Tool for monitoring health of networks

• US 6,446,123 B1
• Filed: 03/31/1999
• Issued: 09/03/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: RPX Clearinghouse LLC (RPX Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nortel Networks Limited (Nortel Networks Corporation)
• Inventors: Almeida, Gorete M., Ballantine, Peter Roy
• Primary Examiner(s): Le, N.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Benson, Walter
• Application Number:
  US09/281,945
• Time in Patent Office: 1,252 Days
• Field of Search: 370/254, 370/469, 379/34, 455/423, 709/223, 709/224
• US Class Current: 709/224
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/06 Management of faults, events, alarms or notifications
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/147 for predicting network behaviour
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/5009 Determining service level performance parameters or violations of service level contracts, e.g. violations of agreed response time or mean time between failures [MTBF]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/045 for graphical visualisation of monitoring data
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/06 Generation of reports
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0811 by checking connectivity
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/091 Measuring contribution of individual network components to actual service level
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/14 using software, i.e. software packages network security related monitoring H04L63/1408
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/16 Threshold monitoring

Abstract

A software tool for monitoring network performance, traffic, inventory, breakdown, repair activity, and other conditions, alerts a user to anticipated problems based upon projection of performance and related data. The software can also suggest appropriate solutions, schedules proactive maintenance based upon anticipated fail date, importance to the network, repairperson availability, and company policy. A user can set the parameters of the software tool to provide customized network maintenance.

Claims

1. A software tool for monitoring a network, comprising:

means for receiving information from a plurality of sources in communication with the network relating to the past and present performance of a network;

means for analyzing the received information to anticipate the predicted performance of at least one of a plurality of components in communication with the network for a projected time period; and

means for predicting a time to threshold when the performance of the network will exceed a predetermined threshold condition based on the anticipated performance of at least one of the plurality of components.

2. The tool of claim 1 further comprising

means coupled to the predicting means for alerting a user of the predicted network performance.

3. The tool of claim 2 wherein the alerting means includes

means for configuring the network to alert a user in a predetermined manner.

4. The tool of claim 2 wherein the alerting means includes

means for using a visual indicator to alert the user of the predicted network performance.

5. The tool of claim 2 wherein the alerting means includes

means for using an audible alarm to alert the user of the predicted network performance.

6. The tool of claim 1 further comprising

means for automatically scheduling network maintenance based on the anticipated performance of at least one of the plurality of components and predicted network performance.

7. The tool of claim 6 wherein the scheduling means includes

means for updating scheduled network maintenance based on the information received from at least one of the plurality of sources in communication with the network.

8. The tool of claim 1 further comprising

means for proposing solutions to the predicted network performance.

9. The tool of claim 1 wherein the receiving means includes

means for receiving network performance data from at least one of a plurality of sources in communication with the network.

10. The tool of claim 1 wherein the receiving means includes

means for receiving network traffic data from at least one of a plurality of sources in communication with the network.

11. The tool of claim 1 wherein the receiving means includes

means for receiving network inventory data from at least one of a plurality of sources in communication with the network.

12. The tool of claim 1 wherein the receiving means includes

means for receiving network breakdown data from at least one of a plurality of sources in communication with the network.

13. The tool of claim 1 wherein the receiving means includes

means for receiving network repair activity data from at least one of a plurality of sources in communication with the network.

14. The tool of claim 1 wherein the analyzing means includes

means for using a predetermined maintenance policy to anticipate the performance of one of the plurality of components.

15. The tool of claim 1 wherein the analyzing means includes

means for using the predetermined time required to complete maintenance work to anticipate the performance of one of the plurality of components.

16. The tool of claim 1 wherein the analyzing means includes

means for using network performance criteria to evaluate the anticipated performance of one of the plurality of components.

17. The tool of claim 1 wherein the analyzing means includes

means for using detected network changes to anticipate the performance of one of the plurality of components.

18. The tool of claim 1 wherein the analyzing means includes

means for using network plans to anticipate the performance of one of the plurality of components.

19. The tool of claim 1 wherein the predicting means includes

means for predicting network performance when the anticipated performance of one of the plurality of components exceeds a predetermined threshold.

20. A computer readable medium containing instructions for directing a computer to perform a process for monitoring a network, comprising:

means for causing a computer to receive information from a plurality of sources in communication with the network relating to the past and present performance of a network;

means for causing a computer to analyze the received information to anticipate the predicted performance of at least one of a plurality of components in communication with the network for a projected time period; and

means for causing a computer to predict a time to threshold when the performance of the network will exceed a predetermined threshold condition based on the anticipated performance of at least one of the plurality of components.

21. The medium of claim 20 further comprising

means for causing a computer to alert a user of the predicted network performance.

22. The medium of claim 21 wherein the means for causing a computer to alert includes

means for causing a computer to configure the network to alert a user in a predetermined manner.

23. The medium of claim 21 wherein the means for causing a computer to alert includes

means for causing a computer to use a visual indicator to alert the user of the predicted network performance.

24. The medium of claim 21 wherein the means for causing the computer to alert includes

means for causing a computer to use an audible alarm to alert the user of the predicted network performance.

25. The medium of claim 20 further comprising

means for causing a computer to automatically schedule network maintenance based on the anticipated performance of at least one of the plurality of components and predicted network performance.

26. The medium of claim 25 wherein the means for causing the computer to schedule includes

means for updating scheduled network maintenance based on the information received from at least one of the plurality of sources in communication with the network.

27. The medium of claim 20 further comprising

means for causing a computer to propose a solution to the predicted network performance.

28. The medium of claim 20 wherein the means for causing a computer to receive information includes

means for causing a computer to receive network performance data from at least one of a plurality of sources in communication with the network.

29. The medium of claim 20 wherein the means for causing a computer to receive information includes

means for causing a computer to receive network traffic data from at least one of a plurality of sources in communication with the network.

30. The medium of claim 20 wherein the means for causing a computer to receive information includes

means for causing a computer to receive network inventory data from at least one of a plurality of sources in communication with the network.

31. The medium of claim 20 wherein the means for causing a computer to receive information includes

means for causing a computer to receive network breakdown data from at least one of a plurality of sources in communication with the network.

32. The medium of claim 20 wherein the means for causing a computer to receive information includes

means for causing a computer to receive network repair activity data from at least one of a plurality of sources in communication with the network.

33. The medium of claim 20 wherein the means for causing a computer to analyze the received information includes

means for causing a computer to use a predetermined maintenance policy to anticipate the performance of one of the plurality of components.

34. The medium of claim 20 wherein the means for causing a computer to analyze the received information includes

means for causing a computer to use a predetermined time required to complete maintenance work to anticipate the performance of one of the plurality of components.

35. The medium of claim 20 wherein the means for causing a computer to analyze the received information includes

means for causing a computer to use network performance criteria to evaluate the anticipated performance of one of the plurality of components.

36. The medium of claim 20 wherein the means for causing a computer to analyze the received information includes

means for causing a computer to use detected network changes to anticipate the performance of one of the plurality of components.

37. The medium of claim 20 wherein the means for causing a computer to analyze the received information includes

means for causing a computer to use network plans to anticipate the performance of one of the plurality of components.

38. The medium of claim 20 wherein the means for causing a computer to predict performance includes

means for causing a computer to predict network performance when the anticipated performance of one of the plurality of components exceeds a predetermined threshold.

39. A method for monitoring a network, comprising:

receiving information from a plurality of sources in communication with the network relating to the past and present performance of a network;

analyzing the received information to anticipate the predicted performance of at least one of a plurality of components in communication with the network for a projected time period; and

predicting a time to threshold when the performance of the network will exceed a predetermined threshold condition based on the anticipated performance of at least one of the plurality of components.

40. The method of claim 39 further comprising

alerting a user of the predicted network performance.

41. The method of claim 40 wherein alerting includes

configuring the network to alert a user in a predetermined manner.

42. The method of claim 40 wherein alerting includes

using a visual indicator to alert the user of the predicted network performance.

43. The method of claim 40 wherein alerting includes

using an audible alarm to alert the user of the predicted network performance.

44. The method of claim 41 further comprising

automatically scheduling network maintenance based on the anticipated performance of at least one of the plurality of components and predicted network performance.

45. The method of claim 44 wherein scheduling includes

updating scheduled network maintenance based on the information received from at least one of the plurality of sources in communication with the network.

46. The method of claim 39 further comprising

proposing a solution to the predicted network performance.

47. The method of claim 39 wherein the receiving information include

receiving network performance data from at least one of a plurality of sources in communication with the network.

48. The method of claim 39 wherein receiving information includes

receiving network traffic data from at least one of a plurality of sources in communication with the network.

49. The method of claim 39 wherein receiving information includes

receiving network inventory data from at least one of a plurality of sources in communication with the network.

50. The method of claim 39 wherein receiving information includes

receiving network breakdown data from at least one of a plurality of sources in communication with the network.

51. The method of claim 39 wherein receiving information includes

receiving network repair activity data from at least one of a plurality of sources in communication with the network.

52. The method of claim 39 wherein analyzing information includes

useing a predetermined maintenance policy to anticipate the performance of one of the plurality of components.

53. The method of claim 39 wherein the analyzing information includes

using the predetermined time required to complete maintenance work to anticipate the performance of one of the plurality of components.

54. The method of claim 39 wherein analyzing information includes

using network performance criteria to evaluate the anticipated performance of one of the plurality of components.

55. The method of claim 39 wherein analyzing information includes

using detected network changes to anticipate the performance of one of the plurality of components.

56. The method of claim 39 wherein analyzing information includes

using network plans to anticipate the performance of one of the plurality of components.

57. The method of claim 39 wherein predicting performance includes

predicting network performance when the anticipated performance of one of the plurality of components exceeds a predetermined threshold.