. (Oracle Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Sun Microsystems Incorporated (Oracle Corporation)
• Inventors: Ashley, Mark
• Primary Examiner(s): Wachsman, Hal D
• Application Number:
  US10/288,682
• Publication Number:
  US 20040088141A1
• Time in Patent Office: 959 Days
• Field of Search: 702/184, 702/122, 702/179, 702181-183, 702/180, 702185-188, 702/177, 702/63, 714/47, 714/40, 714/44, 714/46, 714/1, 714/37, 714/25, 709/220, 709/224, 377/1, 377/19, 377/20, 377/27, 707/2, 340/500, 340/540, 340/636.1, 340/3.1, 340/286.01, 340/815.4, 705/8, 705/9
• US Class Current: 702/184
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0253 using browsers or web-pages for accessing management information
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/06 Management of faults, events, alarms or notifications
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0681 Configuration of triggering conditions

Abstract

A count down monitor may be configured to automatically generate an alert that one or more limited lifetime components included in multiple computer systems are due for replacement. For example, a system and method that provides up-to-date system configuration data for the multiple computer systems may include and/or interact with one embodiment of a count down monitor. The count down monitor may be configured to automatically generate an alert to indicate one or more of the limited lifetime components are due for replacement. The alert may be visual. The count down monitor may be configured to generate various types of alerts.

Claims

1. A system, comprising:

a processor; and

a memory coupled to the processor and configured to store program instructions executable by the processor to implement a count down monitor, wherein the count down monitor is configured to;

access system configuration data for each computer system of a plurality of computer systems, wherein limited lifetime information for one or more limited lifetime components included in each computer system of the plurality of computer systems is included in the system configuration data; and

automatically generate an alert to indicate that one or more limited lifetime components in the plurality of computer systems are due for replacement dependent on the limited lifetime information for each limited lifetime component.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the count down monitor is configured to determine that a component of the plurality of limited lifetime components is due for replacement by accessing a count down interval and an installation date timestamp of the component to identify if the count down interval has elapsed.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the count down monitor is configured to initiate a request for the limited lifetime information at different intervals as indicated by an internal timer, wherein the internal timer specifies the different intervals.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the request for the limited lifetime information is sent to a customer configuration server system that includes the system configuration data.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the system configuration data is organized within a hierarchy of logical groups.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the count down monitor is configured to stop generating the alert for a limited period of time while waiting for notification that the one or more of the components have been replaced.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the notification comprises a part order number associated with a replacement component for each of the one or more limited lifetime components.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the alert is a visual alert.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the visual alert for the one or more limited lifetime components is generated by highlighting an icon of the one or more limited lifetime components in red.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the alert is an audio alert that is broadcast over a speaker, wherein the audio alert is a beeping sound.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more limited lifetime components comprise at least one of an air filter and a battery.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein the count down monitor is configured to generate the alert by creating a service call identifying the one or more limited lifetime components in a service call management system.

13. A method, comprising:

accessing system configuration data for each computer system of a plurality of computer systems, wherein limited lifetime information for one or more limited lifetime components included in each computer system of the plurality of computer systems is included in the system configuration data; and

depending on the limited lifetime information for each of the one or more limited lifetime components, automatically generating an alert for each of the one or more limited lifetime components that are due for replacement;

wherein said accessing further comprises accessing the limited lifetime information from a customer configuration server system that includes the system configuration data.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein said automatically generating further comprises determining that a component of the plurality of limited lifetime components is due for replacement by accessing a count down interval and an installation date timestamp of the component to identify if the count down interval has elapsed.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein said accessing further comprises accessing the limited lifetime information at different intervals.

16. The method of claim 13, further comprising stopping the generation of the alert for a limited period of time while waiting for notification that the one or more limited lifetime components have been replaced.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein said waiting comprises waiting for a user to enter a part order number associated with a replacement component for each of the one or more limited lifetime components whose count down interval has elapsed.

18. The method of claim 13, wherein the alert is a visual alert.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the visual alert for the one or more limited lifetime components is indicated by highlighting an icon of the one or more limited lifetime components in red.

20. The method of claim 13, wherein the alert is an audio alert that is broadcast over a speaker, wherein the audio alert is a beeping sound.

21. The method of claim 13, wherein the one or more limited lifetime components comprise at least one of an air filter and a battery.

22. The method of claim 13, wherein the system configuration data is organized within a hierarchy of logical groups.

23. The method of claim 13, wherein said generating the alert for each of the one or more limited lifetime components that are due for replacement comprises creating a service call entry corresponding to each of the one or more limited lifetime components that are due for replacement in a service call management system.

24. A computer accessible medium comprising program instructions, wherein the program instructions are computer executable to:

access, from a customer configuration server system, system configuration data for each computer system of a plurality of computer systems, wherein limited lifetime information for one or more limited lifetime components included in each computer system of the plurality of computer systems is included in the system configuration data; and

depending on the limited lifetime information for each of the one or more limited lifetime components, automatically generate an alert for each of the one or more limited lifetime components that are due for replacement.

25. The computer accessible medium of claim 24, wherein the program instructions are further executable to determine that a component of the plurality of limited lifetime components is due for replacement by accessing a count down interval and an installation date timestamp of a component to identify if the count down interval has elapsed.

26. The computer accessible medium of claim 24, wherein the program instructions are further executable to access the limited lifetime information at different intervals.

27. The computer accessible medium of claim 25, wherein the program instructions are further executable to stop the generation of the alert for a limited period of time while waiting for notification that the one or more limited lifetime components have been replaced.

28. The computer accessible medium of claim 27, wherein said waiting comprises waiting for a user to enter a part order number associated with a replacement component for each of the one or more limited lifetime components whose count down interval has elapsed.

29. The computer accessible medium of claim 24, wherein the alert is a visual alert.

30. The computer accessible medium of claim 29, wherein the visual alert for the one or more limited lifetime components is indicated by highlighting an icon of the one or more limited lifetime components in red.

31. The computer accessible medium of claim 24, wherein the alert is an audio alert that is broadcast over a speaker, wherein the audio alert is a beeping sound.

32. The computer accessible medium of claim 24, wherein the one or more limited lifetime components comprise at least one of an air filter and a battery.

33. The computer accessible medium of claim 24, wherein the system configuration data is organized within a hierarchy of logical groups.

34. The computer accessible medium of claim 24, wherein the program instructions are executable to generate the alert for each of the one or more limited lifetime components that are due for replacement by creating a service call entry corresponding to each of the one or more limited lifetime components that are due for replacement in a service call management system.