Method and system for fault management in a distributed network management station
First Claim
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1. A method for fault management in a distributed network management station comprising:
- initiating a first device coupled to a network; and
determining a status of the first device as a master device of the network or a slave device of the network by;
broadcasting, from the first device an information packet over the network, the information packet indicating whether the first device had a prior status as a master device in a previous operational period,listening, at the first device, for one or more responses to the information packet from one or more second devices coupled to the network, the one or more responses indicating a current state of the corresponding second devices as either master or slave devices of the network, and a prior status of the corresponding second devices as master devices in previous operational periods, wherein the information packet further comprises information regarding a total system-up-time of the first device and the responses indicate information regarding corresponding total system-up-times of the one or more second devices, the total system-up-times of the first device and the one or more second devices to indicate a total time the corresponding first device or one or more second devices have been in an operational mode,comparing the total system-up-times of the first device and the one or more second devices, anddetermining the first device is the master device of the network or slave device of the network according to the comparison of the total system-up-times.
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Abstract
A method and system for fault management in a distributed network management station is disclosed. In one method embodiment, the present invention initiates a first device coupled to a network. Next, the present invention broadcasts an information packet to a plurality of devices coupled to the network. The first device then resolves the status of the plurality of devices coupled to the network. In so doing, the resolved network results in a distributed network management station having a defined master device.
15 Citations
44 Claims
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1. A method for fault management in a distributed network management station comprising:
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initiating a first device coupled to a network; and determining a status of the first device as a master device of the network or a slave device of the network by; broadcasting, from the first device an information packet over the network, the information packet indicating whether the first device had a prior status as a master device in a previous operational period, listening, at the first device, for one or more responses to the information packet from one or more second devices coupled to the network, the one or more responses indicating a current state of the corresponding second devices as either master or slave devices of the network, and a prior status of the corresponding second devices as master devices in previous operational periods, wherein the information packet further comprises information regarding a total system-up-time of the first device and the responses indicate information regarding corresponding total system-up-times of the one or more second devices, the total system-up-times of the first device and the one or more second devices to indicate a total time the corresponding first device or one or more second devices have been in an operational mode, comparing the total system-up-times of the first device and the one or more second devices, and determining the first device is the master device of the network or slave device of the network according to the comparison of the total system-up-times. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A method for fault management in a distributed network management station comprising:
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determining a status of a first device as a master device of a network or a slave device of the network by; broadcasting, from the first device, an information packet over the network, the information packet indicating whether the first device has a prior status as a master device in a previous operational period, listening, at the first device, for one or more responses to the information packet from one or more second devices coupled to the network, the one or more responses indicating a current state of the corresponding second devices as either master or slave devices of the network, and a prior status of the corresponding second devices as master devicesin previous operational periods, wherein the information packet further comprises information regarding a total system-up-time of the first device and the responses indicate information regarding corresponding total system-up-times of the one or more second devices, the total system-up-times of the first device and the one or more second devices to indicate a total time the corresponding first device or one or more second devices have been in an operational mode, comparing the total system-up-times of the first device and the one or more second devices, and determining the first device is the master device of the network or a slave device of the network according to the comparison of the total system-up-times; and initiating a fail-over process, wherein said fail-over process results in at least one of said slave devices re-evaluating which device coupled to the networks is said master device. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A computer system comprising:
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a bus; a memory unit coupled to the bus; and a processor coupled to the bus, the processor to broadcast an information packet over a network, the information packet indicating whether the computer system had a prior status as a master device in a previous operational period, to listen for one or more responses to the information packet from at least another device coupled to the network, the one or more responses indicating a current stste of the corresponding other device as either master or slave device of the network, and a prior status of the corresponding other device as a master device in previous operational periods, wherein the information packet further comprises information regarding a total system-up-time of the computer system and the responses indicate information regarding corresponding total system-up-time of the other device, the total system-up-times of the computer system and the other device to indicate a total time the computer system or other device have been in an operational mode, the processor to compare the total system-up-times of the computer system and the other device and determine the computer system is the master device of the network or the slave device of the network according to the comparison of the total system-up-times. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
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25. A computer-usable memory having computer-readable program code embodied therein for causing a computer system to perform fault management in a distributed network management station that comprises:
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broadcasting, from a first device, an information packet over a network, the information packet indicating whether the first device has a prior status as a master device in a previous operational period; listening, at the first device, for one or more responses to the information packet from one or more second devices coupled to the network, the one or more responses indicating a current state of the corresponding second devices as either master or slave devices of the network, and a prior status of the corresponding second devices as master devices in previous operational periods, wherein the information packet further comprises information regarding a total system-up-time of the first device and the responses indicate information regarding corresponding total system-up-times of the one or more second devices, the total system-up-times of the first device and the one or more second devices to indicate a total time the corresponding first device or one or more second devices have been in an operational mode; comparing the total system-up-times of the first device and the one or more second devices; and determining the first device is the master device of the network or the slave device of the network according to the comparison of the total system-up-times. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34)
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35. A system comprising:
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means for broadcasting, from a first device, an information packet over a network, the information packet indicating whether the first device has a prior status as a master device in a previous operational period; means for listening, at the first device, for one or more responses to the information packet from one or more second devices coupled to the network, the one or more responses indicating a current state of the corresponding second devices as either master or slave devices of the network, and a prior status of the corresponding second devices as master devices in previous operational periods, wherein the information packet further comprises information regarding a total system-up-time of the first device and the responses indicate information regarding corresponding total system-up-times of the one or more second devices; means for comparing the total system-up-times of the first device and the one or more second devices; and means for determining the first device is the master device of teh network or the slave device of the network according to the comparison of the total system-up-times. - View Dependent Claims (36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44)
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Specification