Redirecting data generated by network devices

• US 8,769,342 B2
• Filed: 07/05/2012
• Issued: 07/01/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/06/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Daedalus Blue LLC
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Tindal, Glen, Schenk, Jeffery A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Ehne, Charles
• Application Number:
  US13/541,808
• Publication Number:
  US 20120272102A1
• Time in Patent Office: 726 Days
• Field of Search: 714/38.1, 714/38.11, 714/45
• US Class Current: 714/38.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1097 for distributed storage of data in networks, e.g. transport arrangements for network file system [NFS], storage area networks [SAN] or network attached storage [NAS]

Abstract

A system and method for efficiently and easily capturing data dumps generated by a network device is disclosed. In one embodiment, a storage management device is disposed between a network device and a storage device. The network device is programmed with a virtual address that is associated with the storage management device. Upon generating a data dump, the network device writes the data dump to the virtual address where the storage management device receives the data dump and redirects it to a long-term storage location. Additionally, the storage management device can generate a record of each data dump that indicates the network device that generated the data dump and where the data dump was stored.

Claims

1. A system for capturing error data generated by network device, the system comprising:

an interface connectable to the network device, the interface being configured to receive, at a location remote from the network device, the error data generated by the network device;

a process manager coupled to the interface, the process manager being configured to transfer the received error data to a first storage device; and

a second storage device coupled to the process manager, the second storage device configured to store an allocation table.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the allocation table comprises a network allocation table.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the second storage device is configured to store the address of the first storage device and wherein the process manager is configured to access the second storage device and retrieve the address of the first storage device prior to transferring the received error data.

4. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a buffer coupled to the interface, the buffer being configured for storing the error data received by the interface.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the process manager comprises:

a daemon.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the process manager is further configured to write an entry to the allocation table indicating an identity for the network device that generated the error data and the identity of the first storage device.

7. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a directory in communication with the process manager, the directory configured to store a configuration record unique to the network device.

8. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

the first storage device coupled to the interface, the first storage device configured to store the transferred error data.

9. A system for capturing error data generated by a network device, the system comprising:

an interface connectable to the network device, the interface configured to receive the error data generated by the network device;

a process manager coupled to the interface, the process manager configured to transfer the received error data to a first storage device; and

a second storage device coupled to the process manager, the second storage device configured to store an allocation table.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the allocation table comprises a network allocation table.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein the second storage device is configured to store the address of the first storage device and wherein the process manager is configured to access the second storage device and retrieve the address of the first storage device prior to transferring the received error data.

12. The system of claim 9, further comprising:

a buffer coupled to the interface, the buffer for storing the error data received by the interface.

13. The system of claim 9, wherein the process manager comprises:

a daemon.

14. The system of claim 9, wherein the process manager is further configured to write an entry to the allocation table indicating an identity for the network device that generated the error data and the identity of the first storage device.

15. The system of claim 9, further comprising:

a directory in communication with the process manager, the directory configured to store a configuration record unique to the network device.

16. The system of claim 9, further comprising:

the first storage device coupled to the interface, the first storage device configured to store the transferred error data.

17. A system for capturing error data generated by a network device, the system comprising:

at least a first processor configured to generate instructions;

at least a first memory device connected to the processor;

a plurality of instructions stored on the memory device, the plurality of instructions configured to cause the at least a first processor to perform the steps of;

receiving the error data from the network device;

recording an identity indicator for the network device from which the error data was received;

transferring the received error data to a storage device; and

recording the identity of the storage device to which the error data was redirected, wherein the identity of the storage device is recorded in association with the recorded identity indicator for the network device, and wherein the plurality of instructions are further configured to cause the at least a first processor to perform the step of writing the error data to a virtual address.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the plurality of instructions are further configured to cause the at least a first processor to perform the step of:

reading the virtual address from a memory associated with the network device.

19. The system of claim 17, wherein the plurality of instructions are further configured to cause the at least a first processor to perform the step of:

storing the received error data in the storage device.

20. The system of claim 17, wherein the plurality of instructions are further configured to cause the at least a first processor to perform the step of:

recording the identity indicator for the network device in a configuration record that is unique to the network device.

21. The system of claim 17, wherein the configuration record is stored remotely from the network device.

22. The system of claim 17, wherein the plurality of instructions are configured to cause the at least a first processor to perform the steps of redirecting by:

transferring the received error data to a remote storage device.

23. The system of claim 17, wherein the plurality of instructions are further configured to cause the at least a first processor to perform the step of:

posting an error data indicator to a network manager.

24. The system of claim 17, wherein the plurality of instructions are further configured to cause the at least a first processor to perform the steps of posting an error data indicator by:

posting the identity indicator to the network manager; and

posting the identity of the storage device to the network manager.

25. The system of claim 17 wherein the plurality of instructions are further configured to cause the at least a first processor to perform the step of:

executing a predefined action responsive to the error data indicator being posted to the network manager.

26. The system of claim 17, wherein the plurality of instructions are configured to cause at least a first processor to perform the step of transferring by:

redirecting the received error data.