Method and system for real-tme monitoring and administration of computer networks

• US 20010044840A1
• Filed: 12/12/2000
• Published: 11/22/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 12/13/1999
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Live Networking Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Live Networking Incorporated
• Inventors: Carleton, Russell
• Application Number:
  US09/736,956
• Publication Number:
  US 20010044840A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/223
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0663 Performing the actions predefined by failover planning, e.g. switching to standby network elements
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0811 by checking connectivity

Abstract

The present invention pertains to a method and system for real-time monitoring and surveillance of a computer network according to a set of business rules that describe system and device operational requirements. The business rules are determined by users and implemented by network administrators so that direct, real-time, on-the-fly secure, interaction with the business rules is provided. The invention provides an interface to apply the business rules to network monitoring so that designated users are notified according to user defined escalation levels when a device violates a business rule.

Claims

1. A system for monitoring the operations of a computer network from within a client server system which is operatively connected upon the computer network, comprising:

means for storing and retrieving operational information about ports and devices which are connected upon the computer network;

means for storing and retrieving business rules which describe intended operations of ports and devices operatively connected to the computer network;

means for storing and retrieving notification information which includes information about parties which are to be notified within each of a series of escalation levels;

means for surveying operations of the ports and devices in relation to the business rules; and

means for communicating alert notifications to personnel according to said notification information when the operation of the surveyed ports and devices contradict said business rules.

2. A method of monitoring the operations of a computer network by within the computer processor of a client server system operatively connected for communication on a computer network, comprising:

presenting rules of intended network operation, wherein the network operating rules describe a set of intended operational constraints for the behavior of ports and devices connected upon said network;

monitoring the actual operation of the ports and devices attached to said network in relation to the rules of network operation; and

providing alert notifications to a first list of personnel according to a first list of notification methods when the monitored operation of ports and devices contradict the rules of network operation.

3. A method as recited in

claim 2

, further comprising:

measuring the time from the issuance of the alert notification, which is cleared upon receipt of a proper response during the measurement interval; and

escalating the pending alert notification to a higher priority when the measured amount of time reaches a predetermined threshold, wherein the higher priority alert notification is performed according to a second list of personnel which is notified according to a second list of notification methods.

4. A method as recited in

claim 3

, wherein entries on said second list of personnel and said second list of notification methods is non-exclusive of the first notification list.

5. A method as recited in

claim 2

, further comprising remotely monitoring the network through a network connection to said client server system, wherein programming executable on said remote monitoring system receives information from said client server system over the network connection in response to alert notifications within the client server system and is capable of generating notifications according to a notification list when the monitored operation of ports and devices contradict the rules of network operation.

6. A system for monitoring the operations of a computer network from within a client server system connected to the computer network and capable of executing stored programs and of operatively storing and retrieving data, comprising:

(a) a database of port and device information capable of being operatively stored and retrieved by the client server system, wherein the port and device information describes operational aspects of the ports and devices, such as addressing, within the computer network;

(b) a database of business rules capable of being operatively stored and retrieved by the client server system, wherein the business rules describe desired operation of the ports and devices, such as times of operation, on the computer network;

(c) a notification list capable of being operatively stored and retrieved by the client server system, wherein the notification list describes parties to be notified and methods to be used in notifying said parties; and

(d) programming executable on said client server system which is capable of surveying the status and activity of the ports and devices within the network as defined within the device database on said computer network, wherein said programming is capable of reporting said activity and status to users of said client server system and is further capable of comparing said activity and status of the ports and devices against said database of business rules to generate alert notifications according to the notification list in response to violations of said business rules.

7. A system as recited in

claim 6

, wherein the database of device information comprises:

port ranges of the device, an activity flag, a device address, and a device description.

8. A system as recited in

claim 6

, wherein said database of business rules comprises device and port operational times and configurations against which periodic surveys of the status and monitoring of the activity on said computer network is to be compared.

9. A system as recited in

claim 6

, further comprising programming which is executable on said client server system that provides for the modification of the business rules within said database.

10. A system as recited in

claim 6

, wherein said database of business rules incorporates said notification list.

11. A system as recited in

claim 6

, wherein the notification list further comprises escalation levels, and the programming which is executable on said client server is responsive to said escalation levels by notifying disparate portions of the notification list as operations and status on the network continue in contradiction to said business rules.

12. A system as recited in

claim 6

, wherein the programming executable on said client server accepts modification of the business rules within said database in real-time such that at the time the change is made to the business rule database monitoring activity of the system changes accordingly.

13. A system as recited in

claim 6

, further comprising a remote monitoring system comprising:

(a) a network connection to said client server system;

(b) a communications interface; and

(c) programming executable on said remote monitoring system which receives information from said client server system over the network connection in response to alert notifications within the client server system and is capable of generating notifications on the communications interface according to the notification list of the client server system.

14. A system as recited in

claim 13

, further comprising a service console which allows a service operator to view incoming alert notifications and elect a course of notification and remediation for any particular computer network being monitored.

15. A system for monitoring operation of a computer network, comprising:

(a) a client server connected on the computer network having a database of device information and business rules along with programming operable on said client server for monitoring devices on the network according to the database and comparing the operation of said devices against said business rules and generating alert notifications in response to violations thereof, programming operable on the client server is further capable of providing for the display of status and violation information about monitoring of the computer network; and

(b) a communications interface associated with said client server for communicating alert notifications externally from the computer network to a remote monitoring device.

16. A system as recited in

claim 15

, wherein information on each device is retained within the business rule and is selected from the group consisting of port ranges, active flag, IP address, description, polling period, timeout, back-off, and selection of notification rule.

17. A system as recited in

claim 15

, wherein said database of business rules comprises device and port operational times and configurations against which periodic status of said computer network is to be compared such that excursions therebetween are capable of being translated into alert notifications generated and communicated to users specified within the business rules so that the excursion may be timely corrected.

18. A system as recited in

claim 17

, wherein the predetermined methods for sending notification is selected from the group consisting of facsimile, pager, e-mail, telephone, couriers, and other means of communication.

19. A system as recited in

claim 17

, wherein the alerts are generated within escalation levels, each escalation level having an association of parties which are to be notified, whereupon an alert not responded to within the predetermined time period escalates to the next level such that a new list of parties is notified regarding the alert.

20. A system as recited in

claim 19

, wherein each escalation level contains information about the parties to be contacted and the timing of the notification escalation.

21. A system as recited in

claim 20

, wherein the information contained within the escalation level is selected from the group consisting of party to notify, method of notification, and values for escalation time, acknowledgement time, and clear time.

22. A system as recited in

claim 15

, further comprising a network monitoring server having means for communicating with said client server.

23. A system as recited in

claim 15

, wherein the programming for interacting with said business rules in real time comprises a series of screens for status, setting of device information, and the setting of escalation levels.

24. A system for monitoring the operations of a computer network, comprising:

(a) a client server system connected to the computer network comprising,

(i) an interface for communicating with devices on said computer network,

(ii) a database containing device information about devices on the computer network,

(iii) a database containing business rules about the intended operation of the computer network,

(iv) a notification list having escalation levels so that escalating levels of notification can be provided according to a set of notification methods when contacting personnel to communicate alert notifications,

(v) programming executable on said client server which provides for the modification of device information and business rules within said databases,

(vi) programming executable on said client server which monitors devices on said computer network as defined within said device information database and compares computer network operation against said database of business rules, generating an alert notification for operations that violate said business rules and capable of generating notifications to personnel by said set of notification methods according to the notification list and escalation levels, and

(vii) an external communications interface;

(b) a remote monitoring system comprising,

(i) communication interfaces for providing notification of personnel,

(ii) an operator interface, and

(iii) programming executable on said remote monitoring system which receives alert notifications from said client, identifies those alert notifications, and provides for intervention and intercession by a human operator on the operator interface for the generation of human directed alert notifications to personnel from a remote location.

25. A system as recited in

claim 24

, wherein said business rule database includes said notification list.

26. A system as recited in

claim 24

, wherein said database of business rules comprises device and port operational times and configurations against which periodic status of said computer network is to be compared such that excursions therebetween are capable of being translated into alerts generated and communicated to users so that the excursion may be timely corrected.

27. A system as recited in

claim 24

, wherein the alerts are generated within an enumeration of escalation levels, each escalation level having an association of parties which are to be notified, whereupon an alert not responded to within the predetermined time period escalates to the next level such that a new list of parties is notified regarding the alert.

28. A system as recited in

claim 25

, wherein the alert is generated through a communications medium that is selected from the group of communication media consisting of Email, voice telephone, facsimile, cellular phone, pager, radio-links, lightwave-links, couriers, and postal carrier services.

29. A method of monitoring operations on a client network, comprising:

defining the characteristics of devices to be monitored on the client network;

defining client network operational constraints as a set of business rules;

defining a notification list with escalation levels and escalation rules, the notification list defining notification information for personnel that are to be notified when network operations contradict the set of business rules, the escalation rules defining movement between portions of the notification list which are divided into escalation levels so that alert notifications may be generated with higher priority business rule contradiction continues;

periodically monitoring the devices within the client network according to the business rules and the generation of alert notifications in response to contradictions thereof;

communicating said alert notification according to said notification list such that parties within the notification list are contacted and notified; and

increasing escalation levels when escalation rules are met, and resetting the notifications when a proper response has been received.

30. A system for monitoring the operations of a computer network from within a client server system which is operatively connected upon the computer network, comprising:

(a) a computer; and

(b) programming associated with said computer for carrying out the operations of

(i) storing and retrieving operational information about ports and devices which are connected upon the computer network;

(ii) storing and retrieving business rules which describe intended operations of ports and devices operatively connected to the computer network;

(iii) storing and retrieving notification information which includes information about parties which are to be notified within each of a series of escalation levels;

(iv) surveying operations of the ports and devices in relation to the business rules; and

(v) communicating alert notifications to personnel according to said notification information when the operation of the surveyed ports and devices contradict said business rules.