System management using real time collaboration

• US 7,958,215 B2
• Filed: 02/12/2003
• Issued: 06/07/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 02/12/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Quartz Auto Technologies, LLC
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Herbeck, David Gerard, Townsend, Susette Marie
• Primary Examiner(s): Osman, Ramy M
• Application Number:
  US10/365,298
• Publication Number:
  US 20040158629A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,037 Days
• Field of Search: 709/222, 709/224, 709/206, 709/219, 709/223, 379/265.01, 379/265.02
• US Class Current: 709/223
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management

Abstract

The present invention provides a method of improving the response time to IT problems and ensuring that some will respond to a problem. In one embodiment, a management system uses a monitoring system to detect problem conditions with a managed device. When such an event occurs, the managed device sends a message containing a description of the alert to an intelligent agent. In response, the intelligent agent selects an administrator who is both qualified and available to respond to the alert, and then sends an instant message containing the description of the alert to the selected administrator. The administrator may accept responsibility for the alert by sending an instant message acknowledgement back to the intelligent agent. If the intelligent agent does not receive an acknowledgement, it automatically finds another administrator to respond to the alert.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method of responding to a problem condition, comprising:

automatically detecting availability of a first candidate to respond to a problem condition;

responsive to the detecting;

automatically assigning responsibility for the problem condition to the first candidate; and

receiving a confirmation from the first candidate indicating acceptance of responsibility for the problem condition.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein assigning responsibility for the problem condition comprises sending a real time message to the first candidate.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

if the confirmation is not received within a selected period;

detecting availability of a second candidate; and

assigning responsibility for the problem condition to the second candidate.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the availability comprises an online presence in an instant message system.

5. A computer-implemented method of managing an information technology device, comprising:

receiving an alert from a managed information technology device;

receiving availability information about a plurality of candidates;

automatically selecting a candidate qualified and available to respond to the event from among the plurality of candidates;

automatically assigning responsibility for the alert to the candidate; and

receiving a reply from the candidate indicating acceptance of responsibility for the alert.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the selecting comprises using the availability information.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein selecting a candidate comprises:

determining a plurality of qualified candidates; and

choosing one candidate from the plurality of qualified candidates.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising determining which candidate in the plurality of qualified candidates is located closest to the managed device.

9. The method of claim 7, further comprising determining whether a candidate in the plurality of qualified candidates has resolved a similar alert.

10. The method of claim 7, further comprising determining which candidate in the plurality of qualified candidates has worked on the information technology device most recently.

11. The method of claim 7, further comprising determining which candidate is the most available to respond to the alert.

12. The method of claim 7, wherein choosing one candidate from the plurality of qualified candidates comprises selecting an optimal candidate using an availability score of each candidate in the plurality of qualified candidates, a severity of the alert, and a distance between each candidate in the plurality of qualified candidates and the information technology device.

13. The method of claim 5, wherein the information technology device comprises a computer.

14. A computer-implemented method of managing an information technology device, comprising:

receiving an alert from a managed information technology device;

automatically selecting a candidate qualified to respond to the event;

automatically determining if the candidate is available to respond to the event;

automatically sending an instant message to the candidate containing information about the alert;

receiving an instant message from the candidate indicating acceptance of responsibility for the alert; and

automatically assigning responsibility for the alert to the candidate.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

waiting for an instant message from the candidate indicating acceptance of responsibility for the alert; and

if the instant message indicating acceptance is not received within a selected period;

detecting a second candidate qualified to respond to the alert; and

determining if the second candidate is available to respond to the alert.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein determining if the candidate is available to respond to the event comprises detecting an online presence in an instant message system.

17. A computer-implemented method for assigning responsibility for responding to a fault condition in an information technology device, comprising:

(a) receiving an alert from a monitored information technology device, the alert describing an event in the monitored information technology device;

(b) automatically detecting an available administrator qualified to respond to the event;

©

automatically sending a first instant message to the available administrator, the instant message referencing the alert and requesting an acknowledgement;

(d) receiving a second instant message from the available administrator, the second instant message containing the acknowledgement from the administrator; and

(e) automatically assigning responsibility for the event to the available administrator.