Computer system, changeover-to-backup-system method, changeover-to-backup-system program, monitoring device, terminal device and backup system

• US 7,882,391 B2
• Filed: 08/03/2007
• Issued: 02/01/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 09/29/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fujitsu Client Computing Limited (Lenovo Group Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
• Inventors: Hasegawa, Kaduhiko
• Primary Examiner(s): Baderman; Scott T
• Assistant Examiner(s): Patel; Kamini
• Application Number:
  US11/882,704
• Publication Number:
  US 20080082858A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,278 Days
• Field of Search: 714/13
• US Class Current: 714/13
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0668 by dynamic selection of recovery network elements, e.g. replacement by the most appropriate element after failure
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0681 Configuration of triggering conditions
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0817 by checking functioning
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13034 A/D conversion, code compression/expansion
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13072 Sequence circuits for call signaling, ACD systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13162 Fault indication and localisation
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13167 Redundant apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/1322 PBX
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13389 LAN, internet
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/0075 Fault management techniques
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/62 for connecting to private branch exchanges

Abstract

To aim at autonomously selecting and switching over a management system by a terminal device, and preventing the terminal device from switching over the system, managing the self-terminal, to a backup system even in the case of a temporary fault from which to recover relatively immediately and in the case of occurrence of an inconvenience (trouble) negligible enough not to be treated as the fault. Included are a terminal device 21 transmitting, a registration request (S101) to a backup system 1b, if a fault occurs in a main system 1a, and the backup system 1b not providing a management service even when receiving the registration request (S101) till a startup request (S204) made by a monitoring server 18b is received.

Claims

1. A computer system comprising:

a terminal device;

a main system to provide a management service to said terminal device registered in management information;

a backup system to stand by for continuing to provide the management service in case of occurrence of a fault in the main system; and

a monitoring device to monitor an operation status of said main system,

said monitoring device including;

a monitoring unit to transmit a status check to said main system and to receive a response transmitted from said main system in response to the status check, thus monitoring a normal operation of said main system;

a fault detecting unit to determine, if unable to receive the response to the status check under a predetermined condition, that the fault occurs in said main system; and

a startup request transmitting unit to transmit, if said fault detecting unit determines that the fault occurs, a management service startup request to said backup system,

said terminal device including;

a registration request unit to transmit the registration request for registering in the management information to said main system or said backup system, to receive registration completed notification sent from said backup system in response to the registration request, to transmit the registration request to said main system, and to transmit, if not receiving the registration completed notification to the registration request under a predetermined condition, the registration request to said backup system,

said backup system including;

a management service startup unit to stand by in a status of not registering said terminal device in the management information even when receiving the registration request, to start providing the management service by starting up the management service when receiving the startup request, and to start the registration in the management information in response to the registration request.

2. A computer system according to claim 1, wherein the predetermined condition is a predetermined number of times or a predetermined period of time.

3. A computer system according to claim 1, wherein said terminal device is a telephone terminal used by an operator within a call center, and

said main system and said backup system are the systems, each having an exchange and a call distribution device, for providing the management service to said telephone terminal registered in the management information.

7. A readable-by-computer recording medium recorded with a changeover-to-backup-system program making, in a computer system according to claim 1, said monitoring device function as:

a monitoring unit to transmit a status check to said main system and receiving a response transmitted from said main system in response to the status check, thus monitoring a normal operation of said main system;

a fault detecting unit to determine, if unable to receive the response to the status check under a predetermined condition, that the fault occurs in said main system; and

a startup request transmitting unit to determine, if said fault detecting unit determines that the fault occurs, a management service startup request to said backup system.

8. A readable-by-computer recording medium recorded with a changeover-to-backup-system program making, in a computer system according to claim 1, said terminal device function as:

a registration request unit to transmit the registration request for registering in the management information to said main system or said backup system, to receive registration completed notification sent from said backup system in response to the registration request, to transmit the registration request preferentially to said main system, and to transmit, if not receiving the registration completed notification to the registration request under a predetermined condition, the registration request to said backup system.

9. A readable-by-computer recording medium recorded with a changeover-to-backup-system program making, in a computer system according to claim 1, said backup system function as:

a management service startup unit to stand by in a status of not registering said terminal device in the management information even when receiving the registration request, to start providing the management service by starting up the management service when receiving the startup request, and to start the registration in the management information in response to the registration request.

4. A changeover-to-backup-system method in a computer system comprising:

a terminal device;

a main system to provide a management service to said terminal device registered in management information;

a backup system to stand by for continuing to provide the management service in case of occurrence of a fault in the main system; and

a monitoring device to monitor an operation status of said main system,

said monitoring device executing;

transmitting a status check to said main system and receiving a response transmitted from said main system in response to the status check, thus monitoring a normal operation of said main system;

determining, if unable to receive the response to the status check under a predetermined condition, that the fault occurs in said main system; and

transmitting, if it is determined in said fault detecting step that the fault occurs, a management service startup request to said backup system,

said terminal device executing;

transmitting the registration request for registering in the management information to said main system or said backup system, receiving registration completed notification sent from said backup system in response to the registration request, transmitting the registration request preferentially to said main system, and transmitting, if not receiving the registration completed notification to the registration request under a predetermined condition, the registration request to said backup system,

said backup system executing;

standing by in a status of not registering said terminal device in the management information even when receiving the registration request, starting to provide the management service by starting up the management service when receiving the startup request, and starting the registration in the management information in response to the registration request.

5. A changeover-to-backup-system method according to claim 4, wherein the predetermined condition is a predetermined number of times or a predetermined period of time.

6. A changeover-to-backup-system method according to claim 4, wherein said terminal device is a telephone terminal used by an operator within a call center, and

said main system and said backup system are the systems, each having an exchange and a call distribution device, for providing the management service to said telephone terminal registered in the management information.

10. A terminal device utilized in a computer system comprising:

a main system to provide a management service to a terminal device registered in management information;

a backup system to stand by for continuing to provide the management service in case of occurrence of a fault in the main system; and

a monitoring device to monitor an operation status of said main system,

said terminal device comprising;

a transmitting unit to transmit a registration request for registering in the management information to said main system;

a request unit to transmit, if unable to receive registration completed notification to the registration request with respect to said main system under a predetermined condition, the registration request to said backup system; and

a receiving unit to receive, from said backup system that initially stands by in a status of not registering said terminal device, a registration completed notification only after the backup system receives a management service startup request indicating a fault detection at said main system from a management service startup unit.

11. A backup system to provide a management service in case of occurrence of a fault in a main system in a computer system comprising:

said main system to provide the management service to a terminal device registered in management information; and

a monitoring device to monitor an operation status of said main system,

said backup system comprising;

a receiving unit to receive the registration request from said terminal device; and

a management service startup unit to stand by in a status of not registering said terminal device in the management information even when receiving the registration request from said terminal device, to start providing the management service by starting up the management service when receiving the startup request from said monitoring device, and to start the registration in the management information in response to the registration request.