Event protocol and resource naming scheme

• US 7,231,550 B1
• Filed: 10/31/2003
• Issued: 06/12/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 10/31/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Oracle America, Inc. (Oracle Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Sun Microsystems Incorporated (Oracle Corporation)
• Inventors: Shapiro, Michael W., Williams, Emrys J., McGuire, Cynthia A., Rudoff, Andrew M.
• Primary Examiner(s): CHU, GABRIEL L
• Application Number:
  US10/699,634
• Time in Patent Office: 1,320 Days
• Field of Search: 714/26, 714/37, 714/39
• US Class Current: 714/26
• 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 11/0775 Content or structure details of the error report, e.g. specific table structure, specific error fields
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/079 Root cause analysis, i.e. error or fault diagnosis in a hardware test environment G06F11/22; in a software test environment G06F11/36
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2101/30 Types of network names
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/065 involving logical or physical relationship, e.g. grouping and hierarchies
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0654 using network fault recovery ring fault isolation or reconfiguration in loop networks without recovery actions by a network management system H04L12/437
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0816 the condition being an adaptation, e.g. in response to network events
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0853 by actively collecting configuration information or by backing up configuration information
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/30 Managing network names, e.g. use of aliases or nicknames name-to-address mapping H04L61/45

Abstract

A method for managing a fault involves detecting an error, gathering data associated with the error to generate an error event, and categorizing the error event using a hierarchical organization of the error event.

Claims

1. A method for managing a fault comprising:

detecting an error;

gathering data associated with the error to generate an error event;

categorizing the error event using a hierarchical organization of the error event;

diagnosing the error using the error event to generate the fault;

generating a fault event using the fault;

forwarding the fault event to a fault management architecture agent; and

initiating, by the fault management architecture agent, an action in accordance with the fault event,

wherein gathering data associated with the error comprises gathering data to populate at least the following components within the error event;

a version component defining a version of a protocol used to define the error event;

a class component defining a name of the error event using the hierarchical organization of the error event;

an error numeric association component uniquely identifying the error event;

a detector component identifying a resource that detected the error; and

a recoverable component indicating whether an error handler designated the error as recoverable.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

categorizing the fault event using a hierarchical organization of the fault event.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein a class component of the fault event defines a name of the fault event in accordance with the hierarchical organization of the fault event.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

organizing the error event using the error numeric association component.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein gathering data associated with the error further comprises:

gathering data to populate a disposition component within the error event, wherein the disposition component indicates a result of an error handler attempt to correct the error.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the disposition component comprises at least one selected from the group consisting of uncorrected, self-corrected, uncorrectable, and soft-corrected.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the class component is defined using a string representation of the hierarchical organization of the error event.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the error numeric association component is defined using at least one format selected from the group consisting of Format 0, Format 1, Format 2, and Format 3.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein Format 0 comprises a pointer to an error propagation tree.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein Format 1 comprises a time element, a central processing unit identification element, and a generation element.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein Format 2 comprises a time element, a sequence number element, and a generation element.

12. The method of claim 8, wherein Format 3 comprises code indicating an extended format field.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the detector component is defined using a fault managed resource identifier.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the fault managed resource identifier comprises an authority element.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the fault managed resource identifier is defined using a scheme.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the scheme comprises at least one selected from the group consisting of a hardware component scheme, a diagnosis-engine scheme, a device scheme, and a service scheme.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein generating the fault event comprises gathering data to populate at least the following components in the fault event:

a version component defining a version of a protocol used to define the fault event;

a class component defining a name of the fault event using the hierarchical organization of the fault event;

a diagnosis engine identifier component identifying a diagnosis engine used to obtain the fault;

an error numeric association list component including at least one error numeric association;

an automatic system reconfiguration unit component defining a unit that may be reconfigured in response to the fault;

a resource component defining a finest-grain resource identified by the diagnosis engine;

a field replaceable unit component defining a unit that must be repaired to clear the fault; and

a certainty component identifying a level of certainty attributed to the fault diagnosed by the diagnosis engine.

18. The fault event of claim 17, wherein generating the fault event further comprises:

gathering data to populate a fault diagnosis time component, wherein the fault diagnosis component further comprises indicating a time the diagnosis of the fault was performed.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein the class component is defined using a string representation of the hierarchical organization of the fault event.

20. The method of claim 17, wherein the at least one error numeric association of the error numeric association list component of the fault event is defined using at least one format selected from the group consisting of Format 0, Format 1, Format 2, and Format 3.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein Format 0 comprises a pointer to an error propagation tree.

22. The method of claim 20, wherein Format 1 comprises a time element, a central processing unit identification element, and a generation element.

23. The method of claim 20, wherein Format 2 comprises a time element, a sequence number element, and a generation element.

24. The method of claim 20, wherein Format 3 comprises code indicating an extended format field.

25. The method of claim 17, wherein at least one selected from the group consisting of the diagnosis engine identifier component, the automatic system reconfiguration unit component, the field replaceable unit component and the resource component is defined using a fault managed resource identifier.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein the fault managed resource identifier comprises an authority element.

27. The method of claim 25, wherein the fault managed resource identifier is defined using a scheme.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein the scheme comprises at least one selected from the group consisting of a hardware component scheme, a diagnosis-engine scheme, a device scheme, and a service scheme.

29. The method of claim 1, wherein generating the fault event comprises associating the fault event with a suspect list.

30. The method of claim 29, wherein the suspect list comprises:

a universal unique identifier component identifying the suspect list;

a diagnosis engine identifier component identifying a diagnosis engine used to diagnose the error event that subsequently generated the fault event; and

a fault-events component listing the fault event.

31. A system for managing a fault comprising:

an error handler detecting an error and generating an error event using the error, wherein the error is defined using a hierarchical organization of the error event;

a fault manager diagnosing the error event to obtain the fault and generating a fault event using the fault, wherein the fault event is defined using a hierarchical organization of the fault event; and

a fault management architecture agent receiving the fault event and initiating an action in accordance with the fault events,

wherein the error event comprises at least;

a version component defining a version of a protocol used to define the error event;

a class component defining a name of the error event using the hierarchical organization of the error event;

an error numeric association component uniquely identifying the error event;

a detector component identifying a resource that detected the error; and

a recoverable component indicating whether the error handler designated the error as recoverable.

32. The system of claim 31, wherein the fault manager organizes the event using the error numeric association component of the error event.

33. The system of claim 31, wherein the fault management architecture agent organizes the fault event using an error numeric association component of the fault event.

34. The system of claim 31, wherein the error event further comprises:

a disposition component indicating a result of an error handler attempt to correct the error.

35. The system of claim 34, wherein the disposition component comprises at least one selected from the group consisting of uncorrected, self-corrected, uncorrectable, and soft-corrected.

36. The system of claim 31, wherein the class component is defined using a string representation of the hierarchical organization of the error event.

37. The system of claim 31, wherein the error numeric association component is defined using at least one format selected from the group consisting of Format 0, Format 1, Format 2, and Format 3.

38. The system of claim 37, wherein Format 0 comprises a pointer to an error propagation tree.

39. The system of claim 37, wherein Format 1 comprises a time element, a central processing unit identification element, and a generation element.

40. The system of claim 37, wherein Format 2 comprises a time element, a sequence number element, and a generation element.

41. The system of claim 37, wherein Format 3 comprises code indicating an extended format field.

42. The system of claim 31, wherein the detector component is defined using a fault managed resource identifier.

43. The system of claim 42, wherein the fault managed resource identifier comprises an authority element.

44. The system of claim 42, wherein the fault managed resource identifier is defined using a scheme.

45. The system of claim 44, wherein the scheme comprises at least one selected from the group consisting of a hardware component scheme, a diagnosis-engine scheme, a device scheme, and a service scheme.

46. The system of claim 31, wherein the fault event comprises at least:

a version component defining a version of a protocol used to define the fault event;

a class component defining a name of the fault event using the hierarchical organization of the fault event;

a diagnosis engine identifier component identifying a diagnosis engine used to obtain the fault;

an error numeric association list component including at least one error numeric association;

an automatic system reconfiguration unit component defining a unit that may be reconfigured in response to the fault;

a resource component defining a finest-grain resource identified by the diagnosis engine;

a field replaceable unit component defining a unit that must be repaired to clear the fault; and

a certainty component identifying a level of certainty attributed to the fault diagnosed by the diagnosis engine.

47. The system of claim 46, wherein the fault event further comprises:

a fault diagnosis time component indicating a time the diagnosis of the fault is performed.

48. The system of claim 46, wherein the class component is defined using a string representation of the hierarchical organization of the fault event.

49. The system of claim 46, wherein the at least one error numeric association of the error numeric association list component of the fault event is defined using at least one format selected from the group consisting of Format 0, Format 1, Format 2, and Format 3.

50. The system of claim 49, wherein Format 0 comprises a pointer to an error propagation tree.

51. The system of claim 49, wherein Format 1 comprises a time element, a central processing unit identification element, and a generation element.

52. The system of claim 49, wherein Format 2 comprises a time element, a sequence number element, and a generation element.

53. The system of claim 49, wherein Format 3 comprises code indicating an extended format field.

54. The system of claim 46, wherein at least one selected from the group consisting of the diagnosis engine identifier component, the automatic system reconfiguration unit component, the field replaceable unit component, and the resource component is defined using a fault managed resource identifier.

55. The system of claim 54, wherein the fault managed resource identifier comprises an authority element.

56. The system of claim 54, wherein the fault managed resource identifier is defined using a scheme.

57. The system of claim 56, wherein the scheme comprises at least one selected from the group consisting of a hardware component scheme, a diagnosis-engine scheme, a device scheme, and a service scheme.

58. The system of claim 31, wherein the fault event is included in a suspect list.

59. The system of claim 58, wherein the suspect list comprises:

a universal unique identifier component identifying the suspect list;

a diagnosis engine identifier component identifying a diagnosis engine used to diagnose the error event that subsequently generated the fault event; and

a fault-events component listing the fault event.

60. The system of claim 31, wherein diagnosing the error event comprises forwarding the error event to a diagnosis engine.

61. A network system having a plurality of nodes, comprising:

an error handler detecting an error and generating an error event using the error, wherein the error is defined using a hierarchical organization of the error event;

a fault manager diagnosing the error event to obtain a fault and generating a fault event using the fault, wherein the fault event is defined using a hierarchical organization of the fault event; and

a fault management architecture agent receiving the fault event and initiating an action in accordance with the fault event,

wherein the error handler is implemented on at least two of the plurality of nodes,

wherein the fault manager is implemented on at least two of the plurality of nodes,

wherein the fault management architecture agent is implemented on at least two of the plurality of nodes, and

wherein the error event comprises;

a version component defining a version of a protocol used to define the error event;

a class component defining a name of the error event using the hierarchical organization of the error event;

an error numeric association component uniquely identifying the error event;

a detector component identifying a resource that detected the error; and

a recoverable component indicating whether the error handler designated the error as recoverable.

62. The network system of claim 61, wherein the error detection and generation of the error event occur on separate nodes of the plurality of nodes.

63. The network system of claim 61, wherein reception of the error event by the fault manager and diagnosis of the error event by a diagnosis engine occur on separate nodes of the plurality of nodes.

64. The network system of claim 61, wherein the fault manager organizes the error event using the error numeric association component of the error event.

65. The network system of claim 61, wherein the fault management architecture agent organizes the fault event using an error numeric association component of the fault event.