Distributing queries and combining query responses in a fault and performance monitoring system using distributed data gathering and storage

• US 6,985,944 B2
• Filed: 11/01/2002
• Issued: 01/10/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 11/01/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: NetScout Systems Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Fidelia Technology, Inc. (NetScout Systems Incorporated)
• Inventors: Aggarwal, Vikas
• Primary Examiner(s): Follansbee, John
• Assistant Examiner(s): Chang, Jungwon
• Application Number:
  US10/286,469
• Publication Number:
  US 20040088405A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,166 Days
• Field of Search: 707/103, 707/104.1, 707/20, 707/102, 707/3, 709/224, 709/223, 370/252
• US Class Current: 709/224
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3495 for systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/069 using logs of notifications; Post-processing of notifications
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/00 Arrangements for monitoring or testing data switching networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/045 for graphical visualisation of monitoring data
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/067 using time frame reporting
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0811 by checking connectivity
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0817 by checking functioning
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0841 Round trip packet loss
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0847 Transmission error
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0864 Round trip delays
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0882 Utilisation of link capacity
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0888 Throughput
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/10 Active monitoring, e.g. heartbeat, ping or trace-route
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/16 Threshold monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99933 Query processing, i.e. searching

Abstract

Combining system fault and performance monitoring using distributed data collection and storage of performance data. Storage requirements are relaxed and real-time performance monitoring is possible. Data collection and storage elements can be easily configured via a central configuration database. The configuration database can be easily updated and changed. A federated user model allows normal end users to monitor devices relevant to the part of a service they are responsible for, while allowing administrative users to view the fault and performance of a service in an end-to-end manner.

Claims

1. A method for generating a report of performance of a system using data gathering elements distributed within the system, the method comprising:

a) determining at least two appropriate data gathering elements;

b) generating a query, to the determined at least two appropriate data gathering elements having information from which at least a portion of the report is generated, associated with the performance;

c) disseminating the query to the determined at least two appropriate data gathering elements;

d) accepting query responses from each of the at least two data gathering elements;

e) combining information from the accepted query responses to generate system performance information; and

f) generating a report using the system performance information.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the act of generating a query associated with the performance includes

i) determining an authorization of a user that requested the report, and

ii) generating the query using a report type and the determined user authorization.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the report type is associated with the user authorization.

4. The method of claim 2 wherein the report type is selected by the user, and

wherein the report type is selected from a group consisting of (A) availability of a business service, (B) top N availability violations, and (C) top N accumulations of events recorded.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the act of generating a query associated with the performance includes determining an authorization of a user that requested the report, wherein the authorization is associated with devices, wherein each of the data gathering elements is associated with devices, and wherein each of the at least two data gathering elements is associated with devices with which the authorization is also associated.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein each of the data gathering elements is associated with a location, and

wherein the act of disseminating the query to at least two of the data gathering elements includes sending the query to the location associated with each of the at least two data gathering elements.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the query is a relational database query.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the report is an availability report based on event data which shows a number of threshold violations, a distribution of such violations and total downtime.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein the availability report is generated for one of (A) a device, (B) individual tests, and (C) a business service.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the report displays the top predetermined number of event accumulations during the reporting period per account, per device, and per test.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein if the authorization is administrative, the report is provided at an account level and with links for more detailed reports on individual devices and tests.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein the report is a device performance report showing a period snapshot of event summaries for all tests on a single device.

13. The method of claim 1 wherein the report is a test details report showing all individual test results for a single test.

14. A machine readable medium storing machine executable instructions which, when executed by a machine, perform the method of claim 1.

15. The method of claim 1 wherein at least one of the data gathering elements is adapted to receive pushed data.

16. The method of claim 1 wherein the act of determining at least two appropriate data gathering elements includes

i) accepting at least one of a user that requested the report and a report type, and

ii) determining the at least two appropriate data gathering elements using at least one of the user and the report type, together with configuration information.

17. Apparatus for generating a report by one or more computers, of performance of a system using data gathering elements distributed within the system, the apparatus comprising:

a) means for determining at least two appropriate data gathering elements having information from which at least a portion of the report is generated;

b) means for generating a query, to the determined at least two appropriate data gathering elements, associated with the performance;

c) means for disseminating the query to the determined at least two appropriate data gathering elements;

d) an input for accepting query responses from each of the at least two data gathering elements;

e) means for combining information from the accepted query responses to generate system performance information; and

f) means for generating a report using the system performance information.

18. The apparatus of claim 17 wherein the means for generating a query associated with the performance include

i) means for determining an authorization of a user that requested the report, and

ii) means for generating the query using a report type and the determined user authorization.

19. The apparatus of claim 18 wherein the report type is associated with the user authorization.

20. The apparatus of claim 17 wherein the means for generating a query associated with the performance includes means for determining an authorization of a user that requested the report, the apparatus further comprising:

f) data storage, the data storage storing

i) an association of the authorization with devices,

ii) an association of each of the data gathering elements with devices,

wherein each of the at least two data gathering elements is associated with devices with which the authorization is also associated.

21. The apparatus of claim 20 wherein the data storage further stores an association of each of the data gathering elements with a location, and

wherein the means for disseminating the query to at least two of the data gathering elements sends the query to the location associated with each of the at least two data gathering elements.

22. The apparatus of claim 17 wherein the query is a relational database query.

23. The apparatus of claim 17 wherein at least one of the data gathering elements is adapted to receive pushed data.

24. The apparatus of claim 17 wherein the means for determining at least two appropriate data gathering elements include

i) means for accepting at least one of a user that requested the report and a report type, and

ii) means for determining the at least two appropriate data gathering elements using at least one of the user and the report type together with configuration information.