Intelligent event notification processing and delivery at a network switch

• US 7,586,956 B1
• Filed: 11/05/2004
• Issued: 09/08/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 11/05/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Mahajan, Umesh, Mishra, Chandan, Mellacheruvu, Ramana
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen; Brian D
• Application Number:
  US10/982,672
• Time in Patent Office: 1,768 Days
• Field of Search: 370/522, 370/392, 713/154, 707/1, 707/3
• US Class Current: 370/522
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0609 based on severity or priority
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/066 Format adaptation, e.g. format conversion or compression
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/212 using filtering or selective blocking
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/214 using selective forwarding
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/55 Push-based network services

Abstract

According to the present invention, methods and apparatus are provided for intelligently processing of event notification or callhome messages at a network switch. Alert groups are provided to allow select notification of entities based on the relevance or priority of an event. Destination profiles can be custom configured. A range of message formats are available for compatibility with services such as pager services, email, or XML-based automated parsing applications.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

detecting a callhome event;

filtering a plurality of destinations associated with destination profiles at a fibre channel switch based on an alert group associated with the callhome event;

filtering the plurality of destinations associated with the destination profiles at the fibre channel switch based on a priority associated with the callhome event; and

transmitting the callhome event to selected destinations.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the callhome event is an event notification.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the destination profiles comprise delivery information for the callhome event.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the destination profiles further comprise format information for delivery of the event notification.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the destination profiles are associated with multiple alert groups.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein alert groups include vendor, customer, environmental, and system alert groups.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein destinations associated with a destination profile include email addresses, pager addresses, and XML applications.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein each destination profile includes a message-level.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein a callhome message is provided for the destination profile if the callhome event priority exceeds the message-level.

10. A fibre channel switch, comprising:

a processor configured to filter a plurality of destinations associated with destination profiles at the fibre channel switch based on an alert group and priority associated with a detected callhome event;

an output interface configured to transmit the callhome event to selected destinations.

11. The fibre channel switch of claim 10, wherein the callhome event is an event notification.

12. The fibre channel switch of claim 11, wherein the destination profiles comprise delivery information for the callhome event.

13. The fibre channel switch of claim 12, wherein the destination profiles further comprise format information for delivery of the event notification.

14. The fibre channel switch of claim 10, wherein the destination profiles are associated with multiple alert groups.

15. The fibre channel switch of claim 14, wherein the multiple alert groups include vendor, customer, environmental, and system alert groups.

16. The fibre channel switch of claim 10, wherein destinations associated with a destination profile include email addresses, pager addresses, and XML applications.

17. The fibre channel switch of claim 16, wherein each destination profile includes a message-level.

18. The fibre channel switch of claim 17, wherein a callhome message is provided for the destination profile if the callhome event priority exceeds the message-level.

19. A computer readable medium comprising:

computer code for detecting a callhome event;

computer code for filtering a plurality of destinations associated with destination profiles at a fibre channel switch based on an alert group associated with the callhome event;

computer code for filtering the plurality of destinations associated with destination profiles at the fibre channel switch based on a priority associated with the callhome event; and

computer code for transmitting the callhome event to selected destinations.

20. The computer readable medium of claim 19, wherein the callhome event is an event notification.

21. A system comprising:

means for detecting a callhome event;

means for filtering a plurality of destinations associated with destination profiles at a fibre channel switch based on an alert group associated with the callhome event;

means for filtering the plurality of destinations associated with the destination profiles at the fibre channel switch based on a priority associated with the callhome event; and

means for transmitting the callhome event to selected destinations.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein the callhome event is an event notification.

23. The system of claim 22, wherein the destination profiles comprise delivery information for the callhome event.

24. The system of claim 23, wherein the destination profiles further comprise format information for delivery of the event notification.

25. The system of claim 21, wherein the destination profiles are associated with multiple alert groups.

26. A network, comprising:

a fibre channel switch configured to filter a plurality of destinations associated with destination profiles at the fibre channel switch based on an alert group and a priority associated with a detected callhome event;

a first destination operable to receive a first subset of the callhome events detected at the fibre channel switch; and

a second destination operable to receive a second subset of the callhome events detected at the fibre channel switch.

27. The network of claim 26, wherein the first destination is a mail server associated with an email address.

28. The network of claim 26, wherein the second destination is a short message services server associated with a pager address.