Method and system for managing networks

• US 7,596,716 B2
• Filed: 07/29/2004
• Issued: 09/29/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 07/29/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Objective Systems Integrators, Inc. (Mycom Group Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Sobha Renaissance Information Technology
• Inventors: Cottrill, Gregory A., Hauger, Michael Paul, Frost, Lee Kevin, Burdgick, William Paul
• Primary Examiner(s): Maskulinski; Michael C
• Application Number:
  US10/901,608
• Publication Number:
  US 20060026453A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,888 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 714/25
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0604 using filtering, e.g. reduction of information by using priority, element types, position or time
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/22 comprising specially adapted graphical user interfaces [GUI]

Abstract

The system and method of the present invention apply information filters (83A) hierarchically to information (14) such as, for example, alerts/events generated by an operational electronic system (10). Further, the system and method can display the results of the application of the information filters (83A) to information (14).

Claims

1. A method for managing a network comprising the steps of:

creating at least one hierarchical filter data structure comprising a plurality of information filter nodes, said plurality of information filter nodes including at least first, second and third information filter nodes located at first, second and third levels, respectively, of the hierarchical data structure, the first level being above the second level in the hierarchical filter data structure, the second level being above the third level in the hierarchical filter data structure, the first information filter comprising geographical information associated with a first geographical region, the first information filter being a parent node in the hierarchical filter data structure, the second information filter comprising geographical information associated with a second geographical region that is within the first geographical region, the second information filter being a child node of the parent node in the hierarchical filter data structure, and wherein the third information filter comprises network device information associated with a first network device, wherein the first network device is employed at a location in the network that is within the second geographical region;

creating a composite filter by logically combining at least two of the information filter nodes based on selections of information filter nodes made by a user via a graphical user interface (GUI) such that a logical relationship exists between the selected information fitter nodes;

applying the composite filter to information generated by one or more network devices employed in the network to filter at least one alert/event included in the information generated by said one or more network devices;

creating management information based on the application of the plurality of information filters in order to manage the at least one electronic system;

summarizing the management information;

providing the summarized management information in at least one user-selected form to at least one user-selected location;

formatting the summarized management information according to criticality of the management information;

saving the management information; and

saving the at least one user-selected form, wherein the at least one user-selected form can be accessed at a later time from a user-selected location different from the at least one user-selected location.

2. A system for managing a network, the system comprising:

means for creating at least one hierarchical filter data structure comprising a plurality of information filter nodes, said plurality of information filter nodes including at least first, second and third information filter nodes located at first, second and third levels, respectively, of the hierarchical data structure, the first level being above the second level in the hierarchical filter data structure, the second level being above the third level in the hierarchical filter data structure, the first information filter comprising geographical information associated with a first geographical region, the first information filter being a parent node in the hierarchical filter data structure, the second information filter comprising geographical information associated with a second geographical region, the second information filter being a child node of the parent node in the hierarchical filter data structure, and wherein the third information filter comprises network device information associated with a first network device, wherein the first network device is employed at a location in the network that is within the second geographical region;

means for creating a composite filter by using selections of at least two of said information filter nodes made by a user to create a logical relationship between the selected information filter nodes

means for applying the composite filter to information generated by one or more network devices employed, in the network to filter at least one alert/event included in the information generated by said one or more network devices;

means for creating management information based on the application of said composite filter;

means for summarizing said management information;

means for providing said summarized management information in at least one user-selected form to at least one user-selected location;

means for formatting said summarized management information according to criticality of said management information;

means for saving said management information; and

means for saving said at least one user-selected form, wherein said at least one user-selected form can be accessed at a later time from a different said at least one user-selected location.