Method and system for monitoring computer networks and equipment

• US 8,024,451 B2
• Filed: 02/10/2004
• Issued: 09/20/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 10/27/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: American Power Conversion Corporation (Schneider Electric SE)
• Original Assignee: American Power Conversion Corporation (Schneider Electric SE)
• Inventors: Fowler, John J., Cullen, Gerard L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Gillis; Brian J
• Application Number:
  US10/775,898
• Publication Number:
  US 20040160897A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,779 Days
• Field of Search: 709/224, 709/217, 700/80, 700/1, 700/277
• US Class Current: 709/224
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2803 Home automation networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2825 Reporting to a device located outside the home and the home network access arrangements H04L12/2856; for remote control or remote monitoring of applications H04L67/025; telephonic communication systems adapted for combination with telemetering systems H04M11/002
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/44 Star or tree networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/2841 Wireless
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/2845 Telephone line
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/045 for graphical visualisation of monitoring data
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/065 related to network devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0817 by checking functioning
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/10 Active monitoring, e.g. heartbeat, ping or trace-route
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/12 Network monitoring probes
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/16 Threshold monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/025 for remote control or remote monitoring of applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/12 specially adapted for proprietary or special-purpose networking environments, e.g. medical networks, sensor networks, networks in vehicles or remote metering networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]

Abstract

The application discloses an apparatus including at least one sensor configured to monitor environmental conditions ambient to rack mounted computer equipment and a housing configured for mounting to an equipment rack. The housing includes a processor responsive to the sensor, at least one network interface responsive to the processor and configured for communication with a distributed computing network, a web server configured to provide a web page associated with information derived from the sensor, an email module configured to send notification of events associated with the sensor, and a simple network management protocol module configured to communicate with computer equipment external to the housing.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

a housing configured for mounting to a room wall external to and separate from an equipment rack and at a distance above a raised floor, the housing including;

at least one sensor configured to monitor environmental conditions ambient to rack mounted computer equipment located within the equipment rack, the at least one sensor selected from a group consisting of a temperature sensor and a humidity sensor;

a processor responsive to the at least one sensor;

at least one network interface responsive to the processor and configured for communication with a distributed computing network;

a power control interface configured to access power management equipment;

a web server configured to provide a web page associated with information derived from the at least one sensor;

an email module configured to send notification of events associated with the at least one sensor;

a simple network management protocol module configured to communicate with computer equipment external to the housing; and

a modem responsive to the processor and configured to access a telephone line.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising audio circuitry configured to monitor auditory conditions and provide an audio signal.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a back-up power source configured to provide back-up power to the processor.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a camera.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the notification includes an image from a camera.

6. An apparatus comprising:

a housing configured for mounting to a room wall external to and separate from an equipment rack and at a distance above a raised floor, the housing including;

at least one sensor configured to monitor environmental conditions ambient to rack mounted computer equipment located within the equipment rack, the at least one sensor selected from a group consisting of a temperature sensor and a humidity sensor;

a plurality of processors, at least one processor of the plurality of processors responsive to the at least one sensor;

at least one network interface responsive to at least one processor of the plurality of processors and configured for communication with a distributed computing network,

a power control interface responsive to at least one processor of the plurality of processors and configured to access power management equipment;

a web server responsive to at least one processor of the plurality of processors and configured to provide a web page associated with information derived from the at least one sensor;

an email module responsive to at least one processor of the plurality of processors and configured to send notification of events associated with the at least one sensor;

a simple network management protocol module responsive to at least one processor of the plurality of processors and configured to communicate with computer equipment external to the housing; and

a modem responsive to at least one processor of the plurality of processors and configured to access a telephone line.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, further comprising audio circuitry configured to monitor auditory conditions and provide an audio signal.

8. The apparatus of claim 6, further comprising a back-up power source configured to provide back-up power to the plurality of processors.

9. The apparatus of claim 6, further comprising a camera.

10. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the notification includes an image from a camera.

11. An apparatus comprising:

a housing configured for mounting to a room wall external to and separate from an equipment rack and at a distance above a raised floor, the housing including;

at least one sensor configured to monitor environmental conditions ambient to monitored computer equipment located within the equipment rack, the at least one sensor selected from a group consisting of a temperature sensor and a humidity sensor;

a web server configured to provide a web page having information derived from the at least one sensor;

an email module configured to send email;

a simple network management protocol module configured to communicate using a simple network management protocol;

a modem configured to access a telephone line and configured to selectively send data to a pager;

at least one network interface configured to access a distributed computer network; and

an alarm module responsive to the at least one sensor and configured to send an alarm notification, the alarm notification communicated by at least one of the email module, the simple network management protocol module, and the modem.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the web server is configured to incorporate camera image data into the web page.

13. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the alarm notification is communicated by at least one of the email module, the simple network management protocol module, and the modem during a common time period.

14. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the alarm notification is communicated by at least one of the email module, the simple network management protocol module, and the modem substantially simultaneously.

15. An apparatus comprising:

a housing configurable for mounting to a room wall external to and separate from an equipment rack and at a distance above a raised floor, the housing including;

a temperature sensor;

a humidity sensor;

an acoustic sensor;

an airflow sensor

at least one external sensor interface configured to connect to an external sensor,

the external sensor configured to monitor environmental conditions ambient to monitored computer equipment located within the equipment rack;

a web server configured to provide a web page having information derived from at least one of the temperature sensor, the humidity sensor, the acoustic sensor, the air flow sensor, and the external sensor;

a simple network management protocol module configured to communicate using a simple network management protocol;

at least one network interface responsive to the simple network management protocol module and configured to access a distributed computer network; and

an alarm module responsive to at least one of the temperature sensor, the humidity sensor, the acoustic sensor, the air flow sensor, and the external sensor and configured to send an alarm notification via the web server.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, further comprising an email module configured to send email.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the alarm module is configured to send an alarm notification via email.

18. The apparatus of claim 15, further comprising an interface configured to access an external camera.

19. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the alarm notification includes an image from the external camera.

20. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the web server is configured to incorporate camera image data into the web page.

21. The apparatus of claim 15, further comprising a door position sensor.

22. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the alarm module is responsive to the door position sensor.