Hierarchical dependability for open distributed environments

• US 7,130,261 B1
• Filed: 05/31/2000
• Issued: 10/31/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 05/31/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Unify Inc. (Atos SE)
• Original Assignee: Siemens Communications Incorporated (Siemens AG)
• Inventors: Skrzynski, Mark, Misra, Vijay K.
• Primary Examiner(s): Levitan, Dmitry
• Application Number:
  US09/586,557
• Time in Patent Office: 2,344 Days
• Field of Search: 370216-218, 370/221, 370241-244, 370/352, 379/1.01, 379/1.03, 379/2, 379/9, 379/9.04, 379/9.05, 379/10.01, 379/14, 714/100, 714/2, 714/3, 714/4, 714/10, 714/30, 714/40, 714/27, 714/57
• US Class Current: 370/216
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/044 comprising hierarchical management structures

Abstract

Systems and methods that are operable in open distributed environments, such as ToL and other similar systems are described. One dependability system includes a hierarchical arrangement of two or more nodes each having a fault analyzer object programmed to respond to status information relating to an associated system of one or more objects based upon a respective set of policies designed to improve object availability. The dependability system may be implemented in a telephony system. The telephony system may include a packet switched network, a gatekeeper coupled to the packet switched network, and a server coupled to the packet switched network and configured to process telephone calls over the packet switched network. A dependability method that is implemented in a distributed packet switched network also is described. In accordance with this method, status information relating to one or more component objects of a node in a hierarchical arrangement of two or more nodes is received at a lower-level node. In response to the received status information a component object control instruction for controlling the operational state of one of the component objects is issued at the lower-level node based upon a respective set of policies designed to improve object availability. A status report is issued from the lower-level node to a higher-level node in the hierarchical arrangement of nodes.

Claims

1. A dependability system, comprising a hierarchical arrangement of two or more nodes each having a fault analyzer object programmed to respond to status information relating to an associated system of one or more objects, said status information including an object error, said associated system of one or more objects including an active object and an inactive object, wherein a first fault analyzer object is configured to report object status information to a second fault analyzer object, the first fault analyzer object being configured to register with the second fault analyzer object, said first fault analyzer deactivating said active object when status information indicates an error with said active object and activating said inactive object.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein a fault analyzer object is assigned responsibility for one or more component objects.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the component objects correspond to software applications.

4. The system of claim 2, further comprising a component interface configured to connect the fault analyzer object to the one or more component objects.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein each fault analyzer object is configured to determine the health of the assigned system.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein a fault analyzer object includes a state machine.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the nodes are implemented on a single network system.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the nodes are Implemented on separate systems of a packet switched network.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein each fault analyzer object is implemented in software.

10. A dependability system, comprising a hierarchical arrangement of two or more nodes each having a fault analyzer object programmed to respond to status information relating to an associated system of one or more component objects and a component interface configured to connect the fault analyzer object to the associated system of one or more component objects, said status information including an object error, the one or more component objects including an active object and an inactive object, wherein the fault analyzer object is configured to issue to the component interface object control instructions for changing an operational state of one or more of the component objects, said active object being deactivated when status information indicates an error with said active object and said inactive object being activated.

11. A telephony system, comprising:

a packet switched network;

a gatekeeper coupled to the packet switched network;

a server coupled to the packet switched network and configured to process telephone calls over the packet switched network; and

a dependability system comprising a hierarchical arrangement of two or more nodes each having a fault analyzer object programmed to respond to received status information relating to an assigned system of one or more objects of the telephony system, said status information including an object error, said assigned system of one or more objects including an active object and an inactive object, wherein a first fault analyzer object is configured to report object status information to a second fault analyzer object, the first fault analyzer object being configured to register with the second fault analyzer object, said first fault analyzer deactivating said active object when status information indicates an error with said active object and activating said inactive object.