Method and system for signaling a system fault

• US 7,185,221 B1
• Filed: 07/01/2002
• Issued: 02/27/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 07/01/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Kamel, Wael
• Primary Examiner(s): Bonzo; Bryce P.
• Application Number:
  US10/187,882
• Time in Patent Office: 1,702 Days
• Field of Search: 714/43, 714/57, 714/4, 709/223
• US Class Current: 714/4.5
• 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 11/0769 Readable error formats, e.g. cross-platform generic formats, human understandable formats
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/069 using logs of notifications; Post-processing of notifications
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/344 Out-of-band transfers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/40 for recovering from a failure of a protocol instance or entity, e.g. service redundancy protocols, protocol state redundancy or protocol service redirection management of faults, events, alarms or notifications in data switching networks H04L41/06

Abstract

A method and system for signaling a system fault. In one method embodiment, the present invention receives an error advisory pertaining to a fault within a network. Next, the present invention selects a pre-programmed alert message from a database based on the error advisory, wherein the pre-programmed alert message is selected from a number of pre-programmed alert messages stored in the database. The present invention then transmits the pre-programmed alert message to a communications device.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving an error advisory pertaining to a fault within a network;

selecting a pre-programmed alert message from a database based on said error advisory, wherein said pre-programmed alert message is selected from a plurality of pre-programmed alert messages stored in said database;

selecting from said database a first communications device for receiving said pre-programmed alert message, said first communications device is associated with a number of retries within said database, and wherein said first communications device communicates via a first communications channel; and

if said number of retries is reached while trying to establish a connection with said first communications device, selecting from said database a second communications device for receiving said pre-programmed alert message, wherein said second communications device communicates via a second communications channel, and wherein said second communications channel utilizes communications technologies different from said first communications channel.

2. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein said error advisory is received from a device within a network.

3. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein said second communications device is outside of said network.

4. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

receiving said error advisory at a voice interworking service module (VISM) having voice announcement capabilities.

5. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

transferring said pre-programmed alert message from said database to a voice interworking service module (VISM) having voice announcement capabilities.

6. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

transmitting said pre-programmed alert message to said second communications device utilizing a processor switching module (PXM).

7. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein each of said first and second communications devices is selected from the group consisting of a telephone, a mobile phone, a pager, and a personal digital assistant (PDA).

8. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein said selecting from said database said first communications device based on the time of day said error advisory is received.

9. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

transmitting said pre-programmed alert message in an audio format to said second communications device.

10. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

transmitting said pre-programmed alert message in a text format to said second communications device.

11. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein said error advisory is selected from the group consisting of a T1 line not operating correctly, an E1 line not operating correctly, a problem with a gateway, a router error, a switch error, a bad chip, electrical fluctuations, and a loss of signal.

12. A system comprising:

a device able to detect an error; and

a database for storing a plurality of pre-programmed alert messages and contact information for a plurality of communications devices, wherein said contact information comprises a number of retries associated with trying to establish a connection with each of said plurality of communications devices;

wherein upon detection of said error, said device selects one of said plurality of pre-programmed alert messages stored on said database, and transmits said pre-programmed alert message to a first communications device of said plurality of communications devices that communicates via a first communications channel, and wherein if said number of retries is reached while trying to establish a connection with said first communications device, then said pre-programmed alert message is transmitted to a second communications device that communicates via a second communications channel that utilizes communications technologies different from said first communications channel.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein said device further comprises one or more network interfaces.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein said device is further able to receive an error advisory, select one of said plurality of pre-programmed alert messages stored on said database, and transmits said pre-programmed alert message to a communications device of said plurality of communications devices.

15. The system of claim 12, wherein said device is a voice module having a voice card with announcement capabilities and is capable of generating a communication or sending text.

16. The system of claim 12, wherein said device selects one of said plurality of pre-programmed alert messages stored on said database based on the severity of said error detected or said error advisory received.

17. The system of claim 12, wherein said communications device is selected from the group consisting of a telephone, a mobile phone, a pager, and a personal digital assistant (PDA).

18. The system of claim 12, wherein said pre-programmed alert message is transmitted by said device in either an audio or a text format based on the type of said communications device.

19. The system of claim 12, wherein said error is selected from the group consisting of a T1 line not operating correctly, an E1 line not operating correctly, a problem with a gateway, a router error, a switch error, a bad chip, electrical fluctuations, and a loss of signal.

20. A computer system comprising:

a bus;

a memory unit coupled to said bus; and

a processor coupled to said bus, said processor for signaling a system fault comprising;

detecting an error or receiving an error advisory from a device within a network, wherein said error is detected or said error advisory is received by a voice module having voice announcement capabilities;

selecting a pre-programmed alert message from a database, wherein said pre-programmed alert message is selected by said voice module from a plurality of pre-programmed alert messages stored on said database based on said error advisory;

choosing a first communications device from said database for receiving said pre-programmed alert message, wherein said first communications device is chosen from a plurality of pre-programmed contact information stored on said database based on the time of day said error is detected or said error advisory is received database, said plurality of pre-programmed contact information comprises a number of retries associated with trying to establish a connection with said first communications device; and

transmitting said pre-programmed alert message via a first communications channel to said first communications device, wherein said pre-programmed alert message is transmitted in either an audio format or a text format to said first communications device, and wherein if said transmission to said communications device over said first communications channel fails, said pre-programmed alert message is transmitted via a second communications channel to a second communications device, wherein said second communications channel utilizes communications technologies different from said first communications channel.

21. The computer system of claim 20, wherein said network further comprises:

a node having a VISM and a processor switching module (PXM).

22. The computer system of claim 21, wherein said error is detected at the node.

23. The computer system of claim 21, wherein said error is occurring at another node or between nodes.

24. The computer system of claim 20, wherein said communications device is selected from the group consisting of telephone, mobile phone, pager, and personal digital assistant (PDA).

25. The computer system of claim 20, wherein said pre-programmed alert message is transmitted in either an audio or a text format based on the type of said communications device.

26. The computer system of claim 20, wherein said error or said error advisory is selected from the group consisting of a T1 line not operating correctly, an E1 line not operating correctly, a problem with a gateway, a router error, a switch error, a bad chip, electrical fluctuations, and a loss of signal.

27. A means for signaling a system fault comprising:

a means for detecting an error or receiving an error advisory; and

a means for storing a plurality of pre-programmed alert messages and contact information for a communications device, wherein said contact information comprises a number of retries associated with trying to establish a connection with said communications device;

wherein upon detection of said error or reception of said error advisory, said means selects one of said plurality of pre-programmed alert messages stored on said database, and transmits said pre-programmed alert message to said first communications device, wherein said first communications device communicates via a first communications channel, and wherein if said number of retries is reached while trying to establish a connection with said first communications device, then said pre-programmed alert message is transmitted to a second communications device that communicates via a second communications channel that utilizes communications technologies different from said first communications channel.

28. The means for signaling a system fault as described in claim 27, wherein said means for detecting is capable of generating a call and has a voice card with announcement capabilities.

29. The means for signaling a system fault as described in claim 27, wherein said communications device is selected from the group consisting of a telephone, a mobile phone, a pager, and a personal digital assistant (PDA).

30. The means for signaling a system fault as described in claim 27, wherein said error or said error advisory is selected from the group consisting of a T1 line not operating correctly, an E1 line not operating correctly, a problem with a gateway, a router error, a switch error, a bad chip, electrical fluctuations, and a loss of signal.