Automatic notification rule definition for a network management system

• US 6,493,755 B1
• Filed: 01/15/1999
• Issued: 12/10/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 01/15/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Compaq Computer Corporation (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Hansen, Peter A., York, Justin E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Etienne, Ario
• Application Number:
  US09/231,251
• Time in Patent Office: 1,425 Days
• Field of Search: 709/224, 709/223, 709/225, 709/220, 709/230, 709/202, 709/201, 709/242, 709/218, 709/232, 709/228, 709/235, 340/506, 707/9, 707/1, 707/10, 379/189, 713/201, 713/200, 713/100
• US Class Current: 709/224
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0609 based on severity or priority
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/22 comprising specially adapted graphical user interfaces [GUI]

Abstract

A network management application provides notification of events on network devices using prepopulated notification rules. The notification rule is prepopulated by the network management application using conditions that represent the present state of the device being monitored. An associated notification action is executed when an event on a network device satisfies the conditions of the prepopulated notification rule. The notification action can be tested without actually creating a set of conditions for a device that satisfies the conditions of the notification rule.

Claims

1. A method for notifying a user that an event has occurred on a computer network system, the event representing a change in the status for a device connected to the computer network and defined by a set of event conditions, the notification occurring when the event conditions satisfy a set of predetermined conditions, the method comprising:

monitoring the state of a device;

receiving a series of conditions describing a specified state of the device;

creating a notification rule defined by values based the specified state of the device;

prepopulating the values in the notification rule with the received series of conditions; and

requesting input from the user specifying a notification action to be taken when the conditions of the notification rule are satisfied.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the monitoring step is performed by a network management software application.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the creating step is responsive to an alarm for the device.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the specified state of the device is the present state of the device.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the specified state of the device is an alarm state for the device.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the specified state of the device is a prior state of the device stored in an event log.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of prepopulating is performed automatically by assigning the series of conditions from the receiving step to the corresponding values in the notification rule.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the prepopulated values can be modified manually.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of prepopulating is initiated by right clicking on an icon using mouse device connected to a computer.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein a first condition of the series of conditions is a device identification value.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the device identification value represents a class of associated devices.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein a second condition of the series of conditions an alarm event type for a device.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein a third condition of the series of conditions is an alarm severity.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the notification action can be associated with a plurality of notification rules.

15. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of:

notifying the user when the condition of the notification rule is satisfied according to the notification action specified.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the step of notifying further comprises the step of:

testing the notification action in a test mode by simulating satisfaction of the conditions of the notification rule.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the test mode is initiated by a test button on a notification action dialog.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein simulating satisfaction of the conditions of the notification rule occurs without triggering the conditions of the notification rule.

19. A method for testing a notification action, the notification action for notifying a user of an event indicating that a change in status has occurred for a device on a computer network system, the device status defined by a set of event conditions, the notification action performed when the event conditions satisfy a set of predetermined conditions, the method comprising:

simulating satisfaction of the set of predetermined conditions without receiving a series of conditions representing a network event that satisfies the set of predetermined conditions; and

performing the notification action when satisfaction of the set of predetermined conditions has been simulated.

20. A method for testing a notification action, the notification action for notifying a user of an event indicating that a change in status has occurred for a device on a computer network system, the device status defined by a set of event conditions, the notification action performed when the event conditions satisfy a set of predetermined conditions, the method comprising:

receiving the notification action; and

executing the notification action without satisfying the set of predetermined conditions.

21. A computer network system for notifying a user that an event has occurred on the computer network system, said computer network system having one or more system resources, comprising:

a computer network;

a plurality of devices coupled to the computer network;

a monitoring device for monitoring a specified state of the devices, the specified state of a selected device defined by a series of conditions for the selected device;

a host computer coupled to the computer network;

a program storage device coupled to the host processor having a computer readable code embodied therein for notifying a user of a change in the status for a device coupled the computer network, the code for directing the computer to perform the steps of;

receiving a series of conditions from the monitoring device defining the specified state of the device being monitored;

creating a notification rule having values for defining when notification will occur;

prepopulating the values defined in the notification rule with the received series of conditions; and

requesting input from the user specifying the action to be taken when the conditions of the notification rule satisfied.

22. The computer network system of claim 21, wherein the monitoring device is a network management software application.

23. The computer network of claim 21, wherein the creating step is responsive to an alarm for the device.

24. The computer network of claim 21, wherein the specified state of the device is the present state of the device.

25. The computer network of claim 21, wherein the specified state of the device is an alarm state for the device.

26. The computer network of claim 21, wherein the specified state of the device is a prior state of the device stored in an event log.

27. The computer network system of claim 21, wherein the step of prepopulating is performed automatically by assigning the series of conditions from the receiving step to the values in the notification rule.

28. The computer network system of claim 27, wherein the prepopulated values are capable of being modified manually.

29. The computer network system of claim 21, wherein the step of prepopulating is initiated by right clicking on an icon using a mouse device connected to a computer.

30. The computer network system of claim 21, wherein a first condition of the series of conditions is a device identification.

31. The computer network system of claim 30, wherein the device identification value represents a class of associated devices.

32. The computer network system of claim 21, wherein a second condition of the series of conditions an alarm event type for a device.

33. The computer network system of claim 21, wherein a third condition of the series of conditions an alarm severity.

34. The computer network system of claim 21, wherein the notification action can be associated with a plurality of notification rules.

35. The computer network system of claim 21, the program storage device further including a test mode code for directing the host processor to perform the step of:

notifying the user when the condition of the notification rule is satisfied according to the notification action specified.

36. The computer network system of claim 35, wherein the step of notifying further comprises the step of:

testing the notification action in a test mode by simulating satisfaction of the conditions of the notification rule.

37. The computer network system of claim 36, wherein the test mode is initiated by a test button on a notification action dialog.

38. The computer network system of claim 36, wherein simulating satisfaction of the conditions of the notification rule occurs without triggering the condition of the notification rule.

39. A computer system for testing a notification action, the notification action notifying a user that change in status has occurred for a device on a computer network system, the device status defined by a set of status conditions, the notification action performed when the status conditions satisfy a set of predetermined conditions, comprising:

a computer network;

a plurality of devices coupled to the computer network;

a monitoring device for monitoring a specified state of the device, the specified state of a selected device defined by a series of conditions for the selected device;

a host computer coupled to the computer network;

a program storage device coupled to the host computer having a computer readable code embodied therein testing a notification action, including;

a code for simulating satisfaction of the set of predetermined conditions without actually receiving a series of conditions, representing a network event that satisfies the set of predetermined conditions; and

a code for performing the notification action when the satisfaction of set of predetermined conditions has been simulated.

40. A computer system for testing a notification action, the notification action for notifying a user of an event indicating that a change in status has occurred for a device on a computer network system, the device status defined by a set of event conditions, the notification action performed when the event conditions satisfy a set of predetermined conditions, the method comprising:

receiving the notification action; and

executing the notification action without satisfying the set of predetermined conditions.

41. A computer, coupled to a computer network, for notifying a user that an event has occurred on the computer network, the event representing a change in the status of a device connected to the computer network and defined by a set of event conditions, comprising;

a computer coupled to a computer network;

a program storage device coupled to the computer having a computer readable code embodied therein, the code for directing the computer to perform the steps of;

monitoring a specified state for a network device, the specified state defined by a series of conditions for the monitored device;

receiving a series of conditions from the monitoring device defining the specified state of the monitored device;

creating a notification rule having values for defining when notification will occur;

prepopulating the values defined in the notification rule with the received series of conditions; and

requesting input from the user specifying the action to be taken when the notification rule is satisfied.

42. A computer, coupled to a computer network, for testing a notification action, the notification action notifying a user that a change in status has occurred for a device on a computer network, the device status defined by a set of status conditions, the notification action performed when the status conditions satisfy a set of predetermined conditions, comprising;

a computer coupled to a computer network;

a program storage device coupled to the computer having a computer readable code embodied therein, the code for directing the computer to perform the steps of;

simulating satisfaction of the set of predetermined conditions without actually receiving a series of conditions, representing a network event that satisfies the set of predetermined conditions; and

performing the notification action when satisfaction of the set of predetermined conditions has been simulated.

43. A computer coupled to a computer network for testing a notification action, the notification action for notifying a user of an event indicating that a change in status has occurred for a device on a computer network system, the device status defined by a set of event conditions, the notification action performed when the event conditions satisfy a set of predetermined conditions, the method comprising:

receiving the notification action; and

executing the notification action without satisfying the set of predetermined conditions.