Service window optimized system alert engine

• US 9,235,971 B1
• Filed: 06/28/2011
• Issued: 01/12/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 06/28/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Emc IP Holding Company LLC (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Original Assignee: EMC Corporation (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Inventors: Juels, Ari, Todd, Stephen, Yee, YinKee
• Primary Examiner(s): Mehmood, Jennifer
• Assistant Examiner(s): Mortell, John
• Application Number:
  US13/170,345
• Time in Patent Office: 1,659 Days
• Field of Search: 340/506, 340/540, 709/206, 709/231, 709/224, 709/225, 709/248, 709/223, 709/100, 235/379, 700/83, 717/126, 726/23, 713/100, 707/999.12
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 23/027 Alarm generation, e.g. communication protocol; Forms of alarm
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/00 Alarms responsive to a single specified undesired or abnormal condition and not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 29/181 due to failing power supply
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 3/10 using electric transmission; using electromagnetic transmission

Abstract

A service window optimized system alert engine is disclosed for automated generation and delivery of alerts relating to detected conditions of a monitored system. The service window optimized system alert engine comprises a state monitor, a system configuration and history module, an alert generator, and an alert router. The state monitor is configured to send status data of the monitored system to the alert generator. The system configuration and history module provides information to the alert generator specifying an alert generation policy established for the monitored system. The alert generator is configured to process the status data from the state monitor in accordance with the alert generation policy specified by the system configuration and history module to generate at least one alert. The alert router is configured to determine optimal delivery characteristics for the generated alert and to deliver the alert in accordance with the optimal delivery characteristics.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

at least one processing platform comprising at least one processing device having a processor coupled to a memory, wherein the processing platform implements a plurality of modules of a service window optimized system alert engine for automated generation and delivery of alerts relating to detected conditions of a monitored system, the modules comprising;

a state monitor;

a system configuration and history module;

an alert generator; and

an alert router;

wherein the state monitor is configured to send status data of the monitored system to the alert generator;

wherein the system configuration and history module provides information to the alert generator specifying an alert generation policy established for the monitored system;

wherein the alert generator is configured to process the status data from the state monitor in accordance with the alert generation policy specified by the system configuration and history module to generate at least one alert;

wherein the alert router is configured;

to determine optimal delivery characteristics associated with at least one user for the generated alert based at least in part on the alert generation policy and a history of alert actions provided by the system configuration and history module; and

to deliver the alert to the at least one user in accordance with the optimal delivery characteristics;

wherein the system configuration and history module comprises;

a system event database;

an alert configurations and dependencies database; and

an adaptive configuration engine; and

wherein the adaptive configuration engine supplies the information specifying the alert generation policy to the alert generator.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the state monitor comprises at least one of:

a user state monitor;

a system state monitor;

a service state monitor; and

an environmental monitor.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the state monitor is implemented at least in part within the monitored system.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the status data of the monitored system comprises interrupts received in the alert generator from the state monitor.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the status data of the monitored system comprises information obtained by polling of the state monitor by the alert generator.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the monitored system comprises a storage system.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein two or more of the system configuration and history module, the alert generator and the alert router are each implemented on a separate processing device of the processing platform.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the modules are configured to communicate with one another over an enterprise service bus.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the optimal delivery characteristics comprise an optimal interface type over which the alert is delivered to the at least one user, the optimal interface type being selected by the alert router from among a plurality of different interface types.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein the plurality of different interface types include two or more of an email interface, an SMS interface, a telephony interface, an instant message interface and a computer graphical user interface.

11. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the system configuration and history module is configured to adapt the alert generation policy over time based on information relating to alerts generated in accordance with that policy and corresponding responses to said alerts.

12. An apparatus comprising:

at least one processing platform comprising at least one processing device having a processor coupled to a memory, wherein the processing platform implements a plurality of modules of a service window optimized system alert engine for automated generation and delivery of alerts relating to detected conditions of a monitored system, the modules comprising;

a state monitor;

a system configuration and history module;

an alert generator; and

an alert router;

wherein the state monitor is configured to send status data of the monitored system to the alert generator;

wherein the system configuration and history module provides information to the alert generator specifying an alert generation policy established for the monitored system;

wherein the alert generator is configured to process the status data from the state monitor in accordance with the alert generation policy specified by the system configuration and history module to generate at least one alert;

wherein the alert router is configured;

to determine optimal delivery characteristics associated with at least one user for the generated alert based at least in part on the alert generation policy and a history of alert actions provided by the system configuration and history module; and

to deliver the alert to the at least one user in accordance with the optimal delivery characteristics;

wherein the system configuration and history module is configured to adapt the alert generation policy over time based on information relating to alerts generated in accordance with that policy and corresponding responses to said alerts; and

wherein the alert generation policy is adapted based on one or more of the delivery characteristics selected for delivery of a given alert, any acknowledgment received responsive to the given alert, and any resolution of the detected condition giving rise to the given alert.

19. The apparatus of claim 12 wherein the system configuration and history module comprises:

a system event database;

an alert configurations and dependencies database; and

an adaptive configuration engine.

20. The apparatus of claim 19 wherein the adaptive configuration engine supplies the information specifying the alert generation policy to the alert generator.

13. A method comprising the steps of:

receiving status data relating to a monitored system at an alert generator of a service window optimized system alert engine from a state monitor of the service window optimized system alert engine;

receiving information specifying an alert generation policy established for the monitored system at the alert generator from a system configuration and history module of the service window optimized system alert engine;

processing the status data in accordance with the alert generation policy to generate at least one alert in the alert generator;

determining optimal delivery characteristics associated with at least one user for the generated alert based at least in part on the alert generation policy and a history of alert actions in an alert router of the service window optimized system alert engine; and

delivering the alert to the at least one user in accordance with the optimal delivery characteristics utilizing the alert router;

wherein the system configuration and history module comprises;

a system event database;

an alert configurations and dependencies database; and

an adaptive configuration engine; and

wherein the adaptive configuration engine supplies the information specifying the alert generation policy to the alert generator.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein the step of determining optimal delivery characteristics comprises determining an optimal interface type over which the alert is delivered to the at least one user, the optimal interface type being selected from among a plurality of different interface types.

15. The method of claim 14 further comprising the step of adapting the alert generation policy over time based on information relating to alerts generated in accordance with that policy and corresponding responses to said alerts.

16. A computer program product comprising a non-transitory processor-readable storage medium having encoded therein executable code of one or more software programs, wherein the one or more software programs when executed by a processing device cause the processing device to implement the steps of the method of claim 13.

17. An information processing system comprising:

information technology infrastructure comprising at least one monitored system; and

a service window optimized system alert engine configured;

to receive status data relating to the monitored system at an alert generator of the service window optimized system alert engine from a state monitor of the service window optimized system alert engine;

to receive information specifying an alert generation policy established for the monitored system at the alert generator from a system configuration and history module of the service window optimized system alert engine;

to process the status data in accordance with the alert generation policy to generate at least one alert in the alert generator;

to determine optimal delivery characteristics associated with at least one user for the generated alert based at least in part on the alert generation policy and a history of alert actions in an alert router of the service window optimized system alert engine; and

to deliver the alert to the at least one user in accordance with the optimal delivery characteristics utilizing the alert router;

wherein the system configuration and history module comprises;

a system event database;

an alert configurations and dependencies database; and

an adaptive configuration engine; and

wherein the adaptive configuration engine supplies the information specifying the alert generation policy to the alert generator.

18. The information processing system of claim 17 wherein the information technology infrastructure comprises at least one processing platform comprising a plurality of processing devices with each such processing device of the processing platform comprising a processor coupled to a memory.